Army streamlines dress uniforms

[CommunityEditor]

The days of the green Class A’s are over.

The Army’s plan to make dress blues the only Army Service Uniform has been approved and soldiers who own the uniform are encouraged to begin wearing it now, the Army announced Wednesday.

The move to eliminate the green uniform is designed to streamline soldiers’ clothing bags while modernizing the way the traditional blue uniform is worn.

The new wear policy was announced Wednesday in an Army-wide message from Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey and Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth Preston.

The most significant change, aside from the switch from green to blue, is the option to wear a combat service identification badge, something that was not allowed with the blues.

“This uniform is part of a larger modular uniform system. It’s the culmination of a transformation effort that began back in 2004,” Preston told Army Times, referring to the development of the Army Combat Uniform and its introduction in May 2005. “The ACU really streamlined the impact on soldiers and, of course, that same thought process was really applied to our dress uniform.”

Preston said the blue uniform has come out overwhelmingly ahead in several surveys of soldiers asked their preference for a dress uniform, and in more than 150 forums he conducted over the past two years.

The vast majority of soldiers also expressed a desire to display their combat credentials, he said.

Other changes include:

• Soldiers who wear green, tan or maroon berets, soldiers assigned to air assault coded positions and military police on duty will be permitted to blouse their trousers with the black leather combat boot.

• The black, tan, maroon and green beret will be permitted with all uniforms. Men and women in the rank of corporal and above will have the option of wearing a service cap, for which there will be a stipend. Commanders will be authorized to determine which headgear should be worn for a particular event.

• During the development of the uniform, a grey shirt had been considered, but the Army decided that white shirts will be worn with all Class A and B uniforms because it “showcases the soldiers’ uniform,” Preston said.

The new uniform will be available at clothing sales stores next summer.

Soldiers graduating from basic training will get it as part of their clothing bag by the summer of 2010.

Clothing allowances will be adjusted, and every soldier will be wearing the blue uniform by 2014.


Article: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/0...iform_082008w/

[CrustySMSgt]

I guess the Air Force "Blue to Green" program will now be the "Blue to Dark Blue" program

[AIRFORCEAGGIE]

I saw the pictures of the new class B. UUUUUUGGGGGGLLLLLYYYYY!!!!!! Oh, well, you don't join the military for the fashion show. lol.

[simpdonny]

I agree; Who provided input for the change???

[leroybrown2k5]

Terrible! The Dress Blues was a DRESS uniform. Now it's some kind of TGI Friday "Hybrid" what with all of the "flair" on that freakish looking thing. Should I be surprised if someone hands me a red cauldron and a hand-bell around Xmas time or asks me what the soup of the day is the next time I eat out for lunch on pay day activities? Didn't think uniforms in the DoD could get worse then "Digital Tiger Stripes." Boy was I wrong.

What Sergeant Major could have possibly thought the "Combat Badge" was a good idea or way to appease the "pro-combat patch on a dress uniform" crowd. I understand the sentiment some Soldiers have for their "combat Patch," but it does not compliment this uniform.

Here is an idea: for Formal Occasions keep the Dress Blue jacket but without all of the peripheral garbage "combat badge" and "combat bars." We already have an informal jacket -the black "West Point" wind breaker. Why not put your combat and current unit patch on that jacket and use that in place of the Dress blue jacket for not-as-formal events like Pay Day activities. The Old Guard wears this windbreaker with the Dress Blues, why can't the regular army (especially since we already took the Ranger's beret)? This would also serve as a means to keep fluff off the Blues and give Soldiers a venue for showing off their Combat Patch if that was the intent behind the badge.

We have heaped so much crap on our uniforms we are starting to look like North Korean Admirals. Do we really need all of this extra stuff? Somewhere LTG "Chesty" Puller is laughing at us.

[ElCid_05]

In Massachusetts this uniform could legally marry a dude. And the jerk-off who came up with the idea for a "combat badge" should have both of his arms broken. The first time I catch one of my men wearing that fruity thing I'm gonna pull him for violating "don't ask, don't tell."

If they were gonna change the uniform, they should have gone back to the brown WWII Class-A's. This thing looks like it was designed by Ulysses S. Grant's gay cousin. Could we please get someone who wasn't regularly beat up by the cool kids in high school to make these decisions?

[IMMI(R)]

Fantastic. Olive drab from 1908 was for combat uniforms and not dress uniforms. The traditional uniform of the Army from 1775 on was always blue. The OD and later the Army Green served absolutely no purpose for either dress or semi-dress uniforms (class A or B). I would have preferred the proposed grey shirt as a historical tie to War of 1812, West Point, and the Southern Army of 1861-65, but the ASU should reflect historical traditions. Without reference to traditions we fail to tell the new recruit what the Army has always been about.

[leroybrown2k5]

Originally Posted by ElCid_05

In Massachusetts this uniform could legally marry a dude. And the jerk-off who came up with the idea for a "combat badge" should have both of his arms broken. The first time I catch one of my men wearing that fruity thing I'm gonna pull him for violating "don't ask, don't tell."

If they were gonna change the uniform, they should have gone back to the brown WWII Class-A's. This thing looks like it was designed by Ulysses S. Grant's gay cousin. Could we please get someone who wasn't regularly beat up by the cool kids in high school to make these decisions?

Couldn't agree more with both of your points ElCid. I support your idea of the WWII "Pinks and Tans." In fact, when the Army times ran that story it was the overwhelming favorite. So, of course, our leadership gives us this nice poop sandwhick to eat. Oh, the reason that uniform was shot down: Older gen-gens and sgm's did not find it very flattering for those that were over weight.

[Flaena]

Those new uniforms are just plain ugly. Why spend all that money? I guess the fat officers making the decisions on uniforms to make themselves look better most likely have stock in the companies making all that new stuff. Of course, the officers will probably get it for free but the Enlisted man will still have to pay out some of his own pocket. I say stay with the Green. I have never seen a more handsome man than in one in a Class A Green. Then I am a bit prejudiced, grandaddy was an Army Seargent and my son is a Specialist currently serving in Iraq. God Bless our Troops!

[kevin.geis]

The new Amy blues look so stupid. The combat patch pin on is probably the most retarded idea I have ever seen, espically since they have them on your stomach. I have no complaints against the green uniform. If they wanted to change the uniform why not just change the color but keep the way its pieced together with the greens. I'm defiantly not buying those pieces of shit that's for sure.