It's Official, OCPs are Coming!

[Vimix22]

  On 5/16/2018 at 2:41 PM, norskman said:

I Flew with some Navy -60 drivers recently. They were all rocking  the green Massif two pieces shown below. They loved em. Still the traditional green color, but had the benefits of being a two piece.  Hope the AF will follow suit... No pun intended. I have little hope though considering the shoe mafia. 

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Never seen this uniform before but it looks great. 

[spaceman]

  On 5/17/2018 at 3:36 AM, cragspider said:

 I also don’t see anything about where we are putting our wings?

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Two years ago downrange the solution was to just wear a tan flightsuit nametag on the top part of your left shoulder (opposite of where the flag goes on your right shoulder).  This year they say no more aircrew style nametags, so everyone got little velcro patches of just wings only to velcro on the left side of your chest above the US Air Force tape (same place wings go on ABU's).  I don't think the wings patches are being mass produced/sold yet, so everyone has just been getting them custom made from the nearest embroidery shop.

[Champ Kind]

  On 5/17/2018 at 3:06 PM, spaceman said:

Two years ago downrange the solution was to just wear a tan flightsuit nametag on the top part of your left shoulder (opposite of where the flag goes on your right shoulder).  This year they say no more aircrew style nametags, so everyone got little velcro patches of just wings only to velcro on the left side of your chest above the US Air Force tape (same place wings go on ABU's).  I don't think the wings patches are being mass produced/sold yet, so everyone has just been getting them custom made from the nearest embroidery shop.

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Here you go:

 

https://uspatriottactical.com/action-embroidery-aeronautical-2-piece-flight-suit-badge-multicam/

[Breckey]

I just sewed down the nametapes, rank, and the wings. It's way easier to not have to remove an additional 4 pieces of flair when I wash it and prevents the bacon nametags. If I need to sanitize I just fly with a combat shirt since we always wear armor.

Edited May 17, 2018 by Breckey

[JustHangingOut]

  On 5/17/2018 at 3:17 PM, Breckey said:

I just sewed down the nametapes, rank, and the wings. It's way easier to not have to remove an additional 4 pieces of flair when I wash it and prevents the bacon nametags. If I need to sanitize I just fly with a combat shirt since we always wear armor.

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hell I use Velcro everything and never take off my patches when I wash.  that's just me being lazy I guess...

[MooseAg03]

  On 5/17/2018 at 3:06 PM, spaceman said:

Two years ago downrange the solution was to just wear a tan flightsuit nametag on the top part of your left shoulder (opposite of where the flag goes on your right shoulder).  This year they say no more aircrew style nametags, so everyone got little velcro patches of just wings only to velcro on the left side of your chest above the US Air Force tape (same place wings go on ABU's).  I don't think the wings patches are being mass produced/sold yet, so everyone has just been getting them custom made from the nearest embroidery shop.

I remember reading we were supposed to make no modifications to the uniform, but the first thing we have to do with it is take it to alterations to have Velcro sewn above the Air Force tape to be able to add wings. Makes sense.

[disgruntledemployee]

  On 5/17/2018 at 4:52 PM, MooseAg03 said:

I remember reading we were supposed to make no modifications to the uniform....

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The first thing I did was remove all that velco from the pockets.  I probably removed more from other areas.  Overall, for a hot, dirty place, the 2-piece worked well.

As for boots, at the time greenies were mandatory, but after a few weeks of desert dust and mud, they were semi-permanently tan.

I did enjoy my boonie cap though, even flattened it to look like this guy hat!

 

Out

[M2]

  On 5/17/2018 at 3:36 AM, cragspider said:

I don’t see why we can’t make this our own and be different enough from the Army.  

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That's how all this shit started in the first place (but to be fair, it was the Marines who started it)...

And the ABU has always been an embarrassment.

The USAF is back to having a decent utility uniform.  I think it's a smart move, but I am sure some future CSAF will fuck it up.

