Am I the only person that is happy about the new PT uniform?

How can you say there is nothing wrong with the old uniforms? No moisture wicking at all as for the shirts, and have you ever pt in snow or rain before? No protection whatsoever from being cold or wet..

This is the fourth APFT uniform in my career, why we try to 'invent' something that is available commercially at a better price and to industry standard is beyond me. The uniform changes have got to stop, its expensive, fielding is a hassle, and we, the Soldier, get stuck at the end of the day. Dumbfounded about why Senior leaders think this is OK.

COL please find a berry act compliant uniform that available commercially made and cheaper. The new apft uniform was based off Soldier feedback and concerns three years ago. It is less expensive in cost than the previous uniform that that was more than 20 years old

CW4 Byron Dean
I completely agree with you. Regardless if the new uniform is better or the PT belt policy, the old uniform worked. There are going to be pros and cons of every uniform and I personally believe this change has more cons than pros. I now have a dozen old PT uniforms that are useless to me and am forced to buy another new uniform. Yes, the APFU could have been better, but the easiest change would have been to authorize an (optional) mositure wicking version of the same uniform, not create an entirely new one. I remember the survey sent out, but I was never asked if the PT uniform should change, just which of the options on the survey it should be changed too. We recently changed the dress uniform, now the APFU, and this year the ACUs. My pocket book can't take my more and now I have a bunch of old uniforms I have no use for. I also don't understand the color schemes with the IPFU and the ASUs, could we not decide on a set color for army uniforms?

Amen!

See my comment about their efforts to recoup the clothing allowance every so many years. To me, that's all it's ever been about.

For the PT uniform, it has been 13 years, I think that's a reasonable period to improve. The commercial products out there are substantially better than our grey/black product. That said, maybe we could have pursued modern materials yet meet the color pattern from 13 years ago and offer as an alternate purchase. With the new APFU, I'm 100% happy with it, but more so the higher-end LS/SS shirts.

I like the look and function of the new APFU, however, it has 9 feet of reflective material. I think it is time to lose the PT belt.

I'm stationed in Alaska Sir and the material to many of us think it's thin. Most must wear silks to stay warm while doing PT outside.

CSM (Join to see), careful now, heresy like that is not likely to be well-received down at the Command Sergeant's Major Academy! ;-)

With respect, CSM (Join to see), there is no reflective material incorporated into the new uniform. See Paragraph 6 in the ALARACT that I posted below.

FOR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS

PLEASE DISSEMINATE TO ALL MILITARY PERSONNEL.

SUBJECT: THE NEW ARMY PHYSICAL FITNESS UNIFORM (APFU) AND THE NEW BLACK MICROFLEECE CAP

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, REQUEST THE WIDEST POSSIBLE DISSEMINATION

1. (U) REFERENCES:

A. (U) OPERATIONAL FORCES INTERFACE GROUP REPORT, DATED 3 MAY 12, SUBJECT: TOTAL ARMY SURVEY OF THE IMPROVED PHYSICAL FITNESS UNIFORM (IPFU) TO ALL 50 STATES AND VARIOUS WORLDWIDE LOCATIONS.

B. (U) OPERATIONAL FORCES INTERFACE GROUP REPORT, DATED 7 JAN 13, SUBJECT: IMPROVED PHYSICAL FITNESS UNIFORM (IPFU) PHASE II.

C. (U) OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF G-4, MEMORANDUM DATED 26 AUG 13, SUBJECT: IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE ARMY (CSA) APPROVAL OF THE 144TH ARMY UNIFORM BOARD (AUB) RECOMMENDATIONS.

2. (U) THE PURPOSE OF THIS MESSAGE IS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NEW ARMY PHYSICAL FITNESS UNIFORM (APFU).

3. (U) SOLDIERS’ FEEDBACK PROMPTED THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW APFU. TO GAUGE ACCURATELY THE SOLDIERS’ OPINIONS, THE ARMY CONDUCTED AN ONLINE SURVEY FROM 6 FEB TO 7 MAR 12. THE SURVEY GENERATED MORE THAN 76,000 SOLDIER RESPONSES. THE SOLDIERS’ RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE MODIFICATIONS TO THE APPEARANCE, THE ADDITION OF HIGH PERFORMANCE FABRICS, AND MEASURES TO INCREASE COMFORTAND FIT. FROM 9-29 OCT 12, A SECOND SURVEY CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE SOLDIER PREFERENCE FOR COLOR AND DESIGN OF THE FITNESS UNIFORM. MORE THAN 190,000 SOLDIERS VOTED ON 64 DESIGN AND COLOR COMBINATIONS. SOLDIERS ULTIMATELY RECOMMENDED THE BLACK AND GOLD ENSEMBLE.

4. (U) THE PROGRAM EXECUTIVE OFFICE SOLDIER WORKED WITH NATICK SOLDIER RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT AND ENGINEERING CENTER TO REDESIGN THE CURRENT IPFU. THE GOAL WAS TO USE HIGH PERFORMANCE FABRICS WITHOUT INCREASING THE COST OF THE NEW APFU. THE NEW APFU FEATURES 34 IMPROVEMENTS: IMPROVED ID/KEY POCKETS, A REDESIGNED STRETCHABLE LINING IN THE TRUNKS, HEAT MITIGATION, AND FEMALE SIZING (PANTS/JACKET). ALL OF THESE CHANGES WERE INCORPORATED BASED ON SOLDIERS’ INPUT. THE ARMY CONDUCTED EXTENSIVE TECHNICAL TESTING AS WELL AS USER ASSESSMENTS IN VARIOUS CLIMATIC REGIONS TO OBTAIN SOLDIER’S FEEDBACK AND TO VALIDATE THE APFU FORM, FIT, AND FUNCTION.

