77 year old Jarhead here, come on Army get your act together. This ain't rocket science. Set on a sharp uniform, stay with it and build your culture around this. You guys are better than this. You have a proud history act like it.
71 year old Army here, why can't they do anything is a better question. The problem is that they are focused on the wrong things. I watched an old interview with Alfred M. Grey, 29th Commandant of the USMC, he is the what the Army needs to return it to it main purpose, and that is warfighting. Sempr Fi brother, I feel your pain. My personal favorite are the dress blues...
@@jamesstodola3582 26 year old defense contractor here. The army is doing some things. I can't spill all the details for obvious reasons. But the army is improving in leaps and bounds when it comes to Cyber warfare capabilities, resistance to man in the middle attacks, and domestically produced autonomous weapons platforms. The issue is that a lot of the things that the army's doing right now is secret squirrel shit. As in if I told you any more I'd lose my job and be black balled from working for the DoD ever again. The army is improving, we are advancing, we just can't be loud about it since China is trawling the whole damn web for any information they can find on American capabilities. Also, thank you for your service! I'll never contribute as much to this country as you did. But I promise that I'll work hard to do my part.
(Ex Army guy, thanks!) And all Services... maybe stop with the "participation medals"? Chesty Puller didn't have as many ribbons as some of today Chairborn Warriors! I had two awards given to me.. one for being in the Army and one for graduating Advanced Individual Training. Like EVERY OTHER SOLDIER EVER! I showed up in my dress uniform without them one day,, because I thought they were stupid. I was ordered to put them on. The guy shown at 01:23 reminded of it. Sorry, ranting now.
Why can't the Army copy its own WW2 uniform correctly? Enlisted personnel did not wear pinks in WW2. Why can't the Army bring back the standard summer khaki uniform with khaki tie and long sleeves for class A summer and no tie and short sleeves for a class B? Bring back the garisson cap for summer and winter uniform.
Why? For one thing, simplifying things to one design. Also, some wanted to go to the officer uniform as the standard in the post-war era but there was a push to do something a different color.
And don't forget, the only folks wearing a ' crush cap' was USAAC/USAAF! That's why it was called ' a fifty mission cap'. That goofy SMA that wanted ' The Pinks and Greens' sure as heck didn't do his history homework!
i blame the early 2000's we should have never adopted dress blues and we should have never even concieved grammys couch pattern this is just a return to form
I'm retired Army, 15 years enlisted and 6 years Officer. Uniform changes are a financial hardship for soldiers. Officers get no reimbursement. Enlisted get reimbursement for only the Basic Issue. They get no reimbursement for the dress uniform. The 4 utility uniform reimbursement is insufficient since most soldiers need a minimum of 6 uniforms to wear a fresh uniform everyday. Soldiers pretty much consider all the changes are due to the turnover in General Officers. Each wants to make their mark on the Service at the detriment of the soldiers.
As an old school vet, I served from late 75 until late '84, the commonly known then as dress blues were optional and usually only senior NCO's and officers had them. We still had the Khakis as a summer or class B along with the green class A dress uniform, I was really pissed when they did away with the Khakis and also didn't like it when the Woodland BDU's replaced the OD fatigues. I'm glad I wasn't still in when the ASU and ACU's were rolled out. The clothing allowance back then wouldn't have been anywhere close to what would be needed to replace all of that.
Personally, I didn't like the 4 buttons, but consistency is a quality all its own. And I've never heard anyone complain about the uniform they didn't have.
I joined in 1978 and was issued the green service uniform in a summer weight and winter weight, fatigues with ball cap, short sleeve khaki uniforms. As I recall the fatigues and khakis were both "permanent press'"". The green garrison cap in two weights went with the khakis and the service uniform along with black low quarters. And of course combat boots for the fatigues. We also were issued a green service double breasted overcoat, and a grey green double breasted raincoat both of which were belted. By the mid 80's in Germany, most of that issue was not authorized anymore. The Khakis were out, the fatigues were replaced by the BDU's, and the green service uniform was down to a single weight. At some point the green overcoat and raincoat were replaced by a single breasted black overcoat with a zip out lining, which looked like it came out of JC Penney's. The BDU's went through several iterations with variations in the collar size, sleeve length, and take up tabs on the waist. At one point the old jungle fatigues and jungle boots were authorized for wear for those that had them. I was not issued a PT uniform in basic. Our PT uniform consisted of removing and neatly folding our fatigue shirt and placing our ball cap on top before beginning PT. PT uniforms were an organizational issue item until the grey PT uniform. As they didn't fit well and were worn out most wore civilian sweats for PT. One of our warrant officers observed that our battalion runs looked like a rummage sale searching for a place to happen. I was sent TDY to a British outfit. Two other Americans from different outfits were also there at the same time. I was wearing the green fatigue uniforms, another wore the new BDU's, and the third was sporting jungle fatigues. The Brits were somewhat bemused as they imagined the US Army as a huge organization all dressed the same. We all wore the dress version of the service greens for the couple of mess nights we had. Of all the changes to the uniform, the one that made the most sense was adopting a green shirt to go along with the Service uniform. Since it displayed rank it could be worn with the green trousers as a Class B.
