U.S. Army considers new uniforms

[Story]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Henry_William_Paget00a.jpg

I think the Army should bring back the Hussar uniform. [huh]

Polaski's Legion? We could always go for the quasi-Chausseurs look.

Here's First City Troop (A Troop, 104CAV, 28th ID)

http://www.firsttroop.com/

 

[Otium]

Actually, it took me only about a month or so to locate one. I bought my cloak from a retired O5/JAG who had only worn his like 4-5 times since he had it tailor-made in 1972 (the year I was born). lol

Keep your eyes out and be persistant and you'll find one...and most importantly save $300 to spend on your date/wife for the evening.

BTW, and sidebar, do you have Abbott SDW/Chokers? I've heard that the only difference with them is they have the "old school" hook closures on the collar vice the cheapo velcro. I would like to try and "convert" my collar to the more traditional type if possible. Not worth it to buy a new blouse (in the CG I only wear them every few yrs or so for an occasional Change of Command).

I do have the Abbott's and they do have the hook closures. IMHO they are much better than the velcro. (Nothing looks worse than someone who has gained a few pounds and then simply slacks the velcro because they are too cheap/lazy to have it adjusted.) They are very comfortable as well.

Looking at your boat cloak photos the USN/USCG cloak looks more gray with a black color, is that accurate or just the flash acting up?

 

[draws]

Pip, I would recommend that you start slowly. If you are looking to fill your aero pilot's kit with originals, I'm afraid it will cost. I would estimate that my aero kit came to close to $1,000 USD. I'm also afraid that your primary source for equipment will come from eBay and finding items your size will be a problem. If you're under, let's say, a size 38 jacket and slimly built, your chances are quite good that you'll find what you're looking for sooner and at a lower cost since the smaller sizes aren't as much in demand, it seems. I am a 42 jacket and 36L breeches and these sizes are almost impossible to find. Best of luck.

I should be posting a photo of me in my aero uniform by early next week at the latest.

As promised, I put my original WW1 officer's uniform on and took a photo. I took a few liberties and removed the background and superimposed my photo over the background just to get the feel.

 

[PSK123]

Hi Dennis,

aha thank you for the advice, much appreciated. Fortunately I'm a 38 chest and a 32 waist, however I think the main problem will be boots as I'm a UK 11/US 12 lol


Fantastic photo by the way, looks spot on.

 

[draws]

Hi Dennis,

aha thank you for the advice, much appreciated. Fortunately I'm a 38 chest and a 32 waist, however I think the main problem will be boots as I'm a UK 11/US 12 lol


Fantastic photo by the way, looks spot on.

Yes, size 12s are definitely hard to find. It's not impossible but the rest of the uniform is within reach due to your size.

 

[Lone_Ranger]

Polaski's Legion? We could always go for the quasi-Chausseurs look.

Here's First City Troop (A Troop, 104CAV, 28th ID)

http://www.firsttroop.com/

I was in the 28th Division PA. A.N.G. for 8 years and never heard of them. Of course Philly, is almost like a different state.

 

[bstrickmma]

I do have the Abbott's and they do have the hook closures. IMHO they are much better than the velcro. (Nothing looks worse than someone who has gained a few pounds and then simply slacks the velcro because they are too cheap/lazy to have it adjusted.) They are very comfortable as well.

Looking at your boat cloak photos the USN/USCG cloak looks more gray with a black color, is that accurate or just the flash acting up?

It's just the flash and extra light from the room. It's black. The material is grogham (mixture of mohair and wool I guess); lining is black silk.

Thanks for the info about the Abbotts whites...if my converstion attempt doesn't work out I just may need to get me a set before this summer.

 

[Archéologue]

Wearing combat fatigues in public seems almost un-American. I admire and support our troops, but I feel like I'm in some third world country when I see these guys in the mall in combat boots and camo. All thats missing is the weapon. Is that next? American military men and women used to look great in the old days. I suppose eventually it will degrade into tee shirts and camo shorts. These guys deserve respect and should be wearing dress uniforms, not combat outfits in social occasions.

 

[draws]

Wearing combat fatigues in public seems almost un-American. I admire and support our troops, but I feel like I'm in some third world country when I see these guys in the mall in combat boots and camo. All thats missing is the weapon. Is that next? American military men and women used to look great in the old days. I suppose eventually it will degrade into tee shirts and camo shorts. These guys deserve respect and should be wearing dress uniforms, not combat outfits in social occasions.

I must disagree with you with your assumptions that our military would ever degrade itself and start carrying weapons and wearing tee shirts and camo shorts in public. That view is very short-sighted and needs to be reconsidered.

You are correct that the wearing of dress uniforms does invite respect from the public. That does not mean that the men and woman in our military should be closeted while wearing their fatigues when they have time off from their local duties for shopping and doing military and family business off post.

Because our military is so good and so dedicated to our defense and all that incurs, they need to be granted a bit of slack when it comes to their appearance in public. I have a son-in-law in the military (a doctor) at this time and there are times when he simply cannot change on the fly from one uniform to another to appeal to the public's need for standards. It is simply impossible to do. That does not mean that he is any less dedicated to our country and to his mission.

Having attended formal activities and public events, I must say that I have never been embarrassed to see our military dressed inapropriately. In fact the opposite is true. They (we) are spit and polish and we should be proud to know that such men and woman are there "for us" with dignity when the need calls.

I would ask that everyone please be respectfull of their sacrifice for us, our liberties and our right to speak of them in this manner. God bless our military men and woman. They are the greatest.

 

[Widebrim]

Military/Naval Dress on the Job and in Public

I must disagree with you with your assumptions that our military would ever degrade itself and start carrying weapons and wearing tee shirts and cammo shorts in public. That view is very short-sighted and needs to be reconsidered.

