By That is what the Army Times is reporting that the new Sergeant Major of the Army Raymond Chandler is considering when he received this feedback from the troops during his first weeks in his current position:
Several themes were consistent. None is likely to catch any soldier by surprise:
• The beret is not a fan favorite. Many said they want the beret canned because “it serves no practical purpose.” Others were OK wearing the beret with the Army Service Uniform, but were adamant that its days with the ACU must come to an end.
“The [ACU] signifies a uniform that should be worn in combat (or training for combat), yet a beret doesn’t even make the cut on the deployment packing list,” said Sgt. Maj. Tony James, an infantryman with 25 years in uniform.
Such soldiers said patrol caps, with their ventilated sun protection, are more practical, simpler to wear and look better.
• Velcro is “a huge mess” that does not hold up to normal wear and tear. It is a detriment to units that need to practice noise discipline in tactical environments, leading dozens to ask for “strong and quiet” buttons.
In the words of Scott Seiersen, “The Velcro. Oh God, the Velcro … I miss my BDUs.”
Many also said name tapes should be sewn on to prevent the camouflage bacon strips that emerge. And speaking of camouflage …
• Many respondents said the Universal Camouflage Pattern is “completely useless.” Benjamin Blacklock said he desires “a pattern that is useful on more than a couch.” Ramona Scheherazade Robles described the pattern as something she would find in the dollar bin of a fabric store. Andrew Wade Nunn was far less kind, saying, “Kill the ACU pattern and those who are responsible for its creation.”
• Soldiers also called for stronger material in the ACU. Some said they have dealt with unexpected ventilation in the groin area too many times.
• Asked to weigh in on the Service Dress Tropical Uniform, most respondents liked the white, short-sleeve shirt, but didn’t like the idea of wearing only three authorized ribbons. Soldiers largely thought they should wear all or none. [Army Times]
The beret has been a disaster and needs to be replaced. The black beret since its inception by General Eric Shinseki has been a point of controversy in the US Army. I can remember when I was in 1st Brigade, 2ID at Camp Casey and we were designated to be the first unit in the Army to wear the beret.
A CNN crew actually came to Camp Casey to film it. The day prior all the 1st Brigade units were brought out to the parade field in the heat to practice the beret ceremony which consisted of swapping the patrol cap and putting on a beret. I never seen a ceremony with more pissed off sergeant majors than that one. The command that was made up the day prior to change head gear was “Don Beret!” and thus the US Army was stuck with the black beret. General Shinseki who implemented the beret has been retired long enough now that changing the beret shouldn’t hurt his feelings.
The ACU’s have been another disaster and if you read the rest of the Army Times article there are already some initiative underway to replace them. It is just amazing to me the amount of money that was put into developing the ACU and such a poor product was the output.
The new Army Service Uniform needs to be reevaluated as well because people do not like looking like a mall security guard. I say bring back the old tan uniforms; if they were good enough for John Wayne they are good enough for me:
6:02 pm on May 1st, 2011 1
Agree with making the Beret a service uniform only item, similar to the c&nt cap.
Ehh the ACU’s were ~ok~, they had some issues that needed solving but I feel they were better then the old BDU’s. Swap the Velcro out for buttons and fix the camouflage into different patterns, then it would be set.
New service uniform … the less said the better. The Class A’s were better then that monster. I agree with going back to the Tan look, or at least a green version of that (Tan is kinda a Marine thing now).
6:16 pm on May 1st, 2011 2
I sometimes wondered if the reason for ASU’s and ACU’s was so that we could reenact civil war battles. Seriously though, at least you don’t have to press the crap out of your garrison ASU’s and shine your boots, but yes, berets have needed to go for a while. Also, yes, I’d love rank, nametapes to be sewn on so people stop playing grab ass with each other’s nametapes. Also, the pull string on the cargo pockets – another annoying game of grab ass. The army times had an article about a year ago about a multicam based new ACU-like uniform coming out with less velcro and more strength around the crotch, so… I mean, the beret is such a bad idea that I think it’s still going to last long even with the army CSM trying to change it. I’m just cynical about that. I’m glad somebody else hates the new ASU’s and prefers the Class A’s. Agreed that it looks like mall security. I understand that during the dining out you don’t want to look bad compared to the LT COL in the fancy smancy blue mess uniform but come on. Wow… sorry about the gripe session.
6:18 pm on May 1st, 2011 3
garrison ACU’s not ASU’s… oops.
6:45 pm on May 1st, 2011 4
Tan uniforms were awesome!! I am all about bringing those back!!
6:49 pm on May 1st, 2011 5
CSA Preston and GEN Schoomaker are both to blame for the ACU and ASU. Congressional hearings into this matter might be necessary. The Army, its desire to look cool, and its leaders’ fascination with NASCAR, hamper sound decision making regarding uniforms.
7:02 pm on May 1st, 2011 6
Are they going to replace it with the stetson?
7:21 pm on May 1st, 2011 7
Stetsons would be really cool
!
Thankfully, I got out just as the beret kerfuffle got going. I thought it bizarre the only people who thought black berets were a good idea were General Shipseki and tankers.