yeah when I was in the USAF kept making uniform changes from 1505s to short sleeve blue shirts then short sleeves with epaulets in which only the senior ranks and officers could wear rank shoulder boards and don't get me started about the switch from cotton fatigues to permanent press ones ,they may have looked sharp but also had no staying power water wise .my clothing allowance.could never keep up with the costs
I liked the BDU's too. More comfortable and practical than the green "permanent press" fatigues. The original BDU's were a good weight for Germany, but probably a little heavy for the southern US especially in the summer months. Found out much later that this was an adaptation of a Viet Nam War era uniform.
See? That point about "people have worn the same thing..." is the insight that I think too many Army Fashion Specialists overlook. The Marines could be wearing a goat costume, but the consistency over 100's of years would make it classic.
The ‘corridore 3’ anecdote I picked up at the pentagon was that the process was General Shinsheki had uniform review as one of his GOSC initiatives and the Action Officer had delegated one too many hard chargers to the task. It apparently had so much momentum that SMA Tilley got ambushed in the corridore, pulled into a room full of designs presented, and told to just ‘pick one’. He got on the phone to the CSA and immediately slowed the process to something more deliberate.
The Air Force also has that “dress variation” of adding a white shirt and bow tie to the service uniform. In theory it’s an option for all but in reality it’s worn as a cheaper substitute to mess dress for younger (read “poorer”) enlisted who can’t really afford mess dress. I was taught to think of the service uniform as a business suit and mess dress as a tux.
One of the issues with reading a pamphlet derivative of AR-670-1 is that it doesn't show every uniform. Not only is there a Blue Mess Uniform, but also a Black and a White version. They even have capes that go with them. Has anyone seen any soldier wear these? Very rarely. They're expensive, and not authorized to be worn in 99.99% of duty assignments. You'll only occasionally see a soldier who wants to show off wearing them at one of the balls. And usually only balls that don't have specific dress codes requiring specific Class A requirements (for example, back in 2007-2009 that I remember, the Signal Ball at Ft Hood, there was soldiers that even wore civilian dress attire). When I joined in 2006, we had a Class A, Class B (Class A without overcoat), and Class C uniform. Class C was just BDUs (being phased out) and ACUs before just being ACUs. To me that was the best way of handling it. We just wore Class C uniforms all the time and only put on Class A or B when we needed to be fancy. Which for me, was only 4 times. Once for Basic Training Graduation, AIT advancing to phase 5 (which required a Class A inspection), and two class A inspections in my normal units. To be honest. Outside of traditions. I don't actually see why we need anything other than a combat utility uniform. Our ancestors that fought with General Washington didn't need a specific dress uniform. Why do we? A soldier is a rifleman first. I also don't have a need to wear something fancy in the field. Each dress uniform set costs several hundred dollars and for what? I'd rather have that in ammunition. And then there is the training hours missed from inspections, alterations, and other events needed to upkeep those uniforms. The other thing to consider is there is entire high ranking officer staffs being used towards the wear and design of these uniforms. That's a waste of time and money. Our job is to destroy the enemies of the United States and defend the Constitution.
What I don't understand is why deskbound soldiers wear combat uniforms in garrison. If they aren't in a motor pool, they should be in class B. There's no reason why soldiers in the pentagon should wear combat uniforms to work. For all of the effort the army goes through for dress uniforms, they don't use them too often. I was in for ten years and barely wore the pickle green suit. The only time it got regular use was for funeral detail. Another thing, AR670-1 is quite clear on when the combat uniforms will be worn. No one bothers to read that regulation, which is why you'll see soldiers wearing combat uniforms off post, at airports/ on flights, etc.
@@gobblox38 I believe the whole wearing ACUs off post started with Sergeant Major of the Army Preston when they kinda suspended that part of 670-1 to aid in recruiting efforts. I remember being told TO wear my ACUs when I took a flight to my next duty station.
When I joined in 79, we had the Class B Khakis, (which were very nice) and the dress green Class A's. Nowadays I would need a scorecard to figure out what the uniform of the day is... IMO, the beret and the ridiculous looking "crushed" service cap for the "Tan and Pinks" all need to go. Service Cap for the Blues, Garrison cap for the wannabee WWII "Tan and Pinks". Lets see, should I wear my black or brown low quarters?....Service cap, garrison cap or "12 O'clock high" bomber commander cap....decisions, decisions. I imagine with all the ridiculous uniform changes that they have to issue two duffel bags in basic.
