BQZip01 Posted January 30, 2011 Posted January 30, 2011 good i hope we get rid of the stupid looking abu and go back to one uniform for all the services 3
Guest harharhar Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 I'm doing a current events brief for ROTC on the new uniform changes. Can anyone tell me where I can find a list of all the uniform changes in recent years? I've searched online and haven't found much. 1
sky_king Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 (edited) Don't tell him! He's probably a terrorist trying to learn our uniform secrets to sneak into our chow halls (shhh, it's actually called a DFAC). Edited January 31, 2011 by sky_king 3
Square Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 I'm doing a current events brief for ROTC on the new uniform changes. Can anyone tell me where I can find a list of all the uniform changes in recent years? I've searched online and haven't found much. You can check on the portal under AF uniform program. It's one of the links on the left if you scroll down. This whole uniform thing is pretty funny for guys in the ASOS. Bear in mind that I may be a memo behind (they seem to come in periodically) in terms of uniform wear guidance. In garrison: ABU or BDU (or FDU if you gots the wings) In transit to deployment: ABU At the 'Deid: ABU OND: ABU OEF echelon above brigade: ABU, ABSG if going outside the wire, unless Division is wearing the OEF FR ACU (multicam), then you where the OEF FR ACU OEF echelon below brigade: ABSG, unless your unit has gone to the multicam, then you wear multicam. So I guess the historical rundown is this: Army and AF wear BDUs. Army goes to ACU, we keep BDU. We get the ABU, ABU isn't so great, so ASOS guys kinda just wear the ACU instead, since they figure "hey why not and nobody will probably notice." Apparently someone notices and dictates that ASOS pax *will* wear ABU. This makes the TACP guys unhappy since now they're not just going to be the guys with antennas sticking out of their pack, they're also going to be wearing distinctive uniforms when working out and about with the Army. Someone smart figures out that the uniforms we're all wearing don't do so well when exposed to flame, so the Army introduces the Flame Resistance ACU (FRACU). ABUs are still non-flame resistant, so guys wear FRACUs or desert flight suits. Shortly thereafter the the AF pushes out the Airman Battle System-Ground (ABSG) uniform (https://www.afcent.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123116783). So now the uniform won't burn, but again, its different from ACUs and back to the admittedly non-functional (this isn't a new link, but if you haven't seen it scroll to the bottom: https://www.tigerstripeproducts.com/airforcetiger.htm) ABU "camo" pattern. Sucky, but at least the ABSGs are comfy and have a "combat shirt" to wear under bodyarmor. Someone smart then figures out that the "universal camo pattern" of the ACU/FRACU doesn't work so hot in Afghanistan. So they come up with the OEF FRACU, or multicam. Now, thankfully, the AF has given dispensation to wear this same uniform rather than force guys to continue to wear ABS-Gs mixed in with the troops in multicam. But only in theater. And by in theater I mean on the FOB or COP, at the echelons I outlined above. What this means is we have to deploy with ABUs and green boots solely for wear while in transit/laying over. It's awesome. We got ours issued to us from the Army, including armor and rucks and whatnot. I think that about covers it, but like I said these uniform policies seem to change on a fairly regular basis, and I may be a policy memorandum behind.
nsplayr Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 In transit to deployment: ABU I've only every worn a flight suit on the rotator. YMMV
zrooster99 Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 I've only every worn a flight suit on the rotator. YMMV Checks, and that includes deployments with my previous SQ and on the "cattle car" out of Lackland/Kelly.
magnetfreezer Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 I've only every worn a flight suit on the rotator. YMMV Interesting. Last time our SQ deployed they gave everyone 1 set of ABUs for the specific purpose of needing to be worn on the rotator to/from even though guys wore desert bags the other 99.69% of the time. Must be more lenient on AFSOC folks.
zrooster99 Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 Interesting. Last time our SQ deployed they gave everyone 1 set of ABUs for the specific purpose of needing to be worn on the rotator to/from even though guys wore desert bags the other 99.69% of the time. Must be more lenient on AFSOC folks. Different rotator, but as I stated I wore my desert flight suite on rotators while in AMC, and I wasn't alone.
Square Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 I've only every worn a flight suit on the rotator. YMMV Right, should clarify. The TACP dudes don't have bags to wear, hence the ABUs.
Guest Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 I wore my desert flight suite Say again? I have officially reached the "Dinosaur" stage of my career. I will continue wearing my green bag, with black shirt and boots, until I retire. Welcome.
pawnman Posted February 1, 2011 Posted February 1, 2011 Different rotator, but as I stated I wore my desert flight suite on rotators while in AMC, and I wasn't alone. ACC as well. Both deployments, desert flight suits...excuse me, STFUs.
nsplayr Posted February 1, 2011 Posted February 1, 2011 Both deployments, desert flight suits...excuse me, STFUs. Yes! We need this to catch on so when someone harasses you about your uniform at the deid or any other shoe infested location you can reference the STFU with a straight face.
