New ABU's

[Herk Driver]

If you're in the desert, you need a hat with shade, period.

'Nuff said.

[Guest Johann]

Wearing an 8pt cap if your uniform says "U.S. Air Force" is the height of ness.

I absolutely love it when AF people wear it! It just screams "I'm a warrior, really!"

Ditch the Marine hat people, unless your uniform says "USMC" or "USN" that is.

Edited to add:

I saw some 5' nothing AF O-6 at Balad wearing one one time. It was all I could do to keep from laughing in his face. He reminded me of CPT Stillman from "Stripes".

That was beautiful!

Edited July 26, 2007 by Johann

[HerkDerka]

He just needs the ascot. Those would be great for the new ABU's. Warrior ethos sustained!

HD

[Guest Boom]

I've already seen it at UAFM for some Air Force personnel deploying with the Army. Still looks hideous.

[sputnik]

I've already seen it at UAFM for some Air Force personnel deploying with the Army. Still looks hideous.

It's pretty gay, far better than the original tiger smurf suit, but so what. I wore ACUs (Army) uniform last year when I deployed, and it's a good uniform. Functional pockets on the shirt, what a concept. The odd thing about the ABU is, after all the tweaking they did on colors and patterns to assuage all the bitching, it looks damn near identical to the Army--except it has none of the functional improvements of ACUs. God knows you don't want to have pockets you can access under body armor. Keeping the sleeve rank for enlisted was a bright move towards "heritage." Someone might have wondered why the Army and Marines got rid of sleeve rank post WW2, probably wouldn't have anything to do with the concept that perhaps to the enemy it's a giant "shoot me I've got more stripes and am more important than the guy next to me" sign.

I got to like it, in these times we're so broke we have to kick out Lt's, yet we can scrape the budget to come up with a new uniform. It's so important that we have a different field uniform than everyone else that we finally come up with one that looks just like the Army, but is no where near as good. Here's a thought, no one else is wearing BDU/DCU anymore, if we wear those, we'll be different, and we'll save money.

And don't get me started on the f#$king boots, green? Wtfo? It only took six years of war to get a wide selection of decent desert boots, like ones that fit my flippers. Can't wear the same boots as everyone else because, uh, we can't.

Okay, then there's this new heritage uniform. Apparently the only way to maintain any uniform heritage is to ensure we absolutely never keep the same uniform. Heritage is all about change. Like, for example, ditching our current service dress in favor of what is clearly a copy of the previous version, with a f*&#ing belt? Even the schlep they pick up to model it in photos looks like an idiot. If they'd got Michelle Manhart to model it before they kicked her out maybe it would have helped the cause.

[Scooter14]

The boots piss me off.

Just let guys wear the GD desert boots like the Army.

[sputnik]

BTW 68% of readers like the new uniform? WTF?

[Guest SATCOM]

Thread Revival! Some of my troops have deployed with the new ABU's and have nothing but disdain for them and their lack of functionality. We (CCT/PJ) typically get to wear whatever uniform (or civvies) our tasker or "assignment" takes us. I was on the AFUB for two years and provided a myriad of inputs from the SOF community so that everyone in Big Blue would benefit.....but as you can see my ideas were rejected. Standard.

[Champ Kind]

Thread revival from a thread that had last been replied to 10 minutes earlier?? WTF?

.....I keed.

[M2]

I was on the AFUB for two years...

So now we know who to blame!

Seriously, I don't know who you pissed off to get that additional duty; but I hope you've learned your lesson! Now, since you have insider knowledge, what kind of medals do the uniform board bubbas give each other?!? Inquiring minds want to know...

Cheers! M2

[HerkDerka]

Bronze star w/ valor.

HD

[Guest SATCOM]

So now we know who to blame!

Seriously, I don't know who you pissed off to get that additional duty; but I hope you've learned your lesson! Now, since you have insider knowledge, what kind of medals do the uniform board bubbas give each other?!? Inquiring minds want to know...

Cheers! M2

Didn't serve on it (AFUB) in a full-time capacity, but part-time actually. I did learn my lesson though. I learned that it's more important to "look" cool than to be functional and effective. What's the saying "Style over Substance" so to speak? Don't get me started on the medals subject. Had lunch with a Brit SAS Lt Col the other day and he had four medals/ribbons after 20 years service.