7:29 pm on May 1st, 2011 8
You can’t shove a stetson in your cargo pocket. That would suck even more when you’re trying to carry stuff around in a garrison environment.
8:02 pm on May 1st, 2011 9
The beret looks dorky. How about the stetson with the service uniform, and the patrol cap for tactical environments?
8:13 pm on May 1st, 2011 10
I love the idea of the tan. The Beret idea should have been stillborn.
Bring back the TAN UNIFORM!
We have been in the Sand Pit for ten years now. It’s OK.
11:21 am on May 2nd, 2011 11
Bring back the Khaki’s!!!!!
11:36 am on May 2nd, 2011 12
kangaji wrote:
No problem if we set the captains of industry on it.
I can imagine them making a foldable stetson, maybe one that works as an iPhone or iPod.
Or a clippable stetson that easily attaches to what you’re wearing.
The stetson would be cool. And practical.
1:08 pm on May 2nd, 2011 13
Kushibo,
The Captains of Industry are all over it.
http://www.made-in-china.com/showroom/qingshi688/product-detailmbiQgLAJFMca/China-Folding-Hat.html
1:52 pm on May 2nd, 2011 14
The entire Army wearing the stetson? That would sure piss off the 1st CAV!!!
I love the idea.
BRING BACK THE KHAKI’s !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We can order some BROWN stetsons from China—like we did the beret.
3:01 pm on May 2nd, 2011 15
The stetson’s cost would be pretty unfair to the lower enlisted
9:38 pm on May 2nd, 2011 16
How about a garrison cap with the service uniform and a stetson for full dress?
9:12 am on May 3rd, 2011 17
I’m personally in favor of the Fez, or the Tarbouche.
2:40 pm on May 3rd, 2011 18
I agree with Retired GI, bring back Khakis as the class B uniform. They looked sharp & were comfortable. GI Korea is correct, the Army Service Uniform looks just like a shopping mall security guard uniform. The tan uniform seems like a good idea to me although it was way before my time. I’m glad I was already retired when the beret came out, no visor to block out the sun, now that is stupid. The camouflage pattern on the ACU was supposed to work for both woodland AND desert environments. To me that is stupid on its face. It said in the article that names tags aren’t sewed on? I knew that rank wasn’t sewed on. What was the reason for that, I would really like to know?
3:32 pm on May 3rd, 2011 19
No one I know ever liked the berets.
4:37 pm on May 3rd, 2011 20
Let me get this straight we are 15 trillion in the hole and SMA is worried about uniform changes? Listen the beret is not going any where. They will be reserved for special events and as the headgear for the ASU’s. It would cost the Army a ton of money to issue everyone a service cap. Black berets $19 vs Service cap $55. They will just keep the PC for wear with the ACU’s.
As for the ACU’s, they have been on the chopping block for a year now. Multicam will replace them in the next few years. There will be 3-5 types of cammo patterns. Look for them to include sew on name tapes and more buttons.
The ASU A aint going any where.The dress blues are well liked throgh out Army unlike the beret and ACU’s. The issue was the mall cop ASU B white shirt, which is the biggest complaint. But from what I have read a vast majority of Soldiers (not me) told the SMA they liked the white shirt. Personaly I wanted a dark blue, gray or Khaki shirt for tropical for wear.
As for the old summer Khakis, they did look good. I would love to wear the blues for Winter/Fall and the Khakis for Spring/Summer time frames. That is the simular system the Navy uses. But its about money. Its cheaper for the Army to issue 2 sets of blue trousers, 2 SS shirts and 2 LS shirts than 4 sets each! Thats one of the reasons why they got rid of the khakis in the first place. I shake my head in disgust at the old mint green shirt Class B’s that replace the Vietnam era summer khakis.
5:25 pm on May 3rd, 2011 21
“I never seen a ceremony with more pissed off sergeant majors than that one.”
Have you ever seen a sergeant major/warrant officer who isn’t pissed off, or at least tries to look like he is?
5:27 pm on May 3rd, 2011 22
The American ACU looks like crap, by the way. It’s looks like bleached out Cadpat.
Speaking of it looking like a couch…
http://dikesica.egloos.com/2863161
6:39 pm on May 3rd, 2011 23
Yeah, I miss my dress greens/class A’s and my BDUs. It does kinda suck having to wear a uniform that makes you look like an Andy Frain usher or the doorman at the Palmer House Hilton. That said, I’ve seen worse. Just thank God we don’t have to wear this crap:
http://www.7af.pacaf.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/091118-F-2185F-013.JPG
8:19 am on May 4th, 2011 24
I say good bye to the green Class A! I am glad that 1970′s looking green leisure suit with all its 50 pieces of flare is going to the trash bin of history! Good God what color was that shirt for Class B anyway?
I personaly never heard good thing said about the greens when I wore them in public. But when I wore the blues people loved em! Chicks digged em too. But I will say one good thing about the greens, nothing said Army like the old pickle suit! Take the public a few years to get used to the ASU’s. Will be fine!
8:44 am on May 4th, 2011 25
Agree with the call for tan… But my vote doesn’t count…
8:58 am on May 4th, 2011 26
Yup, the class A’s sucked big time. Hated um. Still got a set—hanging up.
The idea of TAN is outstanding and the time has come.