“Purple is the new Green” Your combat uniforms just got a colorful upgrade!

2022-04-01T09:44:51-04:00

In an effort to further modernize today’s military, the DOD announced today its fashion forward plan to offer soldiers some colorful choices for combat uniforms. Beginning this summer, ACU’s, MCCUU’s and NWU’s won’t be limited to the drab green color, they will now be available in orange, purple, teal and pink.

Pentagon Press Secretary, Jack, G. Curby said “It’s time our Nation’s brave men and women show their true colors. Orange might be the new black, but purple is the new green when it comes to camouflage.”

In response to this bold measure, SSG James Kilroy said “You’d have to be an April Fool to believe this nonsense!” And he is quite right.

The military is no slouch when it comes to April Fool’s pranks. Here are the top five shenanigans pulled off by members of the DOD:

In 1986, sailors stationed on the USS Kennedy, which was deployed in the Mediterranean, watched a helicopter land on deck to deliver mail during its six-month tour. Instead, on that fateful April 1st, three pigs painted red, white and blue were dropped off and left to run around on the ship! Luckily, the pranksters filmed the whole event so you can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj3zNDSCmQw

In 1943, the Stars and Stripes European edition published an article touting the plans for a 30-day furlough for all soldiers that had served a year in Europe. Eligible service members would be transported via the SS Normandie which had been salvaged from the floor of the Hudson River and was now manned by the Women’s Army Corp. Entertainment included Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, burlesque star Gypsy Rose Lee and pin-up girl Betty Grable. And if that wasn’t tantalizing enough, the trip would also include “inch-thick steaks” for each evening meal provided by the Governor of the State of Texas. The article ended with “Requests for furlough should be forwarded in triplicate to Stars and Stripes, where they will be carefully filed until next April Fool’s Day, on which date we hope to have the entire plan in actual operation.”

In 2013, The US Army announced its Military Working Cat program kick-off. The felines in service would be assisting military police in the tracking and capture of criminals and narcotics sniffing. Program advantages included a reduction of stray cats roaming the streets, and the success story of Gino, the first graduate. Downsides ranged from severe clawing incidents resulting in injury to soldiers and frequent disagreements between the cats and their working dog counterparts. The full article can be read here: http://hoaxes.org/af_database/permalink/military_working_cat_program

In 2019, the Andersen Air Force Base in Guam gave its airmen something to get excited about. A new policy was released via a Facebook post that would allow Airmen to sport full beards. The policy update was shared thousands of times in a few hours and got a LOT of comments. There was even an official link to an article in the LA Times. To see the original post, click here: https://www.facebook.com/Andersen36WG/posts/ [login to see] 137322
To see the article in the times, check out the link posted on the Facebook page: https://rly.pt/3LgeFlM

Not to be outdone in 2019, the III Marine Expeditionary Force in Okinawa, Japan released a statement via the Defense Visual Information Service Distribution website, stating that marines living in barracks would be allowed to have a pet in their room. Interested Marines would be required to submit an application package to their chain of command and complete the Pet Care and Training 100.1 class. Unfortunately for those folks that didn’t read to the end of the article, which wrapped up with a “Happy April Fools’ Day, III MEF!,” a trip back to the shelter was in order to return their new furry friends.

Share you favorite prank below!

watch

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 4 at 2022 9:49 AM

2022-04-04T09:49:27-04:00

I don't buy in to the new color scheme... Must be an April Fools joke! I can just see our men and women on the front lines in PINK, Purple, TEAL, and Orange... Our enemies would turn over, laugh and wipe us out... Well maybe not wipe us out, because they would be laughing to much... LOL!!!

Response by CDR Andrew McMenamin, PhD made Apr 4 at 2022 10:04 AM

2022-04-04T10:04:52-04:00

How about mauve and midnight blue?

Response by SMSgt Lawrence McCarter made Apr 4 at 2022 11:33 AM

2022-04-04T11:33:06-04:00

April Fools joke or not I have seen camouflage patterns in actually use short of wearing white in a woodland environment for instance they did not blend in at all and were easy to spot. I'll give credit to the Marines however, they actually knew what colors appear in nature and had camouflage that worked and blended with the background.

Response by SSgt Jim Gilmore made Apr 4 at 2022 2:50 PM

2022-04-04T14:50:37-04:00

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the USAF decision to issue a utility uniform in tiger stripes.

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 4 at 2022 4:23 PM

2022-04-04T16:23:02-04:00

There's no Fool like an April Fool!

Response by SGT Richard Hanson SSP/CGS made Apr 5 at 2022 9:51 AM

2022-04-05T09:51:58-04:00

An article in the Great Falls Tribune April 1, 1969, I think stated that a man came home from his midnight shift and found his wife in bed with another man. After a fist fight in the bedroom the interloper left via the front door running down the street buck naked the angry husband appeared on the porch with a rifle. He fired one shot hitting the interloper in the cheek of the right buttock. The only comment the husband made to the police as he was being led away was "that damn rifle always did shoot high and Right."

Response by 1SG John Highfill made Apr 6 at 2022 7:26 AM

2022-04-06T07:26:34-04:00

I’m so glad to be retired

Response by SPC Julio L R. made Apr 7 at 2022 4:19 PM

2022-04-07T16:19:06-04:00

Our Military has lost it.

Response by SSG Robert Vernon made Apr 9 at 2022 7:05 PM

2022-04-09T19:05:32-04:00

I don't know if I would look good in "Purple" uniforms , I barely stomached wearing the old Green fatigues ( Use to call them the MASH uniforms) , then just as I was ETS-ing the Camouflage BDU's were just being issued.

Response by SPC William Szkromiuk made Apr 16 at 2022 2:23 PM

2022-04-16T14:23:25-04:00

I heard tank tops were coming next.

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made Apr 21 at 2022 7:29 PM

2022-04-21T19:29:22-04:00

Thanks for sharing.

Response by SGT Michael Niese made May 12 at 2022 4:47 AM

2022-05-12T04:47:39-04:00

ACUs were a big enough April fools joke.
Glow in the Moonlight (no)joke.

Response by SGT Wayne Dunn made May 20 at 2022 11:01 AM

2022-05-20T11:01:07-04:00

I hope it helps