[ItnStln]

What’s the reason for putting the squadron patch on the left sleeve vs the right sleeve like it is on the flight suit? I think ACC  puts the squadron patch on the right sleeve of their OCPs and AFSOC on the left but I am curious why they changed it from the current flight suit? Will the flight suit patches be switched to match the placement on the OCPs?

[ItnStln]

  On 5/19/2018 at 4:16 PM, viper154 said:

AFSOC does right squadron patch, left side is the IR flag and command patch. 

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Thanks for the correction! I’m curious why it was changed when the OCPs were adopted Air Force wide. 

[viper154]

  On 5/19/2018 at 4:17 PM, ItnStln said:

Thanks for the correction! I’m curious why it was changed when the OCPs were adopted Air Force wide. 

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I was wrong, deleted my post, haven’t had my morning coffee yet, ran upstairs and checked. Right side is flag and command patch, left side is squadron patch. 

[ItnStln]

  On 5/19/2018 at 4:22 PM, viper154 said:

I was wrong, deleted my post, haven’t had my morning coffee yet, ran upstairs and checked. Right side is flag and command patch, left side is squadron patch. 

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Thanks! Since that is the layout for the OCPs now I wonder if they are going to change the flight suit so the patches are in the same location. 

[Breckey]

I’m glad they’re going against decades of uniform patch configuration standardization for this uniform. It’s nearly identical to the Army’s layout. 

[ItnStln]

  On 5/19/2018 at 4:49 PM, Breckey said:

I’m glad they’re going against decades of uniform patch configuration standardization for this uniform. It’s nearly identical to the Army’s layout. 

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That’s why I am wondering if they change the flight suits configuration. It would have made sense to configure the OCPs the way ACC did instead of AFSOC due to the patch configuration. 

[HarleyQuinn]

  On 5/19/2018 at 2:07 PM, M2 said:

That's how all this shit started in the first place (but to be fair, it was the Marines who started it)...

And the ABU has always been an embarrassment.

The USAF is back to having a decent utility uniform.  I think it's a smart move, but I am sure some future CSAF will it up.

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The uniforms the Marines use were cheaper than any other branch to make and test. Their uniforms actually could withstand combat ops in Afghanistan and Iraq. Oh, and they actually worked to camouflage you from the enemy. Kind of important especially if your base is under attack. When insurgents attack the base, Air Force personnel are the only retards running around in reflective belts and ABUs. Just put a target on your back and charge a dollar for every hit. I saw a special forces guy go outside the wire to no shit spray a dude in his damn PT gear to defend the base. "Make shit our own? ABUs was the beginning of going full retard."

Edited May 19, 2018 by HarleyQuinn

[Breckey]

  On 5/19/2018 at 10:35 PM, HarleyQuinn said:

The uniforms the Marines use were cheaper than any other branch to make and test. Their uniforms actually could withstand combat ops in Afghanistan and Iraq. Oh, and they actually worked to camouflage you from the enemy. Kind of important especially if your base is under attack. When insurgents attack the base, Air Force personnel are the only retards running around in reflective belts and ABUs. Just put a target on your back and charge a dollar for every hit. I saw a special forces guy go outside the wire to no shit spray a dude in his damn PT gear to defend the base. "Make shit our own? ABUs was the beginning of going full retard."

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Cool story Hansel.

The Marines copyrighted their camoflauge pattern and would not let anybody but USN personnel assigned to the Marines wear it. The Army’s tried to adopt it but the Marines said no so they went with the UCP abortion. The Marines even prevented any Navy personnel that wasn’t NSW from using the desert AOR 2 because of it’s similarity to MARPAT. The ABU color pallete was chosen in part to be comparable with the UCP OCIE/PPE.

Also people haven't been defending a base in an actual combat zone in ABUs since 2012

[HarleyQuinn]

  On 5/19/2018 at 11:09 PM, Breckey said:

Cool story Hansel.