When I served in the Army, berets were for the Airborne, the Rangers, and SF. Right after I got out, everyone got them. It just wasn't right. It had to be a recruiting stunt. Idk. And they also retired the Pig.
I remember being surveyed about uniform changes in the early 80’s. There was some talk about the results but it didn’t appear in writing. The Army ran some test uniforms and that was the end. By the time the Army gets through a cycle of uniform upgrades the Chief of Staff has changed and they’re off in another direction. Personally I loved the Khakis (TW) of the 70’s, lightweight and simple.
The army is going for an all inclusive service uniform which are pink stripes on the pants and an ascot instead of a tie. The berrete will stay the same.
I don't understand the confusion, maybe because I've been in since we started the large amount of uniform changes. AGSU = Old Army Greens for normal daily wear and events where a combat uniform does not make sense. It is issued to Soldiers upon enlistment. There is a way to turn it into a formal uniform for junior Soldiers who have not purchased a specific uniform for formal events. ABU/ASU = The initial dress uniform and most versatile. You can use it for any occasion that calls for a dress/formal uniform. If you don't have a dress uniform this is the one to purchase. Mess Dress = An additional uniform purchased by senior NCOs and Officers for more formal events. Often worn for black tie events after retreat. Almost zero reason for first term officer and enlisted to purchase unless you just really like it for some reason. But it is more limited in events where you can wear it. You would not substitute it for ABUs at a funeral during the day. Rule of thumb for officers at least is to purchase upon selection for promotion to field grade.
The Pinks & Greens are the variation my Dad was issued in WW2. All three combinations I’m familiar with look good (the Pinks & Greens, the dark green Vietnam era, and the Blues with their nod to the frontier color. To be honest all three could now be said “nodding to an older tradition” and I have an affinity for all three due to different traditions all of which I like.
I pulled my "Class As" out and knocked 20 years of dust off of it to show it off. My Stay-brite was still shiny. My bolo badges have seen better days. Somehow it shrunk. The dark green 70s-90s class A jacket is far superior to the turd browns that replaced them. TBH, woodland camo had to be the best BDU uniform. The replacements make everyone look overweight, and sloppy. ASU was only worn to a Cavalry Ball in conjunction with blues. Officers were usually required to wear blues, and NCOs had the option of wearing blues, unless you were an E7 and above. SPC4 and below were the ASU. Otherwise you never wore the class As unless you were going to a promotion board, or traveling/PCS'ing. BDUS were what you wore, and if you were high speed, you had them hard starched, and wore them with a pair of Corcorans with Mop & Glow over the heels and toe. You even buffed out your dog tags.
You know, you make an interesting point in the vein of "different spanks for different ranks" when it comes to these uniform changes. For a first term enlistee, none of this matters. But for the mid-grades and officers, it starts to become an issue. And hang on...you buffed your dog tags?
You remind me in some ways of discussing this with my dad. When we were younger and right up to the time that he had a serious stroke, he buffed his shoes to a military shine, had his pants creased at the dry cleaners, or mom and I ironed them. Also wore a shirt and tie to church. Classy old WWII dude.
I was serving when the Army was looking to get rid of the Ugly Green uniform. Most people wanted the "Ike" uniform with the waist jacket. But no they went to the dress blues with modifications to make it look like the Ugly Green. But of course after I retired they went to the pink and green.
A couple of you guys have made comments like this...as if the Army was taking the long way to getting to a Pinks and Greens version. I wonder if there is more to the story?
I’ve got the green uniform, the old blues, and the new blues. I was at FT. Meyer and had to wear blue. When I went somewhere, I wore green. I love the simplicity of wearing BDUs! Comfortable, purposeful, clean and easily recognizable for who is who. NCO, Officer Medical, Officer Infantry. CPT Smith & SGT Jones need a fire team now.
You'd love the OCP...The only thing that I think the BDU (and DCU) had on the OCP is the placement of rank and the use of branch insignia. I liked being able to tell what someone's specialty was when they walked in the door.
@@the_bureaucrat DCU Chocolate Chips or Sandies? What’s your preference? I wore both 91 & 2005-6 with New ACU at the end. Only blends in with grandma’s couch.
I served USMC from 79 to 85. What all services need to do is promote the wearing of whatever dress uniform is the current issue and stop the practice of wearing the BDU outside of official business off the base. This became common practice after 911. Trivial pet peeve some would say but it shows a level of respect for the branch you serve.
I'm with you, but at some point where the public had a positive view of the military (Thank you for your service), the marketing folks got it into their heads that having Soldiers in uniform off post would be a boost to recruiting, etc. I'm not saying its a good idea...just seems to have been the rationale for the change.
