Posted on Dec 13, 2013
SGM Matthew Quick
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Uniforms
If you had a choice, which uniform pattern/style would you want to wear?<div><br></div><div><span style="color: rgb(44, 44, 44); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">This year, the Joint Staff’s top enlisted adviser, Marine Sgt. Maj. Bryan Battaglia, said the mix of uniforms makes the U.S. military look like a “Baskin-Robbins” and signaled his support for a common uniform.<br></span><br><span style="color: rgb(44, 44, 44); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">But Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Amos recently said preserving the Corps’ MARPAT pattern is a top priority and declared that his service will stick to it “like a hobo to a ham sandwich.”</span><br></div>
Posted in these groups: 4276e14c UniformsMaskowanie Camouflage
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SSgt George Brown
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As a civilian, I can say congress does not understand the military and because of that, they make boneheaded decisions that impact morale, tradition, and order in the military they constantly want to under fund.  It is interesting they are trying to save money on uniforms that they don't buy.  That is how ignorant they are, having never served.
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SFC Instructor/Writer
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What?
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SFC Instructor/Writer
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There was never any call to give up the old patterns or uniform cut & material but alas, no point in beating that horse some more. I say either everyone goes to multicam or marpat. Stop wasting tax payer dollars teetering the same stuff that's been tested and proven a dozen times over. One thing for sure though, get rid of the damn velcro and zippers and return to button closures for everything and sewn on patches. I'd you're actually SOF you have a demonstrated need for the velcro. Otherwise, it's pointless and a waste of money. Next, Dutch the whole cut and material I'd the Army uniforms. Either go back to the BDU/DCU design or use the Marine design. The Army killed any durability when it tried to make people more comfortable and now our uniforms rip and fall apart five feet off of the road. As one other NCO said, just use an earth tone brown (coyote, dark earth, whatever you want to call it) for all of our OCIE. Brown is a universal color worldwide and so the best base color. Paint over it and our weapons to better match locale. Problem solved, money saved.
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Phone wasn't working so well earlier.  I'd also add that we need to ditch the stupid, useless chest pockets on our current ACU.  Either go back to the BDU pocket, or (my vote) get the big slant pockets from the Vietnam era OGAs.  Keep the calf pockets and the sleeve pockets but put buttons on them.  Our current tan boot is also a very poor uniform choice.  Who in their right mind picked a light tan shade for our suede?  Dumb.  The Marines also beat us on this - dirt brown for suede boots that are going to dirty & grimy, what a novel concept.  I have to admit that I do have a split mind on the boots because I fully agree that having to shine boots & low-quarters built discipline and responsibility.  However, the rough side out leather is more practical and brown will always trump black ina tactical environment and in the end, that is wear we do work.
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SSG Ralph Watkins
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I'm an old timer.  Went in with the permanent press fatigues & got out during the start of the ACU's.  The BDU's were supposed to be the all service uniform.  Right off the bat, the SMA back then didn't want slanted pockets even though they were quite practical so that was scrubbed.  Several changes had to made over the years to the BDU's.  I still have a set of the old Elvis collar ones.  Then in 1983 they were looking at going to a brown suede boot.  When I went to PLDC in Germany, the SF guys were wearing them & they liked them.  Again, politics interceded & the brown boot was scrubbed because they didn't look pretty.  So it seems we have come full circle over the past 30 years.  I agree, the Multicam seems like the right choice.  It should be solely designed by the requirements of field soldiers not some POG's behind a desk someplace & certainly not by Congress or DoD HQ.  It is much more cost effective to design things properly & practically.  Whenever politics gets involved, it tends to drive up costs & doesn't satisfy the needs of the troops.
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MSG Chief Intilligence Sergeant
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We (Armed Services) need to go back to the one or two camo format that worked. One uniform for wooded, forest, vegitation, etc. and one for desert environments. The same camo needs to be assigned to ALL services. The camo explosion that has seen every service with their own camo patterns is stupid and a HUGE waste a money. Heck the Multicam pattern is better at everything than the ACU, go to that for everyone. This would lower spending, and improve logistics.
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SFC Retired
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Lets go one step further and stop with this ridiculous camouflage uniform program. The old O.D. uniforms where more than adequate for over 40 years. Some military tech nerd and his associated congressman sent us down this road back in the 80s. There is no empirical data that equates wearing a camouflage field/combat uniform reduces casualties in any way on the battle field. Maybe save a few million and get us better body armor or a primary weapon that wasn't designed in the 50s. The DOD is all about making cuts, well one duty/field/combat uniform is a great start.
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CPT Owner
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I really like the multicam pattern the Army uses on deployments. 
It looks good, is functional camouflage, and provides a presentable and professional appearance. 

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MSgt Visual Information Chief
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I know the Marine that posed for the uniform configuration in the middle.
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CPT Operations Officer
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I think Multicam provides the best camouflage over a broad array of environments.
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MAJ Field Artillery Officer
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Would like to see some true leadership from our Top Brass on this issue for a "Common Uniform" collection of patterns.  I see three main issues in making this decision, effectiveness, industrial longevity, and force cohesiveness.

First, these uniforms must be effective at concealing our forces from a number of "Eyes" out there.  Effective to conceal from the naked eye, cameras, night vision, thermal, and other detectors our enemy uses.  We all know the best way to conceal from the naked eye is to disrupt our outline and to use patterns and colors found in nature.  For the tech detectors and cameras, we know digital patterns are effective.  Effectiveness should not be a factor taken lightly as well as the cost is our Soldiers lives, so it must be the best.  The US4CES family of patterns tested the best not only in the digital arena, but in all testing criteria, it excelled.

Second, industrial longevity, the new uniform must be able to be produced by many in order to supply all US Forces quickly with not only clothing, but PPE as well.  It may even drive us to paint our vehicles the same pattern.  In order to do this the DoD must select a brand new entry, one that property rights would be surrendered (NOT Crye Multicam) in order to produce quickly and low cost.

Third, Force Cohesiveness, this is one I've seen so much bickering about at Top levels and I find the situation like a bunch of fraternities battling over a college campus.  This Uniform must be a pattern no service can claim solely before. "We had it first so we're better!"  It needs to be a brand new pattern so all services can adopt and feel as one.  Rather our enemies and the local nationals scream, "That's a Soldier!" or "That's a Marine!" They should be saying, "THAT'S AN AMERICAN!"  Its ONE Flag flying over our bases there, not Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force flags.  So when I hear that the Marines will stick to MARPAT like a "Hobo on a ham sandwich," I'm disheartened to hear that we want to make each other so different and not stand as one force.  Our Dress Uniforms is where we can be socially distinct, on the battlefield, that needs to go out the window.

In conclusion, I would like to see us adopt a new, most effective, and distinguished uniform patterns to reset the dividing mindset the services have right now.  Whether thats US4CES, Brookwood, Krytpek, BDUs even.  We need to stand in the face of our enemies and let them fear "THE AMERICAN" rather than say, oh thats just a Airman (not personal), "Roll Them Over!"  At least let our enemies doubt who they are engaging first, no matter who it is.  DoD Force wide unity would be a more powerful weapon than different patterns.
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GySgt (Other / Not listed)
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To save money and be effective, multicams!  After that, woodland and desert MARPAT as long as all the gear is coyote brown to work with both woodland and desert environments.  Even better would be a single MARPAT uniform that is reversable for use in both woodland and desert. 
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