Hey, someone would've posted it sooner or later
Posted on 08/24/2008 4:26:16 PM PDT by Dawnsblood
After a century of green uniforms, the last one is being retired from the U.S. Army. The new "Class A" uniform, as of August 21st, 2008, will be the current blue "Dress Uniform.". By 2010, troops graduating from basic training will be issued the "dress blues" as their "Class A" uniform. The "Class B" uniform will be the dress blue trousers and a white shirt with decorations (ribbons, combat badge and so on). For both enlisted and officers, rank will be worn on epaulets. The new uniform "system" is similar to the one the U.S. Marine Corps has been wearing for decades, and that's no accident.
All this in response to decades old efforts by the troops, to drop the green "Class A" uniform (green jacket and pants, with light brown shirt and tie) and go to something, anything, more impressive.. The new Class A uniform is simply the existing dress uniform. This uniform, unlike the green Class A's, that were introduced in 1954, is based on the 19th century dress uniform. Most enlisted troops do not have the dress blue uniform, because they have to buy it themselves, and that is optional for most troops. But over the next six years, the old Class A will be phased out completely.
All this is the result of longstanding "uniform envy" soldiers have had for marines. The USMC has always sported the most impressive dress uniform, and young enlisted marines were glad to spend at least $300 to buy themselves one. The marine "Class A" uniform is also green, but a darker green, and the jacket is worn with a belt. This looks much snappier, and many soldiers have suggested something like this for a new army Class A uniform. But many career army types have been campaigning for a spiffier Class A uniform, and something in blue, preferably with a belted jacket. But instead of a new uniform design, the army simply made the current dress blues the new Class As. The dress blues have been around for a long time, and have a good reputation. That doesn't mean that a belt cannot be added down the road. The important thing right now is to dump those hideous green Class As, which have embarrassed several generations of soldiers.
The Class A uniform is not actually worn that much, with most troops wearing BDUs (Battle Dress Uniform, with the camouflage pattern) or the Class A uniform without the jacket, when at work. The BDUs come in several different shades, none of them featuring much green. So after a century, the green is gone. The army is also eliminating the all white tropical dress uniform, which was rarely used.
Which would indicate to my that he was not in the artillery as depicted in that image.
Hey, someone would've posted it sooner or later
Its not much of a tradition. Prior to the late 1920's, the stripe was the branch color: red for artillery, white for infantry, yellow for cavalry, etc. Enlisted soldiers did not wear a stripe, rather they had piping of about 1/8th inch in the branch color. The gold stripe is a 20th century embellishment for officer's formal wear.
Natch, ACU is indeed "Army" Combat Uniform, presently...
Uhh, that doesn’t make it a “USMC Wannabe” uniform. It means the Army is returning to it’s traditions. Army uniforms were always previously blue. In the War of Independence, 1812, the Civil War, the Plains Indians Wars... all of those were blue uniforms. We didn’t change that until the last years of the 19th century and the Khaki uniforms.
God, that uniform looks like crap!
The USAF dress uniforms look like something from WW I.
On the other hand, the Army Dress Blues look sharp with a dress belt and the gold and silver belt buckle. The dress blue look goes back to the Civil War era. Sorta like the Union cavalry colors.
Um no. I said it won’t go away because it is related to the Civil War uniform and that the only change I would see is that they might go to multiple colors depending on branch of the Army. Last time I checked the Civil War was before 1920.
Dont’ get yer panties in a bundle.
Plenty of threads have The Army suffering under USMC abuse.
Anybody who’s served knows about inter-service rivalry and the (generally) good-natured ribbing.
Nor was Old Hickory.
Oh, and it was the Army 3rd ID that rolled into Baghdad first. That was NEVER in question.
That would be the pickle suit.I hated it.
“Army Blue as a uniform color traces its origins back to the National Blue and was first worn by Soldiers in the Continental Army of 1779. “
And didn’t the Marines wear GREEN around that same time?
The Army has already posted the pics and the new uniform is an unmitigated DISASTER.
They kept the standard white shirt and slapped a bunch for ribbons, badges and devices to it, like the green class A/B shirts. It really looks likes like hell.
The dress blue jacket will not have tons of extra crap sewn/pinned over it, ruining it for evening/formal wear.
As one who had to wear the Navy {Airline Pilot} dress blues of the mid 1970's I agree. They were used to replace the Crackerjack uniform sometime in the early to mid 70's so I'm told. Maybe one of Rummy's bad ideas as he messed with the Navy working uniforms last time as Sec of Def too. There was no place to stow them on ship and they were very high maintenance. The suit type blues were also discovered to be a hazard when working near LOX.
The thanks goes to SECNAV Hildigo allowing tradition to be restored in late 1979. The Crackerjacks returned to us as dress Uniform of the Day and in 80's I had to buy them for seabag inspection to muster out. A much more functional and recognized uniform though. No one was unhappy about that change either. You could board a plane and not be asked when we were taking off. LOL..
That is a cool idea.
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