"The Army Goes Rolling Along", alright. When I joined in 2001, the Army looked very much like it did when my brother joined in 1985. I think they changed the shade of the Class "A" uniform, and the cut of the BDUs changed from their earlier iterations, but overall, I could have gone back in time and stood in formation next to my brother without drawing notice. I have my dad's Class "A" uniform from the late-'50s, and it too looks very similar to what I was issued. By late-2004, I was in The Old Guard (TOG), with my two sets of issued Dress Blues. We have tricks and techniques to make the uniform look much sharper than the average dumpy dress/service uniform, and I took pride in it, even committing the cardinal sin of thinking it looked as good as the Marine Dress Blue uniform when (im)properly worn. The amount of safety pins and tape holding those things together would shock most who haven't served in TOG. Tomb Guards (of course, the first question we usually receive is about the Tomb, which is one platoon in a Regiment of @1000 Soldiers) go even further, "gutting" their blouses and making them wholly unserviceable even while having the sharpest-looking uniforms in the Army. For me, the best thing about my issued Blues is that when I got the $500 or so allowance at Recruiter School, I just went next door to the Class Six while the rest of the class was getting fitted for their Blues, then had the rest of the day off. When it comes to uniforms, the Army has had an identity crisis for years. My brief 21-year career saw me join not long after the adoption of the IPFU and beret, then go on to wear no fewer than seven different combat uniforms and three different service/dress uniforms: hot weather BDU, temperate BDU, DCU, UCP ACU, OEF-CP ACU, OCP ACU, IHWCU -- Green Service Uniform, Dress Blues, ASU -- I made up my mind I wasn't buying the AGSU before I retired. Even the IPFU was replaced by the APFU, while the beret went... somewhere, I think it's still authorized but I last wore on in 2010. Officers soak up the cost of replacing uniform components, while we enlisted get our annual Clothing Allowance, but as the number of uniform components expand, that allowance doesn't count for much. Many of us had to pay out of pocket for the ASU (though some were able to convert their Blues), only to pay out of pocket yet again for the AGSU less than 10 years later. The ASU also has one pretty major expense in the form of the Combat Service Identification Badge (CSIB). On various uniforms and in my tackle box of spare uniform accoutrements, I probably have $400 worth of identification badges alone, in the form of 101st CSIBs and Drill Sergeant and Recruiter ID Badges. I don't think the ASU/ABU is going anywhere anytime soon, but the Army needs to make up its mind (if it hasn't already) as to what uniform(s) is/are mandatory for personnel to maintain. Much like the "old days" of Mess Dress being expected only for field grade officers and E-9s to buy (the rare CPT or SFC/1SG sporting Blue Mess usually turned heads), the ASU might become an optional uniform reserved for those who wish to have a slightly more formal option over the drab AGSU, essentially recreating the Green Service Uniform Class "A" and Dress Blue partition from years ago.
Woah...woah...woah..."...thinking it looked as good as the Marine Dress Blue uniform..."? Have you got a death wish...oh...I see your name is "anonymous". 🤣
@@the_bureaucrat Sho' 'nuff... 🫡 The Marine Dress Blues are timeless and widely considered to be one of, if not THE, best uniforms in the world for good reason: the USMC doesn't change uniforms every 10-20 years. They even went so far as to patent their MARPAT and deny their parent branch (Navy) its use. You have to admit, though, that a well-fitted uniform on a well-formed Service Member looks better than the burlap sacks that some wear, regardless of branch. Marine Dress Blues are sharp, but when you have a 5'3" Marine weighing 200 lbs. wearing a uniform with 32" inseam trousers and a 38" chest blouse, it's a hot mess. Give me some properly fitted Space Force Blues any day. 😂
I'm convinced it was the public reaction to GWOT....when the public started saying "Thank you for your service", more and more Soldiers and their leaders started relaxing about being out in uniform.
Alot of throwback to the WWII style and Korean War era too! The Blue mess is a lot like the tradition of the Army uniform of the Civil war era throughout the latter 1800's!
Ah yes. The ASU. I was ETSing 3 months before they became mandatory. Still had to get a set so I could wear them for one inspection before I got out instead of my greens.
@@the_bureaucratAs a non Army veteran myself, hasn't some of the awards, badges and ribbons been overdone? Of course we honor their service and what soldiers did to receive these awards. No question but... Two of my uncles, both Korean War US Army veterans have said in regards to GIs wearing EVERY ribbon, badge, medal, stripe "It makes them look like South American dictator generals." I respect their opinion and agree, with no intention of denigrating the accomplishments or service. Thoughts? My concern is that we are seeing gaslighting by Clinton's types who do NOT respect the US military and our traditions. They create a straw man (visually) reinforcing the anti American/anti military sentiment so prominent in US political, cultural elites. Also, when, where and who authorized US Army to wear USflag patch on right shoulder n stars facing forward. It looks ugly to me. WW2 knew how to display flag patch on left shoulder stars facing front. USAF, USN and USCG wear flag patch on left sleeve, Stars. Why change and who authorized it?
