Should the Army issue an initial set of uniforms for the new APFU and Scorpion 2 ACU's?

2015-03-13T22:15:29-04:00

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 13 at 2015 10:23 PM

2015-03-13T22:23:48-04:00

I think they should issue an initial set when something changes, To me the clothing allowance should be used for up keep and maintance.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Mar 13 at 2015 10:58 PM

2015-03-13T22:58:49-04:00

I have mixed feelings about this one.

When the Marine Corps changed PT uniforms, and from Woodlands to MARPAT, the transition was gradual, and reasonable. When our "winter" boots (black leather) came out, they supplemented the cost, and we ended up paying $20~ something a pair and they were issued to us. We were required to replace the items ourselves.

For the Army, it seems like you replace uniforms at the cyclic rate. You are on your 3rd "utility" uniform since I joined back in 1994. The service uniform used to be green. I don't even know how many PT uniforms you've gone through.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 13 at 2015 11:19 PM

2015-03-13T23:19:59-04:00

You speaking common sense, you know the Army frowns on that

Response by SSG Keven Lahde made Mar 14 at 2015 12:16 AM

2015-03-14T00:16:14-04:00

I think we should, but I don't see that happening.

Response by SGM Billy Herrington made Mar 14 at 2015 12:19 AM

2015-03-14T00:19:05-04:00

APFU, ACU's, ASU's, OCP, tattoos, what's next?

None of this is hard. When we deploy to a contingency operation that calls for a different uniform did we buy those? No, it was issued. DCU's, FRACU's, and OCP were all RFI'd to us.

So why should we have to pay to implement a uniform change? Kids in basic will get issued new stuff, why not the already serving force? It's a way to implement it by unit. The wear out date is when you get issued the new stuff.

It really shouldn't be this hard.

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 14 at 2015 3:51 AM

2015-03-14T03:51:08-04:00

Totally understand everyone's feelings on this matter. I have been in for awhile and have had to buy a uniform every time it changed whether duty or IPFU.

Initial Entry Soldiers are issued uniforms because they have yet to receive a clothing allowance. Some will be unlucky and fall close and have to buy them in a year anyway. The Army spent a shit ton of money to design, test, produce the uniform, the cost to issue a couple sets to every Soldier would be astronomical.

I am not an idiot and know that nobody actually goes out and buys new uniform articles the month they receive their clothing allowance and the Army knows that too. The wear out date for the old uniform is usually a couple years from the implementation of the new uniform. This gives Soldier a shit load of time to get the new uniform. When I was a young Soldier I use to buy uniform by pieces, a ACU top one month, a ACU trouser five months down the road, I would have a couple uniforms before the wear out date of the old uniform.

I know I sound like a politician and just a CSM spouting some Kool-Aid but, just think about the fiscal state of the Army. We barely have enough money to get a decent pay raise, train our Soldiers, buy equipment/weapons/ammo. It would take the Army's entire fiscal budget to issue new uniforms to everyone.

Make sense?

Response by CSM Michael J. Uhlig made Mar 14 at 2015 6:46 AM

2015-03-14T06:46:33-04:00

I vote no, unless we change our business rules and that is probably a bad idea.

For those authorized a clothing allowance, use it and maintain your initial issue items requirements along with the current clothing bag requirements. Don't forget, your clothing allowance is intended to replace your entire initial issue every four years. Use it for it's intended purpose!

Response by CH (MAJ) William Beaver made Mar 14 at 2015 8:26 AM

2015-03-14T08:26:17-04:00

An initial set is appropriate. Same with new PTs. Show what 'right looks like.'

Response by SrA Matthew Knight made Mar 14 at 2015 8:58 AM

2015-03-14T08:58:56-04:00

I would say in a perfect world that yes you should get your new uniforms issued to you. Problem is funding likely won't allow for all Army personnel to get issued the APFU and ACU uniforms right away. I think the best bet would be to start handing it out at boot camp and officer training locations first if they aren't doing it already as it would save from giving newbies uniforms that are only going to be worn for a couple more years. Other than that the clothing allowance, however low or high it may be, will be used by those currently in to procure the new uniforms as it becomes necessary.

But that's an A1C's perspective. There is a reason I am not in charge of stuff like uniform creation, production and issue.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 14 at 2015 10:59 PM

2015-03-14T22:59:48-04:00

They wanting us to have these. It would be fair to issue us a set

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 13 at 2015 9:32 AM

2015-04-13T09:32:18-04:00

I say an initial set would be great . I'm certain , everyone's clothing allowance would be more than sufficed.