Retention and Recruitment Crisis
- Thread starter RackMaster
- Start date
$1500 for an officer seabag? That's insane.
Incidentally, I still have the free seabag I was issued...and still use it as luggage. I can pack my whole world into it.
Last edited:
Devildoc
Verified Military
Seabag as in the required uniform requirements that go into the bag. Somewhere I have the list of what I had to get, three sets of khakis, two sets of working whites, one set choker whites, one service dress blues, one pair overalls, etc.
That's back when there was actually an approved pair of khaki and white shorts you could wear in certain tropical locations. And also, if you went aboard ship you had to wear a different set of khakis.
ThunderHorse
Verified Military
Yes I read this. But I highly doubt that his commander signed a policy letter authorizing this, I also highly doubt his rater or senior rater signed a policy letter authorizing this. He just did it, because he's no-nonsense SF you know. Rules for thee, not for me SF lols.
Is that the most current version off the regs? Seems strange to me that it would be authorized for the one and not the other.
I also wonder if there is some kind of special uniform dispensation in the refs for the SMA. IIRC there is one for GOs.
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2006
- Messages
- 1,911
I was wondering the same thing, though I've never seen it referenced (a provision for the SMA). GOs it was fairly well-known.
Yea, it's the most current version. I'm not sure why it's like that for one and not the other, but it is.
Fun fact; this is a misunderstanding and it's fixed in the newest reg! The previous reg caused confusion because it said "Generals of the Army, the CSA, and former CSAs". People forgot that "General of the Army" is actually a rank, which is what that referred to. New one has removed that.
SpongeBob*24
Verified Military
Whoa...we just had 3 pages of discussion on uniforms. 
If you are a General or SGM that wears the dress uniform all day, everyday....I'm ok with you wearing comfortable shoes. Maybe it's a bad Pic, but it's hard to tell those boots CSM has on aren't the Band of Brother jump boots almost everyone else wears. I'd tend to agree he overstepped if he was rocking standard dad issue white tennis shoes and calf high socks like he just got done mowing the grass....but this isn't the case.
I have always got a kick out of how worked people get on uniform issues. To me it's not worth the bandwidth.
If you are a General or SGM that wears the dress uniform all day, everyday....I'm ok with you wearing comfortable shoes. Maybe it's a bad Pic, but it's hard to tell those boots CSM has on aren't the Band of Brother jump boots almost everyone else wears. I'd tend to agree he overstepped if he was rocking standard dad issue white tennis shoes and calf high socks like he just got done mowing the grass....but this isn't the case.
I have always got a kick out of how worked people get on uniform issues. To me it's not worth the bandwidth.
Gotcha, thanks Doc
We went with RM Williams Craftsmans about 10 or 15 years ago.
We started wearing a Chinese made patent leather GP boot in the mid 90s, initially we had to purchase it, then they became issued. The initial low quality rapidly dropped to a point where parades around 2010 regularly finished with double digit amounts of troops walking in their socks or the uppers well on the way to not being attached to the sole.
Quick easy fix, issue a AUD $700 pair of boots, worn by every corporate business man, farmer and his dog in Australia. Someone from your Hemisphere must have seen us wearing them, there is enough cross pollinating going on these days.
Topkick
Verified Military
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2012
- Messages
- 12,938
Box
Verified SOF
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2018
- Messages
- 1,809
we need to figure out how to let soldiers be individuals with regard to their choices for PT gear - because - standards.
Standards
...no such thing
Isn't "meeting the standard" the entire point of the discussion?
Shined vs Highly Shined
Met vs Exceeded
Standard Issued Uniform Items vs Locally Purchased Gucci Sexy
Getting a "passing" score on the ACFT is meeting the standard.
...but is it the "standard" we are seeking
Don't we want to "set" a higher standard for our subordinates?
A "pizza-box" is good enough to be a Marine.
...but is it? Really?
Asking for a friend.
Standards
...no such thing
Isn't "meeting the standard" the entire point of the discussion?
Shined vs Highly Shined
Met vs Exceeded
Standard Issued Uniform Items vs Locally Purchased Gucci Sexy
Getting a "passing" score on the ACFT is meeting the standard.
...but is it the "standard" we are seeking
Don't we want to "set" a higher standard for our subordinates?
A "pizza-box" is good enough to be a Marine.
...but is it? Really?
Asking for a friend.
Instead of all this fuckery about fashion and wardrobe, maybe the standards for combat skills and lethality ought to get ramped up. Just a thought.
Box
Verified SOF
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2018
- Messages
- 1,809
Isn't it funny how quick things change when we are talking about "standards"
BTW - I heard that our unit CSM - for no particular reason - made the comment at the end of a briefing - for no particular reason - that Chelsea boots, are in fact - an authorized footgear choice...
…I wasn't in the brief, but I did hear the silly chatter in the hall about the odd timing of the "update"
For the record - I really think the SMA is getting a bad rap on this one - but that is part of the job when you sit near the top of the pyramid.
Moving on
BTW - I heard that our unit CSM - for no particular reason - made the comment at the end of a briefing - for no particular reason - that Chelsea boots, are in fact - an authorized footgear choice...
…I wasn't in the brief, but I did hear the silly chatter in the hall about the odd timing of the "update"
For the record - I really think the SMA is getting a bad rap on this one - but that is part of the job when you sit near the top of the pyramid.
Moving on
He's getting dragged for this because his first interview after being named SMA he talked about how he shaves on the weekend because that's discipline. It just came across as corny, and he hasn't really recovered from it.
Lo and behold, he acknowledged after he was called out that they aren't in regs.
If they're testing it, say that. Don't wait until you get called out for flaunting the regs to do it.
He's extremely out of touch with the rank and file, but thats by his own design. He is still stuck in the "chain of command" is the only path to address issues mindset, without the understanding that a majority of the(legitimate) problems in the military are with the chain of command. We're killing our troops, figuratively and sometimes literally, to keep PowerPoints green.
I don't know this SMA and I know very little about him.
But I have seen, numerous times over the course of my career, leaders focusing on things they shouldn't, because they're easier to understand and to "do something about" than the things they should.
We don't need to change our uniforms (again). We need to change our culture. Which of those two is easier to tackle?
But I have seen, numerous times over the course of my career, leaders focusing on things they shouldn't, because they're easier to understand and to "do something about" than the things they should.
We don't need to change our uniforms (again). We need to change our culture. Which of those two is easier to tackle?
Topkick
Verified Military
Changing the culture will be difficult. We've let the toothpaste leave the tube on too many issues. But who am I to say.. if I were king for a day, I'd probably lead us back to wool green blankets in the barracks and wall-to-wall counseling so maybe I'm wrong. 