Dress blues were for Army balls if you had them, lower enlisted Greens, but if can pay for dress blues go for it, Army green (christmas tree) was universal from pay day inspections, balls, formal ceremonies.
A 73 year old Army veteran here. Get rid of that damned beret. Only special elite units should be wearing those. That idiot general who decided it would make everyone feel better with a beret was dead wrong.
Wow! We are finally going back the way it should be!!! It's going to be service greens and dress blues than mess dress! When I was a young Soldier we all wished we went back to the pinks n greens!
The current Army Band Uniform is high collar, no chest pockets. So we already have it in the system. Most people are simply more comfortable in a traditional coat.
@@brucescott240 Do the helicopter pilots still wear their Western-style dark navy cowboy hats similar to the old Calvary uniforms/hats worn in the late 19th Century?
Pinks and greens were the Army formal uniform of WW II and it should return to it and leave it be. It was the uniform of Eisenhower, Patton, etc. A lot of history and tradition there. I would also suggest a return of the "Ike Jacket" as well.
The “Ike jacket” and the “crushed” service cap (a la Bob Crane in “Hogans Hero’s”) are official uniform items, but are optional to purchase (like skirt and pumps are optional for women).
The Army ASU blue dress uniform is great. A soldier can work a second job as a baggage porter on any Princess, Carnival, Celebrity, or Holland America cruise ships and not require any uniform issue from the cruise line. Additionally, no soldier would want a dress uniform that might indicate being in the military. The ASU is great!👍👍👍 Just needs a name change to the Army DEI uniform.
Meanwhile, the Marine Corps hasn't made any major changes to their service and dress uniforms in ages. We still, the to the best of my knowledge, only have one type of service dress but with 3 variations. We have Service Dress A or Alphas, which is the green coat and pants with a khaki shirt and tie and a choice of barrack or garrisons cover, then we have Service Dress B or Bravos which is the same as Alpha sans the jacket/blouse, then Charlies with is like Bravos but replaces the long sleeve shirt with a short sleeve shirt. Very simple.
Sorry, but these new "throwback" Army uniforms look ridiculous. They all look like WW2 movie extras that just walked off the set! The Army Green Service Uniform (1954-2015) had always looked sharp.
Seems like the U.S.Army is having fun!. I am just so glad in the R..A.F. in the 70s, we had (#) No1 Service Dress Uniform for formal and ceremonial puposes. (#) No 2 Service dress uniform for everything else. Eventually we received '68 pattern DPM Uniform for exercises and Armed operational events. I thought our 68 pattern pattern blended really well into European woodland compared to other later DPM variants. It just destroyed the U.S. granny couch pattern, literally knocking it right off the sofa! The thing I shall never forget was the freedom we had to purchase and wear the RAF Forage cap in everyday situations. For those who ventured to warmer climes, we were issued with K.D (Khaki) Uniform, which was the same issue as the Royal Maines at the time!
@@the_bureaucratAs I completed 8 to 9 years in the service, I realised that we could push the boat out. We had pilots who wore WWII style battledresses made out of the same thin Polyester-Wool blend material as our No2 Jackets. These were well tailored and had stylish blousen form to them, compared to the free issued shapeless Thunderbird jacket. (From the British TV show).That looked really bad.
As a retired senior military officer, I liked it when the dress blues were only worn for formal occasions and the green uniform class A was for less formal events. I don't know who's idea it was to go with only BDUs and the dress blues which was a stupid idea. The Marines have more than one dressy uniform.
That is an interesting point. That although the ASU is supposed to be "different" than the dress blues...it was really just an adaptation of that uniform. I never thought of it like that before.
Since the Army still has surplus time and resources after pursuing “wokism” rather than its main missions of training for and conducting of combat, I think it’s missing out on an opportunity to add the 19th Century red Zouave bloomer-style trousers to its everyday wear uniform. That would go a long way to camouflage overwide waistlines and thunder thighs, thus avoiding hurt feelings.
I was with an army band back in the 60's. For normal performances (parades, concerts, etc) we always were our greens, for special performances and ceremonies we wore blue dress uniforms with embellishments, all other times we wore fatigues. Berets, never
I watched Buckaroo Banzai from 1984 last night and they had an actor in the old green class As. I'm not sure it looked "better", but it was much more clearly someone dressed in a military uniform and not just a civilian outfit with medals added.
I served in the very late 80s to early 2000s and while the green service uniform wasnt ideal it did what it was supposed to do -- provide the equivalent of a business suit for duty and appropriate social and ceremonial occasions. For more formal occasions the drewss blues, which we were required to have once I commissioned, filled the bill very nicely. I had blue mess dress for black tie occasions and the dress whites and white mess uniforms were nice warm weather options for those who wished to spend the money. It made sense. I remember when I learned that blues were going to becone the service uniform. I thought it was overkilll then and still do. Oh, and the faux 50-mission crush looks silly.
