You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Home Front: Tech
Air Force develops new test version of field uniform
2004-11-04
The Air Force's first test version of its new field uniform was not a hit with the force, so the service has developed a new version that is a little less "distinctive," according to Senior Master Sgt. Jacqueline Dean, chief of the Air Force Uniform Board. The new test uniform uses almost the same subdued gray, tan and green the Army uses in its new battle dress uniforms.
(Photo in link)
Posted by:Mark Espinola

#12  Why not Cintas?
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2004-11-04 7:36:51 PM  

#11  Why Shipman since the Clinton policy of "Don't Ask Don't Tell", the "Infantry is the Queen of Battle."
Posted by: RWV   2004-11-04 7:25:49 PM  

#10  For working uniforms why don't they just contract Walls or Dickey for just plain old work clothing like God knows how many working stiffs wear. You know the solid dark blue/green/tan/kahki pants, shirts and coveralls like you can get at Wally World. if they need camies for duty in a combat zone just bite the bullet and use what ever the Army is using. This is just the sort of crap that wistle blowers in Congress look for
Posted by: Cheaderhead   2004-11-04 6:31:13 PM  

#9  Actually my buddies confided that they looked "Gay" and "unmilitary."

Ah yes, the Air Force, Queen of Battle.
Posted by: Shipman   2004-11-04 4:35:18 PM  

#8  Before we went to the digital cammies the majority of us Marines lobbied hard for the 'Nam style tiger stripes. I thought they looked hard core, made realistic sense and were a tribute to our past. We also wanted to go back to the Korean era style boot gaiters but that got shot down by the top brass as did the tiger stripes.
Posted by: Jarhead   2004-11-04 3:06:33 PM  

#7  I am so #$%@^!ing glad I am retired and beyond this.... I went through two... nope, counting class As and utilities...FOUR changes. The uniform allowance only replaces one or two items as they wear out, it doesn't even come close to the cost of buying three or four complete sets of everything, all at once.
Posted by: Sgt. Mom   2004-11-04 1:23:00 PM  

#6  Jonathon, it's part of a long tradition of drabness. When the AF separated from the Army in 1947, the idea was to get as far away from the showy Pattonesque Army uniforms as possible - just a plain blue business suit with no badges, shiny buttons, etc. Just getting the metal buttons on the coat was a major fight. The AF dress blues have always looked like a Greyhound bus drivers uniform. The formal mess dress uniform looks like it belongs to a maitre de in a third rate wannebe French restaurant. Hey, you can't buck tradition.
Posted by: RWV   2004-11-04 11:41:13 AM  

#5  Let me see if I've got this straight -- the Air Force considers the uniform on the left to be an improvement? WTF?
Posted by: Jonathan   2004-11-04 10:28:01 AM  

#4  The Navy has adopted camo also. The official reason being it is harder for terrorists to see them onboard when their ship is tied up at the dock.

The actual reason is that they look less mussed when creased and unwashable stains do not show up as clearly.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2004-11-04 9:04:08 AM  

#3  The initial response I heard was that the uniform looked like a Luftwaffe reject. The AF has been plagued with pathetic uniforms since the AAF became the AF. The only semi-decent uniform we had, the silver tans, was replaced with blue polyester. And the McPeak experiments remain too painful to talk about. Camouflage uniforms for the AF must come from the same consultants that said that the Army would have more self-esteem if everyone could wear the Ranger black beret. What a crock. The AF mission is to fly and to fight, not serve as testbed for would be fashion designers.
Posted by: RWV   2004-11-04 8:58:32 AM  

#2  Distinctive? If nobody want's to say the real reason I will. The pattern is a copy of Vietnam tiger stripes and we've had enough of those, thank you very much.
Posted by: Steve   2004-11-04 8:44:12 AM  

#1  "The original test colors, on the right, proved to be "too distinctive" for airmen who offered their opinions." Actually my buddies confided that they looked "Gay" and "unmilitary." Of course they can't say that in a national news outlet, that would be un-PC!
Posted by: Cyber Sarge   2004-11-04 7:15:00 AM  

00:00