Go Back   Professional Soldiers ® > Kit Tips > Professional Gear

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 08-01-2009, 08:17   #1
NousDefionsDoc
Quiet Professional
 
NousDefionsDoc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: LA
Posts: 1,653
Uniform Common To All

http://www.soldiersystems.net/

Congress Proposes Common Ground Combat Uniform
July 30th, 2009

In the 2010 House Defense Authorization bill there is a section that would require standard ground combat uniforms.

“Section 352—

Requirements for Standard Ground Combat Uniform This section would require the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Defense Logistics Agency, to require that future ground combat uniforms be standardized in order to ensure increased interoperability of ground combat forces and reduce tactical risks encountered when military personnel wear a different uniform from their counterparts in the other military services in a combat area.

The committee notes that, previously all the military services used the same desert camouflage uniform or the standard battle dress uniform, both in the temperate and enhanced weather versions. However, the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia of the Defense Logistics Agency, which is responsible for the manufacture of all U.S. military uniforms, now procures unique camouflage utility uniforms for each of the military services: the Army combat uniform, the Airman battle uniform, the Navy working uniform, and the Marine Corps combat utility uniform.

The committee is concerned that the recent move toward unique service camouflage uniforms has resulted in increased costs and production inefficiencies. For example, problems with consistency in fabric shading have required remanufacture of some uniforms. In addition, the costs for the unique uniforms are substantially more than for the standard battle dress uniform because of the differences in design, camouflage pattern, and type of fabric.

Most importantly, the committee is concerned that this uniqueness poses a tactical risk in theater, especially for those assigned to combatant commands or as individual augmentees who may be wearing a different uniform from those they are serving with in combat.

The committee also notes that service-specific battle dress uniforms magnify the challenges and costs associated with procuring personal protective gear and body armor that conform to the design and coloration of the basic uniform”

US Military Utility Uniforms

Well, Congress pretty much hit the nail on the head, just six years too late. This horse has been out of the barn for awhile but it does seem that the hoopla over the Army’s use of UCP in Afghanistan has attracted some thoughtful analysis. Interestingly, these are essentially the same arguments made by Robert Strange McNamara when he was Secretary of Defense during the Kennedy administration. At his direction, in the early 1960s the services moved to a standard uniform including boots and at one point, even T-shirts. However, this proposed legislation also references an issue that has been a major concern in the field and that is fratricide and OPSEC.

The services rely heavily on their individual uniforms for branding purposes so it is unclear how the departments may react to such a directive. Although, according to the document, there is some wiggle room including a reference to “future ground combat uniforms” which might allow the services to delay any changes to coincide with the fielding of future individual equipment ensembles. Another issue is that the bill references both utility uniforms as well as combat uniforms. Interestingly, Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps have all adopted FR combat uniforms that closely resemble one another except in the area of camouflage. The real differences come to play in the utility uniform realm. Such distinctions might make implementation difficult.

There have been calls within industry for some time for the services to adopt a single color scheme in order to simplify production and realize cost savings. While the implications of such legislation are very deep for the military as well as industry, it is important to note that this is still just a bill and not yet law. In fact, it may not even make it out of committee.

Thanks to ADS Ventures for alerting us to this legislation. It will be interesting to find out who is promoting this particular measure.
__________________
Somewhere a True Believer is training to kill you. He is training with minimal food or water, in austere conditions, training day and night. The only thing clean on him is his weapon and he made his web gear. He doesn't worry about what workout to do - his ruck weighs what it weighs, his runs end when the enemy stops chasing him. This True Believer is not concerned about 'how hard it is;' he knows either he wins or dies. He doesn't go home at 17:00, he is home.
He knows only The Cause.

Still want to quit?
NousDefionsDoc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2009, 08:17   #2
NousDefionsDoc
Quiet Professional
 
NousDefionsDoc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: LA
Posts: 1,653
Makes way too much sense to me, especially in a Joint world.
__________________
Somewhere a True Believer is training to kill you. He is training with minimal food or water, in austere conditions, training day and night. The only thing clean on him is his weapon and he made his web gear. He doesn't worry about what workout to do - his ruck weighs what it weighs, his runs end when the enemy stops chasing him. This True Believer is not concerned about 'how hard it is;' he knows either he wins or dies. He doesn't go home at 17:00, he is home.
He knows only The Cause.

Still want to quit?
NousDefionsDoc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2009, 08:48   #3
rubberneck
Area Commander
 
rubberneck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Buckingham, Pa.
Posts: 1,746
From a supply train point of view that is certainly the most efficient and cost effective way of dealing with the issue. I guess the fly in the ointment would be the new standard uniform. What if the uniform that all services could agree upon is inferior (for their uses) to what each of the collective branches currently uses. Is that a worth while trade off?
rubberneck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2009, 08:51   #4
NousDefionsDoc
Quiet Professional
 
NousDefionsDoc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: LA
Posts: 1,653
I think it is a "Ground Combat Uniform" - how hard can it be?
__________________
Somewhere a True Believer is training to kill you. He is training with minimal food or water, in austere conditions, training day and night. The only thing clean on him is his weapon and he made his web gear. He doesn't worry about what workout to do - his ruck weighs what it weighs, his runs end when the enemy stops chasing him. This True Believer is not concerned about 'how hard it is;' he knows either he wins or dies. He doesn't go home at 17:00, he is home.
He knows only The Cause.