zrooster99 Posted February 1, 2011 Posted February 1, 2011 (edited) Say again? Yeah, I'm retarded... Edited February 1, 2011 by zrooster99
brock Posted February 2, 2011 Posted February 2, 2011 The whole thing is pretty much out of hand. I can't speak for the Air Force, but the Army is out of control. I went through flight school in the early 90's and the BDU/DCU seemed to work for everybody. The one piece bag also seemed to work. Now everyone has to have their own special uniform. The Army has realized the f-up they made with UCP and have adopted the multicam for OEF. They have gone one step further and developed the " family of cam." which will be three different uniforms and and countless dollars figuring out what the three will be. The Army will then have to develop a flight suit version like we did with the A2CU. The mulicam version is due out this month. Madness. Someone needs to be held accountable.
usaf36031 Posted February 2, 2011 Posted February 2, 2011 The army and the AF need to cut their losses with the digital FAIL uniforms. The idea of a different pattern for each service is ridiculous and never should have gotten off the ground. I think that multicam (which is the commercial name for the pattern, not the name of a uniform) is a good choice for a universal camo pattern, but good luck convincing the marines to give up their MARPAT. As for the Navy and their abortion of a digital smurf uniform, I got nothing. Also, I would be willing to buy a desert two piece flight suit to wear down range if it were authorized, but I have no problem wearing a green bag in garrison.
nsplayr Posted February 2, 2011 Posted February 2, 2011 ...but good luck convincing the marines to give up their MARPAT. Yea, because they actually got something that works well, looks good, and provides real camouflage. It's not the one-pattern wonder that multicam is, but their uniforms are actually nice so they can keep them if they want. The other three services should go to multicam; the jig is up. Also, I would be willing to buy a desert two piece flight suit to wear down range if it were authorized, but I have no problem wearing a green bag in garrison. We just got them issued and I don't really know if I like them. At best it's a push, and if I'm honest I don't like the pocket layout as much as the one-piece; probably just out of habit. There's no reason I need one or the other for my platform (i.e. fighters clearly need one-piece, helo dudes may prefer two-piece from the couple of dudes I've talked to), so I say don't fix what's not broken. I don't plan on bringing them on my next deployment.
StoleIt Posted February 2, 2011 Posted February 2, 2011 Having one uniform for everything is like having one airframe for everything...it's going to be subpar. You can't have a desert uniform and a jungle uniform in one and expect it to be better than a purpose built uniform for either climate. I understand why leadership went with one uniform (cost) but they need to realize it just doesn't work. There isn't any green in the desert and there isn't any sand in the jungle. Digital isn't the problem. Digital patterns do work with human eyes. The problem is the color pallet they used.
nsplayr Posted February 2, 2011 Posted February 2, 2011 (edited) Having one uniform for everything is like having one airframe for everything...it's going to be subpar. The point with multicam is that it is superior in almost all natural environments. If you can spot the person in either of those shots then good on ya (unless you've seen them before on the website). Diverse environments, same uniform. Why don't we have this again? Edited February 3, 2011 by nsplayr
Vandal Posted February 2, 2011 Posted February 2, 2011 Diverse environments, same uniform. Why don't we have this again? Because it works.
StoleIt Posted February 2, 2011 Posted February 2, 2011 The point with multicam is that it is superior in almost all natural environments. Links don't work. But I agree, multicam is the best all around pattern, but that doesn't make it even close to being the best pattern for each of those environments.
Herk Driver Posted February 2, 2011 Posted February 2, 2011 We just got them issued and I don't really know if I like them. At best it's a push, and if I'm honest I don't like the pocket layout as much as the one-piece; probably just out of habit. There's no reason I need one or the other for my platform (i.e. fighters clearly need one-piece, helo dudes may prefer two-piece from the couple of dudes I've talked to), so I say don't fix what's not broken. I don't plan on bringing them on my next deployment. I would like to get them for my sweat-ties. The LM and FE are the ones that in 130 degree heat need to be able to remove the top and get their J-O-B started so we can go hack the mish.
brock Posted February 2, 2011 Posted February 2, 2011 I think everyone is pretty much in agreement that most of this is a total waste of money.The whole two piece flight suit is fine. Leave the option for both. But my gripe is the fact that the Army has to have a a different one. Why can't everyone wear the same one? Is the Air Force two piece one color or is it the same pattern as the ABU? Make a DOD standard two piece and leave it at that.
nsplayr Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 I would like to get them for my sweat-ties. The LM and FE are the ones that in 130 degree heat need to be able to remove the top and get their J-O-B started so we can go hack the mish. Agreed...they're great for some communities and/or crew positions. Otherwise let's leave well enough along. I think everyone is pretty much in agreement that most of this is a total waste of money.The whole two piece flight suit is fine. Leave the option for both. But my gripe is the fact that the Army has to have a a different one. Why can't everyone wear the same one? Is the Air Force two piece one color or is it the same pattern as the ABU? Make a DOD standard two piece and leave it at that. The ones we just got issued were ABU colored, but ACU pattered on top, kind of 1-piece flight suit pattered on bottom. Not my fav pocket layout and it goes without saying that the ABU color is less than desirable. I borrowed a tan-colored two-piece from a buddy of mine and liked it a lot...better pocket layout, and it was really thin & comfortable, so it kinda felt like I was a ninja. A really tan ninja...
Guest Posted February 8, 2011 Posted February 8, 2011 We're not alone, the Navy has a special Uniform Matters Office...
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