[Insubordinate & Churlish]

Just like BDUs aren't supposed to be dry cleaned and starched, the ABUs are already losing their "wash and wear" status. And with this going on in such an institutionalized system as BMT, good luck reversing that trend.

https://www.afforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11132

Edit: After reading more of the thread I posted, I guess the validity of the source could be called into question. Anyone observed this buffoonery?

Edited April 4, 2008 by Port Dog

[bomber1]

The Airmen at my tech school would get a swift kick in the beanbag if we caught them starching their ABUs. However, we do have several Airmen that take their ABUs to the cleaners for laundering only.

And just an observation from somebody who’s stationed on an installation with Marines and Army folks; ABUs are crap compared to our sister service battle uniforms. ABUs are cheap ACU knockoffs with useless pen/pencil pockets.

[Guest Ghost-Pilot]

Ive seen quite a few people with the ABU, and I have to agree with everyone on the forum here, they are completely useless. All these damn pockets and they still look like BDUs with a different color scheme...uhmmmm Im sure someone else has said this but why not keep BDUs and they way things have been. Coming from MX i just dont understand why they have to fix something if its not broken. *sigh* I guess its all politics.

[usaf36031]

I have to agree. The USAF should have adopted the ACU. The ABU is a knock off copy with an inferior design. I personally don't mind the greenish gray boots, just as long as I don't have to wear them in my bag. Desert would have been fine.

[Guest smokinrobo]

I have worn the new ABU. My only complaints are 1: The pants and shirts/blouse are two different colors, 2: There needs to be a summer and winter weight 3: The Leprechaun boots have to go. The plain brown desert combat boots will suffice.

[Guest Boom]

They stopped issuing the ABU boots here to flyers because of them falling apart too fast. They're going back to issuing the desert boots to deploy with.

[Boxhead]

They stopped issuing the ABU boots here to flyers because of them falling apart too fast. They're going back to issuing the desert boots to deploy with.

Really? I got the Bellville Green ones issued, and granted, I don't wear them to much at work, but they are comfy and I hike with them on all the time. Mine are holding up great. Oh Well. I guess I am lucky!

[zach braff]

Here's some interesting observations I've noticed here in Iraq on the Airman BATTLE Uniform...

Lets take a look at the missions being performed and the uniforms the Airmen performing those missions are wearing. Anybody going into, or with any chance of going into a "battle" is wearing something else.

Outside the wire jobs:

Aircrew: Flight Suits, obviously...

EOD: Army Combat Uniform

ILO Security Forces: Flight Suits or ACUs

OSI: Civies

Inside the wire:

Everyone else: ABUs

Pretty cool how wearing the Airman BATTLE Uniform pretty much labels you as someone who's not going anywhere close to an actual BATTLE!

Note: I do like the no ironing part of the uniform though...

zb

Edited April 5, 2008 by zach braff

[Guest acv105]

I can take or leave the ABU because I'll hardly, if ever, have to wear it, but I will say three things I like about it. 1) its wash and wear 2) two uniforms replaced by one 3) the green boots require no polish and can be worn with tan or green flight suits.

[Herk Mafia]

Our CC was telling us the green boots werent authorized in the desert anymore because they were changing color.

[Cooter]

My commander commented that he didn't like the new boots because "I don't think you can a professional Airman and not polish your boots". I'll leave that as a free fire zone for ya'll... .

Cooter

[Champ Kind]

My commander commented that he didn't like the new boots because "I don't think you can a professional Airman and not polish your boots".

[JarheadBoom]

Quoted the way it was probably intended:

"I don't think you can be a professional Airman and not polish your boots".

When I was in the other service and we were starting the transition to the new MARPAT (digital) cammies, the old-Corps dudes were saying the same crap:

"How are we gonna make good Marines when recruits in boot-camp don't have to polish their boots anymore?? Dear God, the Corps is gonna go to sh*t because of these new uniforms!!"

I seem to recall having about 3 minutes most nights in boot camp to polish boots AND brass - needless to say, neither were especially shiny. And it didn't matter anyway - we had a DI who seemed to get off on stepping on everyone's toes before we ever left the squadbay in the morning, so we would look as f*cked-up as he proclaimed we were. Ahhh, memories...