5. (U) THE NEW APFU ENSEMBLE CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:

A. (U) APFU JACKET: BLACK W/GOLD ARMY LOGO

B. (U) APFU PANTS: BLACK W/GOLD ARMY LOGO

C. (U) APFU LONG SLEEVE SHIRT: BLACK W/GOLD “ARMY” LETTERING

D. (U) APFU SHORT SLEEVE SHIRT: BLACK W/GOLD “ARMY” LETTERING

E. (U) APFU TRUNKS: BLACK W/GOLD “ARMY” LETTERING

6. (U) THE NEW APFU EMSEMBLE IS QUICK DRYING, MOISTURE WICKING, AND USES LIGHT-WEIGHT FABRICS. THE APFU ENSEMBLE IS NOT REFLECTIVE. THE T-SHIRTS AND TRUNK LINERS WILL NOT HAVE ANTIMICROBIAL CAPABILITIES AT THIS TIME. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, THE ARMY WILL CONSIDER ADDING ANTIMICROBIAL CAPABILITIES.

7. (U) THE ARMY PLANS TO INTRODUCE THE NEW ISSUED APFU OVER SEVERAL YEARS. THE NEW APFU WILL BE AVAILABLE:

A. (U) FOR ARMY MILITARY CLOTHING STORES (AMCS) IN 1QFY15. DURING THE APFU INTRODUCTION, DRILL AND ADVANCED INDIVIDUAL TRAINING (AIT) PLATOON SERGEANTS AT CLOTHING INITIAL ISSUE POINT (CIIP) LOCATIONS ARE AUTHORIZED TO OBTAIN THEIR SUPPLEMENTAL ISSUE OF APFU ITEMS FROM THEIR LOCAL AMCS IN 2QFY15.

B. (U) FOR CIIP FOR INITIAL ENTRY TRAINING (IET) SOLDIERS IN 3QFY15,

C. (U) FOR THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD, ARMY RESERVE, AND SENIOR RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS SOLDIERS IN 4QFY15.

D. (U) THE WEAR OUT DATE FOR THE IPFU IS 30 SEP 17. THE MANDATORY POSSESSION DATE FOR THE APFU IS 1 OCT 17 (1QFY18).

8. (U) THE ARMY IS INTRODUCING AN OPTIONAL COMMERCIAL APFU ENSEMBLE, WHICH WILL BE AVAILABLE IN AMCS’ STARTING 1QFY15 (DEC 14). THIS WILL ALLOW SOLDIERS AN OPTION TO PROCURE AN APFU IN ANOTHER FABRIC WITH THEIR PERSONAL FUNDS. THE OPTIONAL APFU WILL BE IDENTICAL IN APPEARANCE TO THE NEW ISSUED APFU, BUT WILL BE MADE WITH HIGHER PERFORMANCE FABRICS AT AN INCREASED COST TO THE SOLDIER. SOLDIERS MUST PROCURE THE OPTIONAL ITEMS WITH THEIR PERSONAL FUNDS. IN ADDITION, THE OPTIONAL PURCHASE APFU INCLUDE THE JACKET AND PANTS IN UNISEX AND FEMALE SIZES.

9. (U) SOLDIERS ARE AUTHORIZED TO WEAR A MIXTURE OF ISSUED AND OPTIONAL APFU COMPONENTS. SOLDIERS ARE UNAUTHORIZED TO MIX THE WEAR OF NEW APFU COMPONENTS WITH THE IPFU COMPONENTS.
APFUS ARE AUTHORIZED FOR WEAR ON AND OFF DUTY, ON AND OFF THE INSTALLATION, AND WHEN AUTHORIZED BY THE COMMANDER.

10. THE ARMY IS CHANGING THE COLOR OF THE MICROFLEECE CAP FROM GREEN TO BLACK FOR WEAR WITH THE NEW APFU AND THE NEW ARMY COMBAT UNIFORM. THE NEW BLACK MICROFLEECE CAP WILL BE AVAILABLE:

A. (U) AT ARMY MILITARY CLOTHING STORES (AMCS) IN 1QFY15. DURING THE BLACK MICROFLEECE CAP INTRODUCTION, DRILL AND AIT PLATOON SERGEANTS AT CIIP LOCATIONS ARE AUTHORIZED TO OBTAIN THEIR SUPPLEMENTAL ISSUE OF THE BLACK MICROFLEECE CAP FROM THEIR LOCAL AMCS IN 2QFY15.

B. (U) AT CLOTHING INITIAL ISSUE POINTS FOR IET SOLDIERS IN 3QFY15,

C. (U) AT THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD, ARMY RESERVE, AND RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS SOLDIERS IN 4QFY15.

D. (U) THE WEAR OUT DATE FOR THE GREEN MICROFLEECE CAP IS 30 SEP 18. THE MANDATORY POSSESSION DATE FOR THE BLACK MICROFLEECE CAP IS 1 OCT 17 (1QFY18).

11. (U) HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY (HQDA) POINT OF CONTACT IS MAJ DANNY PADELLO, OR MS. BRYANT-HARPER.

12. (U) THIS MESSAGE WILL EXPIRE IN MARCH 2024 UNLESS SUPERSEDED BY OFFICIAL GUIDANCE FROM HQDA.

CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED
CAVEATS: NONE