Still want to quit?
NousDefionsDoc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2009, 08:58   #5
rubberneck
Area Commander
 
rubberneck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Buckingham, Pa.
Posts: 1,746
Quote:
Originally Posted by NousDefionsDoc View Post
I think it is a "Ground Combat Uniform" - how hard can it be?

We are talking about the Federal Government, aren't we? They make even the most simple of tasks impossible.
rubberneck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2009, 09:26   #6
NousDefionsDoc
Quiet Professional
 
NousDefionsDoc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: LA
Posts: 1,653
I think the solution is right in front of them and already in the system.
__________________
Somewhere a True Believer is training to kill you. He is training with minimal food or water, in austere conditions, training day and night. The only thing clean on him is his weapon and he made his web gear. He doesn't worry about what workout to do - his ruck weighs what it weighs, his runs end when the enemy stops chasing him. This True Believer is not concerned about 'how hard it is;' he knows either he wins or dies. He doesn't go home at 17:00, he is home.
He knows only The Cause.

Still want to quit?
NousDefionsDoc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2009, 09:44   #7
rubberneck
Area Commander
 
rubberneck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Buckingham, Pa.
Posts: 1,746
Quote:
Originally Posted by NousDefionsDoc View Post
I think the solution is right in front of them and already in the system.

MARPAT or Multicam?
rubberneck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2009, 09:45   #8
NousDefionsDoc
Quiet Professional
 
NousDefionsDoc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: LA
Posts: 1,653
Marpat
__________________
Somewhere a True Believer is training to kill you. He is training with minimal food or water, in austere conditions, training day and night. The only thing clean on him is his weapon and he made his web gear. He doesn't worry about what workout to do - his ruck weighs what it weighs, his runs end when the enemy stops chasing him. This True Believer is not concerned about 'how hard it is;' he knows either he wins or dies. He doesn't go home at 17:00, he is home.
He knows only The Cause.

Still want to quit?
NousDefionsDoc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2009, 11:41   #9
Trip_Wire (RIP)
Quiet Professional
 
Trip_Wire (RIP)'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Pacific NW - Puget Sound
Posts: 1,091
It's about time! It makes sense to me!
__________________
De Oppresso Liber - RLTW

"To make war upon rebellion is messy and slow, like eating soup with a knife" -TE Lawrence.
Trip_Wire (RIP) is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2009, 19:35   #10
Fiercely Loyal
Guerrilla
 
Fiercely Loyal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 165
I really hope that this happens. I honestly wondered why we ever let it spiral so far out of control.
__________________
It's not who I am, but what I do, that defines me.
Fiercely Loyal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2009, 20:20   #11
monsterhunter
Guerrilla
 
monsterhunter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Florida
Posts: 195
The Air Force should have lost their ability to come up with their own uniform years ago. If not brought under control, the next uniform may be an "urban camo" manufactured by FUBU.
monsterhunter is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-02-2009, 07:14   #12
Defender968
SF Candidate
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: SC
Posts: 811
Quote:
Originally Posted by monsterhunter View Post
The Air Force should have lost their ability to come up with their own uniform years ago. If not brought under control, the next uniform may be an "urban camo" manufactured by FUBU.
I thought that's what they got with the ABU!!
Defender968 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-02-2009, 10:36   #13
Swank
Quiet Professional
 
Swank's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: NW and OCONUS
Posts: 41
Wow. This has potential to be very very good (Marpat, MC) or a giant snafu. (ACU or worse). I'm rooting for common sense, but I've got too much time in service to hold my breath.
Swank is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-03-2009, 02:23   #14
thrilla82
Asset
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 5
here's a question. would each service come together to come up with a universal way of wearing rank/insignia? or will it stand as now, where each branch has their own way?
__________________

"A mind which can maintain its lightness will not come undone in war."
thrilla82 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-03-2009, 02:54   #15
Warrior-Mentor
Quiet Professional
 
Warrior-Mentor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: America, the Beautiful
Posts: 3,193
Quote:
Originally Posted by NousDefionsDoc View Post
Makes way too much sense to me, especially in a Joint world.
Unless of course, you're a Marine with a desert camouflage uniform that actually blends in with a desert environment and they want you to change over to the fluorescent green ACU because the Army bought more of them, so it's cheaper than fixing the Army's mistake....
Warrior-Mentor is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:25.



Copyright 2004-2022 by Professional Soldiers ®
Site Designed, Maintained, & Hosted by Hilliker Technologies