The Marines copyrighted their camoflauge pattern and would not let anybody but USN personnel assigned to the Marines wear it. The Army’s tried to adopt it but the Marines said no so they went with the UCP abortion. The Marines even prevented any Navy personnel that wasn’t NSW from using the desert AOR 2 because of it’s similarity to MARPAT. The ABU color pallete was chosen in part to be comparable with the UCP OCIE/PPE.

Also people haven't been defending a base in an actual combat zone in ABUs since 2012

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I think a lot of us have been in since 1998 know the history. You have probably worn BDUs like me or maybe not. ABUs were deemed the most worthless uniforms of any branch. Doesn't matter the color palette. Between my short tours to Iraq and Afghanistan, the AF stuck out like a sore thumb. If we sent people to certain bases that were all special forces they would want us in their gear. 

Two short tours to Joint Base Balad (2010) and Bagram (2011). Last time I checked, Al Dahfra airmen were rocking ABUs there in 2016/2017. It has since changed. 

Edited May 20, 2018 by HarleyQuinn

[flyusaf83]

I don’t know about you people, but wearing a bag is one of the few things (other than flying), that I love about my job.

I’m simply not interested in wearing OCPs or any other wannabe army uniform.  I’m probably an elitist, and that’s totally fine. But I don’t want to look the same as a finance officer.

No thanks AF, I’ll keep the bag. I like being a zipper-suited sun god.

[di1630]

JTFC. Who cares. In reality 90% of the USAF should wear nonner-blues as they make the arduous trip between the coffee maker and their computer.

Flight suits for flyers, OCP for SF and if anything a special utility uniform for mx and people who actually do some f-ing work with their hands.

The USAF needs to worry about “utility” for a uniform the same way my 5 year old needs to worry about calculous. How many pockets do you need to check email?

[BashiChuni]

OCP is cool....flying in civilian clothes is cooler. holler

[guineapigfury]

  On 5/20/2018 at 6:38 AM, BashiChuni said:

OCP is cool....flying in civilian clothes is cooler. holler

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So true.  I'm off to start my shift in a polo shirt and cargo pants in half an hour and I couldn't be happier.

[Bode]

  On 5/20/2018 at 6:33 AM, di1630 said:

JTFC. Who cares. In reality 90% of the USAF should wear nonner-blues as they make the arduous trip between the coffee maker and their computer.

Flight suits for flyers, OCP for SF and if anything a special utility uniform for mx and people who actually do some f-ing work with their hands.

The USAF needs to worry about “utility” for a uniform the same way my 5 year old needs to worry about calculous. How many pockets do you need to check email?

This!!! 100%

[SuperWSO]

  On 5/20/2018 at 6:33 AM, di1630 said:

The USAF needs to worry about “utility” for a uniform the same way my 5 year old needs to worry about calculous
 

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*Calculus

Spelling should be a concern for your 5 year old. 😉

[pcola]

I don’t plan to take part in this musical chairs uniform game. My unworn ABUs will remain hanging in a dark corner of the closet. The OCP can stay on the shelf at the BX. And I’ll keep wearing my 1 piece flight suit to work until I retire

[17D_guy]

  On 5/20/2018 at 4:59 PM, pcola said:

I don’t plan to take part in this musical chairs uniform game. My unworn ABUs will remain hanging in a dark corner of the closet. The OCP can stay on the shelf at the BX. And I’ll keep wearing my 1 piece flight suit to work until I retire

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I can apply for retirement this Christmas.

I ordered name tapes yesterday, and tried a set on for purchase on Monday.  I know you pajama wearers don't care, but all the rest of the folk I've personally talked to are super hyped.

I can't frigging wait to get out of this gray abortion of a uniform.  It never fit right, wore right and the shoes were starting to get them pressed and cleaned.  I went through OTS Mar-Jun in the old heavy weight ABU's and hated life for how rough they were to do anything in.

OCPs seem to fit the same as BDU's, which is fantastic. 

Plus...PATCHES MOTHER FUCKERS!  Finally some unit pride and options for morale/friday patches.

Edited May 20, 2018 by 17D_guy