Blues Wednesday?

[Spoo]

Mandatory blues return to McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst

The 87th Air Base Wing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is reviving a tradition most of the Air Force left behind almost three years ago: requiring airmen to wear their blues uniform one day per week.

In a Nov. 13 release, the 87th said most service members must wear their blues uniform — or in the case of troops from other services assigned to the 87th, their service's equivalent — every Wednesday beginning this week. Troops at the 87th will continue to wear their utility uniform or flight suit other days of the week. The policy only affects service members assigned to the 87th, and not other Air Force units at the joint base.

"Military image, tradition and heritage are tied closely with our service uniform," Col. Frederick Thaden, commander of the 87th and McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, said in the release. "This new policy allows us to celebrate that heritage and ensure our people reflect the professionalism of their service."

Troops whose duties require them to wear a utility uniform or flight suit will be exempt from the mandatory blues policy at their unit commander's discretion, the release said. Maintainers and security forces airmen are among those likely to be exempted, base spokesman Maj. Omar Villarreal said.

But this policy has proved controversial in the past.

The Air Force has swung back and forth between requiring blues, and allowing airmen to wear more comfortable and less formal airman battle uniforms. Blues were the standard uniform for airmen until the Sept. 11 attacks, after which then-Chief of Staff Gen. John Jumper told airmen working in the Pentagon to dress for battle.

By summer 2003, airmen had returned to wearing blues on a daily basis. But in late 2005, incoming Chief of Staff Gen. Michael Moseley ordered Pentagon staff to wear ABUs because he felt too many had forgotten their primary mission of supporting the war fighter.

Former Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz instituted a mandatory Blues Monday after taking over in 2008. By that time, many airmen had grown used to wearing ABUs and chafed under the new rule. Some complained that the blues were uncomfortable; others said that requiring blues hindered airmen's ability to do their jobs if they had to go on guard duty, lift something heavy or fix something without warning. Sometimes doing those jobs damaged airmen's blues enough that they had to buy replacements.

The rule also meant airmen had to spend more of their own money to dry-clean their blues and maintain their uniforms, such as replacing ribbons or other small, worn-out items.

Current Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh rescinded that forcewide mandatory Blues Monday policy in November 2012, shortly after he succeeded Schwartz. Welsh left it up to commanders to decide on their own whether to require mandatory blues. Most did not. Global Strike Command at first said it would continue the policy, but by the end of December 2012 it had changed course and announced it would not require blues.

The 305th Air Mobility Wing at McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst already requires airmen to wear their blues the last duty day of every month, Villarreal said, but other Air Force organizations there have no policy on blues. The other organizations are not planning to change their policies, he said.

https://www.airforcetimes.com/story/military/2015/11/18/mandatory-blues-return-to-mcguire-dix-lakehurst/75943862/

[richbltz_20]

Pretty disgusting in my opinion.  Why do these "leaders" feel the need to destroy morale?  Why not make blues optional, instead?

[nsplayr]

Blues are already optional every day of the week.  Nothing saying you can't wear them.

p.s. - don't give out any "good ideas;" they might become reality when some idiot gets his eyes on them...

[Spoo]

"Disgusting" seems a bit much.

[Stiffler]

Hey we are still at war obviously!  Leadership:  "Sweet, lets wear blues."

[richbltz_20]

"Disgusting" seems a bit much.

Fair enough.  The Packers' last three games are disgusting, whereas the idea of Blues Wednesdays is disappointing. 

[StoleIt]

How the hell has wearing blues once a week become a "tradition?"

Edited November 19, 2015 by StoleIt

[Spoo]

The Packers' last three games are disgusting. 

Stomach churning.

[Bode]

How the hell has wearing blues once a week become a "tradition?"

Well I remember when office jobs wore blues Mon - Thurs and Fri was the odd day wearing BDUs.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GoGuard]

https://www.jointbasemdl.af.mil/library/biographies/bio.asp?id=18577

 

[GKinnear]

Looking at his ribbons and his bio, it seems like his only deployment was as the Deid Deputy Mission Support Group CC in '08. The blues policy is completely in line with a dude who's been a REMF his entire career.

[Azimuth]

Bronze Star from the Dhafra? Was the Green Bean under seige?

Edited November 21, 2015 by Azimuth

[SurelySerious]

Bronze Star from the Dhafra? Was the Green Bean under seige?

The operators were everywhere, depleting coffee resources.

[ThreeHoler]

Bronze Star from the Dhafra? Was the Green Bean under seige?

Until IDP was cut for Dhafra and the Deid, all commanders received a BSM for completing their command tour. Even when the Sq/CC deployments were only 4 months long. As of summer 2014, all commanders only receive an MSM unless they received IDP or HFP while not in flight (must be on the ground).

[17D_guy]

 

Until IDP was cut for Dhafra and the Deid, all commanders received a BSM for completing their command tour. Even when the Sq/CC deployments were only 4 months long. As of summer 2014, all commanders only receive an MSM unless they received IDP or HFP while not in flight (must be on the ground).

And don't forget the Enlisted troops supporting the base had to vie under the quotas/percentages set by leadership for receiving a decoration upon departure after 6 months.  Oh, your whole team accomplished a ton of great stuff while you were here and had no problems whatsoever?  Sorry.. 1 dec for every 4 people or whatever it was.  Everyone doesn't get a trophy (unless you're O4+), but lets use it for legit recognition.  Not an "I was there too!" card the BSM became there.

One of my old Commander's did a 365 w/ a cultural engagement team in A-stan, lost some people to IEDs on travels.. and still doesn't think the BSM was deserved for the service they rendered.  I don't know how peeps like this dude think, "Yep, my level of sacrifice and hard work is warranted to be recognized by this award."

Granted... I don't know if denying it, or not accepting it would be of benefit either. Stupid Air Force.

Also, would these show the 4-6 month deployments he might, however astronomically unlikely, have gone on?  I wouldn't throw those on my bio.  However, this dude did throw his exec tour on there - 

6. November 2000 - June 2001, Executive Officer, 737th Training Group, Lackland AFB, Texas
So who the hell knows.

[stract]

this should be merged with the same thread in the JQP forum below.

[RescueRandy]

Bronze Star from the Dhafra? Was the Green Bean under seige?

BSM.  Not BSM with "V".  Two very different medals.  His BSM means he did a Major/Lt Col job downrange for 6 months or more.  He rated it.  Nothing special.