When I was in the Army our dress uniform was green jacket and pants with what was called a grey-green shirt. What in the 2000's got called the ASU uniform we called Dress Blues. Any rank could get them but were not required for enlisted or junior NCO's. I thought that the move to the ASU uniform was a mistake. I like the look of the pinks & greens; I just hope that they stay with this uniform. When I was in we had the BDU's with the Dress Green / Grey-Green uniform. As far as some have said about the black beret, I laughed like crazy when I heard that since the Rangers stole that beret from the Cavalry.
The dress blues were a perfectly fine uniform. Class As needed an update. Then the Army absolutely destroyed the blues. And now we have two again, but still never wear either.
There wasn't anything wrong with the Green Class A's that good fabric wouldn't have fixed. The Army has a long history of simplifying the uniform issue during wartime (WWI and WWII). I like the Blue, but it just isn't practical for a day to day office uniform.
I wonder how many people outside of the Pentagon are wearing anything but the ACU on a daily basis. I've worn my blues about 4 times since 2006 and the old greens about 6 times between 2001 and whenever they wore out. Most were for a Friday inspection for pay day activities. The others were OCS graduation, a dining in, and a funeral. Has never been the uniform of the day, even when I had something resembling an office job.
Inside the Pentagon, there was a weird hoopla when Dempsey was CSA. He wanted the ASU worn. Then he got sucked up to the CJS & Milley backfilled him. Milley preferred pajamas. So we all got tricked into buying a closet full of ASU gear...only for it to sit for years.
I think the Army should never have gone away with the WWII pink & greens, but now that they're back after 70 years, they should offer a small variety to their wear, like the traditional tan/beige tie worn with a dark brown/OD shirt. And they should NEVER change the uniform again, stick with it if it truly represents the US Army and its traditions and history.
The history is interesting. Standards in manufacturing of clothing was being pioneered during WWII. There were quality issues. The Army wanted to be modern and sleek like its newly divorced ex, the Air Force.
The ASU uniform items are difficult to find through AAFES. They have almost nothing online and the selection in stores is super spotty. Last couple items I bought, I found on eBay.
There are companies like Marlow & White that still sell whole uniforms, but good luck finding what you need otherwise. Especially if it's something not used with the Class A like the cardigan or pullover sweater.
I'm retired from the USCG. When I first signed up they brought out a new working uniform. We had the same experience with buying them through the official channels. Then somebody found that Sears sold pants and shirts that were nearly exact copies of our official uniform. I'm sure Sears had no idea why sales suddenly skyrocketed.
It is the brass, dig deeper and see who is being paid off. I retired is Dec 98 after 27 years in, I have my dress greens and blues hanging in the closet probably I will never wear them again.
I did too, but I have a suspicion that I liked it because I was scrawny. I feel like the AGSU with a belt appealed to a certain body type. The upside is skinny dudes look good in just about any uniform.
40 years ago, Dress Greens, general use, summer dress green pants, button down short sleeve dress shirt, field jungle cammies, then the BDU’s Red Beret, now glad I’m out living in FLO, shorts , flip flops T shirt.
@@the_bureaucrat Yup, very few inspections, other than DRF-1 cycle when we were the 911 ready go force battalion to secure behind the beaches, so the USMC could land with Am Tracks without getting dirty!! Didn't want their pretty dress uniforms getting soiled!!! LOL
I think someone high up is getting rich from kickbacks or contracts from the endless uniform changes of the past three decades. Absolutely no reason for it.
Thankfully, during my time, the Marine Corps only had small disruptions to our authorized seabag. Dropped khakis to add green polyesters, dropped green utilities for camouflage, & green t-shirts. Dropped horse blanket overcoat and rubberized raincoat for trench coat with liner. And various other "ideas" that didn't catch on. Honorable mention. Sorry PX Kelly, the stupid white V-neck t-shirt.
As much as I hated the Army green service uniform used when I was in the Army from 1989-2004 (switched to the USCG via direct commission in 2004; retired in 2014), I don’t like the puke green/brown ones (pinks & greens) that are now used. I purchased the Army dress blue when I was selected for Sergeant First Class 2000 and loved that uniform (still have it somewhere in my house).
I think that to a certain extent, people love the uniform they served in (they associate it with service)...and when the uniform gets changed, it's like the Army is thumbing their nose at the Soldier & their service.
74 year old Air Force Security Police Vietnam veteran here. It amazes me how many times the Army has changed their uniforms over the past decade or so. They went from OD green to Continental blue and then the pink and greens of WW2. I agree with you Marine guys. Pick something and go with it. As for my history, I loved my SP class A and class B uniform from my day and loved the white military police cap. From what I can tell, the military is getting away from having to wear cover. Hat to see the hats going away. The modern AF uniform sucks as it looks like a sport coat instead of a military uniform. And don't get me started on the Security Forces stupid blue berets. It seems that today, every one in the military wants to wear a beret. So much so, it has become common place and has no special significants as it once did. Sick of all the woke crap that has infiltrated our military.