You are correct that the wearing of dress uniforms does invite respect from the public. That does not mean that the men and woman in our military should be closeted while wearing their fatigues when they have time off from their local duties for shopping and doing military and family business off post.

Because our military is so good and so dedicated to our defense and all that incurs, they need to be granted a bit of slack when it comes to their appearance in public. I have a son-in-law in the military (a doctor) at this time and there are times when he simply cannot change on the fly from one uniform to another to appeal to the public's need for standards. It is simply impossible to do. That does not mean that he is any less dedicated to our country and to his mission.

Having attended formal activities and public events, I must say that I have never been embarrassed to see our military dressed inappropriately. In fact the opposite is true. They (we) are spit and polish and we should be proud to know that such men and woman are there "for us" with dignity when the need calls.

I would ask that everyone please be respectful of their sacrifice for us, our liberties and our right to speak of them in this manner. God bless our military men and woman. They are the greatest.

Well said regarding respect and professionalism, but as a veteran I disagree with fatigues/cammies being worn in non-combat MOS's (occupations). Years ago, if you worked in any type of office, you usually wore your dress uniform (Class Bs/Charlies, etc.). If you were in the field, you wore utilities. Today you see servicemen/women everywhere wearing combat uniforms. It's one thing for someone in a MOS which requires fatigues to wear them, and then, coming off duty, go to the PX/BX or convenience store so dressed. It's quite another for someone who works in an office environment to wear ACUs/MARPATS, etc, and then continue to wear them off duty. What I have found is that servicemen/women would rather wear utilities for a week, without having to wash or press them, than change dress shirts every day or so, and that the services have unfortunately catered to this mentality.

 

[Widebrim]

Is This the U.S. or Napoleonic Europe?

Polaski's Legion? We could always go for the quasi-Chausseurs look.

Here's First City Troop (A Troop, 104CAV, 28th ID)

http://www.firsttroop.com/

Man alive! I didn't know we had an outfit with such uniforms! Top notch!:eusa_clap

 

[Otium]

Boat Cloak

Well, I finally made it to the Marine Shop in Quantico to check out there boat cloak. I must say I'm extremely disappointed. I wouldn't pay $200 for that let alone the $600 they want. Maybe Marlow White's offering is better but I won't spend anything without seeing the product in person after that ripoff.

 

[Spartan0311]

Current Uniforms

Hi, my first post to the site...

I'm a former Marine, and we were not allowed off base in the "cammies."

And there were times when the only thing that we were allowed to wear was "Charlies" to leave the base on liberty. It being the most casual of uniforms. The wearing of civilan clothes wasn't a right it was a reward, and even then we couldn't wear certain things.

Flip Flops for one.... Or shower shoes as we called them.

So I'm glad that the Army is starting to re-think use of the ACU's as they call them.:eusa_clap

 

[WH1]

Spartan 0311,
Welcome aboard and Semper Fi, always good to have another "misguided child" on deck. My first duty station in 1984/85 I got my butt handed to me by the First Sergeant at a liberty formation for not having a belt with my collared shirt, laced leather shoes and khaki trousers. Didn't go off base for 2 weeks after that. Made an impression.:eusa_doh:

 

[Bob Smalser]

My youngest in the current Army Blue Uniform with Kersey Blue trousers. Not a bad looking uniform when worn with a sword belt, which you can't see very well on the guards here, and it is certainly historic. A light gray wool-blend TW shirt might even be an improvement.

His Grandfather in Marine Utilities just before Chosin in Korea:

His old man in The Army Green Uniform with brown shirt during VN, when longer hair was the fashion:

 

[WH1]

His Grandfather in Marine Utilities just before Chosin in Korea:

What outfit was he with?

 

[Bob Smalser]

What outfit was he with?

Chaplain of 2-5 Marines at Inchon, Wonson and early Chosin.

Ironically, my Army Regiment was the 31st Infantry, the survivors of which were absorbed into the 1st and 5th Marines after 2-31 was destroyed.

 

[Madcap72]

I'd like to see the US Army make a move back to the WWII uniform. Even during Vietnam (I was serving in Korea at the time) the green Class A uniform was a poor second to the WWII uniform. When the army went from the khaki-color shirt to the current mint green monstrosity, it went from bad to worse. We either wore fatigues or TW's (khaki tropical-weight uniforms) unless required to wear dress greens. I probably wore dress greens less than a dozen times during two years in Korea.

The uniform does matter. Let's dress military men and women to reflect the fact that they are part of a long and proud military tradition. My guess is, they'll appreciate the change and take more pride in the uniform.[/FONT]

Thats why the Marines haven't made major changes to the dress blues.
At least since the early 1920's.

 

[Widebrim]

My youngest in the current Army Blue Uniform with Kersey Blue trousers. Not a bad looking uniform when worn with a sword belt, which you can't see very well on the guards here, and it is certainly historic. A light gray wool-blend TW shirt might even be an improvement.

The new issue Dress Blue Uniform has half-length hash marks on only one side (just like the former Dress Greens). In addition, one has to be corporal or above now to have gold trouser stripes. (Where are their ribbons or medals? We used to wear ours for color guard.) I agree that a light gray shirt should be worn instead of white (like those worn by West Point cadets). There was talk of using that color, but somehow white was chosen (hopefully someone up in the ranks will realize the mistake and try to rectify it). The Dress Blues look even better when the blue and gold band belt with gold-colored, eagle buckle is used.

 

[Widebrim]

Thats why the Marines haven't made major changes to the dress blues.
At least since the early 1920's.

Except for the elimination of the dark blue service cap in the 1940s.