Is the mix match of digital pattern and OCP still authorized?

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 18:05:50 -0400

Reservist going to school and unit hasn’t issued weather gear.

Response by COL Randall C. made Sep 10 at 2022 7:48 PM

COL Randall C. — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 19:48:09 -0400

TA-50/Field Equipment - Yes.
Uniforms - No. *
* Standard guidance is that it will "match the colors of the camouflage pattern uniform being worn" ... so no UCP backpacks

While it is inactive, I believe the pertinent guidance was from ALARACT 071/2019 (Para 4C)
https://www.armyg1.army.mil/hr/uniform/docs/Uniform/RegulatoryGuidance/ALARACTs/ALARACT_071-2019.pdf

Bottom line (and you'll hear this often as it hasn't changed): OCIE doesn't have a wear-out date.

ALARACT_071-2019.pdf

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 10 at 2022 11:44 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 23:44:14 -0400

I'm not going to lie...this question being asked by a SSG disturbs me.

Response by MAJ Byron Oyler made Sep 11 at 2022 7:16 AM

MAJ Byron Oyler — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 07:16:40 -0400

We all know historically it has been the Army's responsibility to take care of these things and if they have not then you wear what they have provided you. The better answer is to spend $130 at MCSS and show up to school looking sharp. Whether I was a PFC or MAJ I always spent some $$$ not to have to deal with CIF and it was some of the best money spent.

Response by CSM William Everroad made Sep 12 at 2022 10:37 AM

CSM William Everroad — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 10:37:17 -0400

SSG Private RallyPoint Member, ALARACT 071/2019 states: "THE REQUIRED DUTY UNIFORM FOR ALL U.S. SOLDIERS WILL BE THE OPERATIONAL CAMOUFLAGE PATTERN ARMY COMBAT UNIFORM, EFFECTIVE 1 OCTOBER 2019"

I seem to remember a memo that came out that suggested that reservists could wear ACU mixed OCIE items until April 1, 2021, I am pretty sure that meant "overgarments" like rain gear or ECW.

However, the above ALARACT indicates that "OCIE (THAT IS, FIELD GEAR) HAS NO SPECIFIC WEAR-OUT DATE." and as "ITEMS BECOME UNSERVICEABLE AND THE ON HAND INVENTORY IS DEPLETED, OCP OCIE ITEMS WILL BE PROCURED AS REPLACEMENTS."

The question is, "Is ACU wet weather gear considered "personal" or "OCIE"?". Wet Weather gear is not specifically called out in AR 670-1 nor DA PAM 670-1 because the army switched to the ECWCs, which is mentioned. Interestingly enough, wet weather gear has not been specifically listed for almost 20 years. It boils down to two things, 1. does your command allow it? and 2. should you do it?

Reserve supply has been able to order OCP OCIE for their Soldiers since 2015ish. There really is very little excuse for not having a complete set. I have seen Soldiers who were not proactive in getting with their supply, team leaders who haven't directed their Soldiers to go to supply, and even Commanders who haven't prioritized the transition to OCP. But that was in 2019 and since then MACOMs have aggressively emphasized ordering OCIE proactively because we budgeted for it in 2019, 2020, and 2021.

Supply doesn't issue gear, they order on behalf of a Soldier. Some supply sections may proactively order and then attempt to mass issue, but then they are stuck with loads of gear (especially if they don't have everyone's correct sizes in G-Army) that they have to send back because they have a timeline to issue before they get nasty phone calls from the PBO.

At the end of the day, it looks bad. Either the Soldier didn't get it issued or the Soldier didn't care enough to go get it issues, or the Soldier's leadership didn't care enough to make them go get it ordered. (specific to the Reserves). It boils down to now the Soldier has to walk around in a very out-of-date uniform in the rain and has to tell every NCO that stops them why they don't seem to have OCP.

Response by SSG Roger Ayscue made Sep 13 at 2022 12:46 AM

SSG Roger Ayscue — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 00:46:32 -0400

I would make the investment in having the proper gear for the school that you are going to. You do not say what school it is, and it really is not relevant other than to say if the student body of the school is all NCOs and you show up in mixed uniform, authorized or not, it sends a bad impression to the instructors, and if the student body is NCO and Enlisted mixed it sets a bad example to the enlisted soldiers seeing it.
What Installation are you going to be on? Let's say it is Fort Benning. How many times are you going to have to answer a lower enlisted, junior NCO or a Superior about a mix matched uniform before you want to pull your hair out? I bet about the first time that a Command Sergeant Major tells you the Maximum Effective Range of an Excuse is Zero Meters, you will wish you had just gotten an OCP Rain coat.