I retired a few years back, ending my career as a CW4. I’m sick of every Army C of S feeling the need to change the uniform before they retire. Their job is to make us more effective and lethal. Instead, they’re more concerned about making a fashion statement. The USMC’s uniform hasn’t changed in the last century, and their budget is the smallest of DoD. Move it to the AGSU, and keep it there. It’s getting really expensive for the rest of us
I dream of being on a Senate confirmation panel for a new CSA and asking "Do you believe the uniform needs to be changed?" Because I'm telling you, jerking around with the uniform doesn't make the military any more lethal.
I was in from 1089 - 1999. I had 2 PT uniforms (I had to purchase the greys in basic training, then issued a set of black and yellow that I never wore), BDUs, flight suit, and the dress uniform. Once in those 10 years I wore a white shirt with Class As as part of the AIT drill team during the Army Ball. I mean, the biggest change was going from single breasted to double breasted trench coat. To everyone dealing with it now, I apologize for ever saying the Class A and B looked dated.
PT uniform consisted of fatigue blouse and trousers with boots , warm weather was t-shirt with fatigue trousers and boots easy as that. Morning formation, PT, and fall out for duty assignment or training one uniform while in garrison for everyone in my Brigade in Germany. Best service class B's were Kakis(either starched or permanent press).
Standard army berets yes, airborne and jsoc berets absolutely not. They were meant to be a standard of distinction for those pipe hitters that earned them , not for everyone.
While I like simplification, I think the return of a duty "green" uniform - the new pinks-n-greens and retention of the Army Blue Uniform makes sense. The blues are the iconic uniform showing the heritage of the Army - the Army Continental wore blue, the Army wore blue through the 19th Century and civil War, and they are fabulous "formal" uniforms. I like the pinks-n-greens better than the 1960s era greens we had through 2014. The silly "50 mission crush" on the service cap looks stupid though. That was an Army Air Force look in WWII, and the groundpounders didn't dress that way. It makes the whole uniform look like a WWII cosplay rather than a uniform. Prior to the ASU, junior enlisted folks didn't buy blues often, so formal events were often a mix of senior NCOs wearing blues and the junior folks wearing green. It worked fine.
@nkgoodal, I like your opening statement "While I like simplification..." It captures the idea that simplification can be good, but it might not be the end-all-be-all for this situation.
Why have a service uniform at all? When was the last time anyone saw a soldier wearing one? If you want to talk about stupid uniform decisions, The Navy's blue camo working uniform takes top prize, hands down.
Army Blue Uniform should be worn by officers and senior NCOs for formal events and pink and greens as class As and Bs. When I served as an office we only used blue uniform for formal events and used the green uniform as class As and Bs. These uniform changes are driven by REMFS who never go to the field.
Follow the United States Marines thinking, whose uniform preserves a rich history of pride and consistency with what they represent and proudly are for many generations to remember.
Retired Army 11H/11B here (1983-2009), this is getting ridiculous. I’ll stick with my “legacy” dress blues and my Class A’s (the green one) and that’s it. By the way, the brown service cap looks like it was taken from a Village People video shoot.
The Army simply got rid of the green uniform for the WW II version except they got it wrong. Enlisted should have trousers the same color as the blouse and officers the "Pinks and Greens." They also allowed Dress Blues to be corrupted. The officers trousers have the 1.5 inch wide stripe. NCOs should have a gold cord and enlisted unadorned sky blue trousers. Instead, somehow, every rank now has the officer gold stripe on the trousers.
What is being issued to new soldiers - that should tell you the life expectancy of the blue uniforms. I seem to recall that the troops liked what is now the AGSU (at least the ones that I worked with at the time), but then Big Army decided on these blue uniforms. Something is wonky with this whole thing. Which congressmen own stock in the clothing companies? The Army had dress greens and khakis when I went in. OD fatigues too. Dress blues were for SNCO and officer types (as were the dress whites that hardly anyone knew existed). Over 21 years the only uniform that didn't change was the dress greens (shirt and material excepted). Army needs to stick with the AGSU for at least 20 years. There is no valid reason to change it again anytime soon. The past 20 years or so have seen multiple changes on all fronts - why? And aside from dress uniforms why aren't the fatigue uniforms standardized like the BDUs were? Serious questions, as we are talking about millions in tax dollars here, and somewhat worse the impact on enlisted folks who have to make hard choices with their clothing allowance. Change can be good, but change for the sake of change can be bad. Change at the rate uniforms have changed looks a lot like incompetence. Oh, and will second a statement below - bring the khakis back. Yeah, more to put in the kit bag, but those were solid uniforms. Just this time, do not mandate the wear of all the ribbons and such.
