Retention and Recruitment Crisis

[GOTWA]

Join us in 2032 when we welcome some other shit for the Army uniform. Multicam? Never heard of her. Integrated reflective belt? Take Hims for the best 4 hours of your life. Dress uniform? Probably some Waffen SS knock off shit.

Enjoy your worm-ridden, no food DFAC kiosks before you return to your mold infested hovels, peasant.

Field problems make you free.

That sounds like a 2032 problem for the 4 people that want to sign up.

 

[Gunz]

Even though the Navy uniform doesn't change often, I'm not sure the Army has as many variations of uniforms. I was able to skimp when I was enlisted, but I had to purchase my officer seabag, that was $1,500 bucks. I think they've done a better job since I've been out of consolidating.

$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.

 

[Devildoc]

$1500 for an officer seabag??!! Either it's made out of vicuna or you guy's are being ripped off. I still have the free seabag I was issued at Receiving at P.I., and still use it as luggage.



View attachment 46034

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]

At best, it's a misunderstanding of the Regs and nobody had the heart to correct the SMA.
BLUF: It's only authorized for the Blues, not the Pinks and Greens.

20-27b. Allows for "black oxford shoes" and b.(2)(b) allows for the commander to authorize a jodhpur style boots "in the same color as the authorized footwear."

b.(b)(3) states this is applicable only for the ASU, ASU dress variations, and Culinary Uniforms.


View attachment 46033

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.

 

[Marauder06]

I had to double check myself, because we're so used to Army Combat Uniform (ACU)=Uniform Camouflage Pattern(UCP), but ACU now doctrinally refers to the Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) because the UCP has reached its wearout date.

The ASU (blues) remain as such in doctrine, as they are still an authorized uniform until 2027 (?); after that, they will remain in AR670-1 as an additional, purely ceremonial/formal, uniform. The Pinks and Greens are the "Army Green Service Uniform" (AGSU) will replace/then remain as the daily dress uniform.

TLDR: AGSU=Green & ASU=Blue in doctrine.

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.

 

[Totentanz]

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.

I was wondering the same thing, though I've never seen it referenced (a provision for the SMA). GOs it was fairly well-known.

 

[Cookie_]

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.

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.

I also wonder if there is some kind of special uniform dispensation in the refs for the SMA. IIRC there is one for GOs.

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]

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.

 

[Box]

I have always got a kick out of how worked people get on uniform issues. To me it's not worth the bandwidth.

Uniforms?
Who's going on about uniforms - I'm just trying to figure out what exactly we mean when we say "standards"

 

[Gunz]

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.

Gotcha, thanks Doc

 

[digrar]

so...
In the process of posting long winded sarcastic rants - I forgot to ask:

Is there a real story behind the Chelsea boots as a footgear choice with the dress uniform?
Or is everyone else just as surprised to see them as I am?

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.