At least they don’t have it as bad as the navy Coveralls Two pocs Nwu type iii (camies) Navy service uniform (peanut butters) Dress blues Dress whites Ptu’s Dinner dress blues (optional)
Crazy confusing!! Im a Navy vet from 80s/early 90s. Things were simple. Dress blues/working blues. Dress whites, working whites. And dungarees for everyday,non-office work. Of course since then things have changed, and with a son now in the army and a daughter in the navy- i dont recognize almost anything they wear lol!!
I don’t know why the Army needed to change their uniforms so much over the decades, and why they need so many bloody uniforms at one time. Those uniforms are expensive. They should have just stuck with the WW2/Korea uniforms.
simple. the ASU is not supported by the supply system anymore. you can find odds and ends on clearance at clothing and sales. welcome to the AGSU era. The AGSU will be the fourth change i have seen to the dress uniform. 2 shades of green. blue ASU and pinks and greens. don't even get me started on the duty uniforms.
See, I think you are touching an important point. The ASU stuff is just odds and ends. It doesn't seem to be in manufacture. So it makes me think that there will be a phase out of some sort. Even if it's just driven by supply.
I served from 93-2000. In my first unit, we were allowed to wear the Vietnam era OD jungle boots. They looked hella sharp with BDUs. Right after I got out, they gave eveyone the Rangers proud black beret. But Ill admit that their new one looks much better. And they retired "The Pig". For the confused, the M60. And finally, gave everyone optics and the M4. Im proud to say I was hitting the 300 meter commie with open iron sights.
The "Green" uniform is brown, it looks a lot like the everyday wear USMC Class A. The "Blue" uniform is (almost) black or Navy Blue and is a much dressier look. And lose the beret. Berets should only be worn on fatigue uniforms.
I am an Army veteran and retire officer. We had too many uniforms in the 1970s, and it seems we are going back to the bad old days. The Army Green uniform that is like WW II is great. The shoulder boards and all the nonsense with the blues are really unnecessary. Have a battle dress uniform and an Army Green for all ranks to use in most situations. Keep the Army Blues only for special occasions and for some enlisted and officers at the senior ranks. It is a waste of money and time to have more than three uniforms. The mess uniforms looked like a waiter and were of little use
The Army subterfuge about the AGSU is far larger and longer than you have shown. The Army is flying under Congress’ nose here in this change. The Army ALWAYS planned on the AGSU to replace the (old school) Army Green Uniform. Always. It was stretched out to not alarm congressional oversight. Case in point; The Old Guard never flirted with, wore, demonstrated the AGSU as a “dress” uniform. They always kept their ABUs. That’s how we know the Army Blue Uniform will always be with us. The question is will the old big, broad service stripes make a return (or just for Army Band Uniform coat) or do we keep the small service stripes and overseas bars? The Army Blue/Mess Blue uniforms will remain an “optional purchase” for enlisted members. Officers will likely be notified in FY 27 or 28 they will need to own the Army Blue Uniform. Maybe we can convince Army or Congress to give Soldiers at 10yrs Svc/grade E-7 a supplemental allowance to purchase (or reimburse) the ABU. And the facility is the Military Clothing Sales Store. Four little words. No “AND” anywhere.
How much are all these changes costing the soldier and/or the American taxpayer? I agree with the Marine who commented on setting one standard and building a culture around that one uniform. Much simpler, cheaper, and comprehensible. The point of the military is to fight wars and defend the nation … not be fashion horses.
The brass will say that there is no additional cost to Soldier or Taxpayer. The idea is that we issue one uniform to a Soldier at basic training and it doesn't matter which one. In reality, it's the mid-grade folks who end up having to buy a new uniform and maintain the old one who feel the pinch.
When I usa in the USAF the blue coat was used for everything ,everyday duty uniform check ,dress uniform check mess dress it was different I think, but because of my AFSCs I rarely ever wore the blue coat ,did get to wear it for a mess dress event when we graduated from NCO Leadership school otherwise it was flightsuits or the green fatigues
@@the_bureaucrat I have feeling when the army air corp became the the USAF they were determine not to do things like the army.I hated lugging that thing around on deployments anyway .
You and a couple others make a good point about how the ASU was morphed out of the Dress Mess...and how that was an ugly technique with an ugly result. I never really noticed that aspect.
That's a powerful insight. I mean, I worry that this "soft generation" is headed for a meat grinder that will make some of them "great". But they shouldn't be imitating the previous versions.
This is the kind of BS why I don't recommend the Army for any youngster coming out of high school. The brass and the politicians wasted a bunch of our best in Iraq and Afghanistan with the meat grinder rotation. Our youth would be better served by going to a trade school, learning a profession, joining a union and work towards a well paid pension. Life is too short to waste it being used by the government. (US Army retired since 1987).
You capture a concept that I don't think the brass grasps. Indecisive behavior about uniforms signals that the same leadership isn't decisive about...anything.
