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New Army Service Uniform
Army.mil - News ^ | 8/25/2008 | C, Todd Lopez

Posted on 09/08/2008 12:09:05 PM PDT by cll

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Aug. 25, 2008) -- Out with the old, in with the blue. The Army has made it official; the green service uniform, which has defined the service since the mid-1950s, is on the outs.

In place of the green uniform will be a variation of the blue uniform, something many Soldiers already own. Official word on the new "Army Service Uniform," or ASU, was released Aug. 20 in a message to all Army activities. The message defines the wear policy and the "bridging" strategy for transition to the new uniform.

"It's a culmination of transformation efforts that started in 2004," said Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston of the new ASU. "We had three 'Class A' style uniforms, all the same style jacket, with just a different color -- the policies on how we wore accoutrements on them were different. We asked the question -- if we wear one only, which would it be? And the blue uniform was the most popular of the three."

The new ASU coat, similar to the existing blue coat, will be made of a wrinkle-resistant material and will have a more "athletic" cut.

Other changes to the uniform include authorization of a combat service identification badge to recognize combat service, overseas service bars authorized on the jacket sleeve for both enlisted Soldiers and officers, the wear of distinctive unit insignia on the shoulder loops of the blue coat for enlisted Soldiers, authorizing paratroopers to wear the black jump boots with the blue ASU, and the decision to transition to a new short sleeve and long sleeve white shirt with shoulder loops.

It is also permissible for enlisted Soldiers to wear both overseas service bars and service stripes on the new blue ASU coat. Officers and Soldiers in the grade of corporal and above will additionally wear a gold braid on their slacks to indicate leadership roles.

"That is kind of a right of passage as you transition from being a (junior) enlisted soldier to a noncommissioned officer," Preston said of the gold braid.

New items for the ASU will be available in military clothing sales after July 2009.

Soldiers will be expected to possess the entire uniform by July 2014. The two key components of the uniform, the coat and slacks, are expected to cost around $140, with modifications bringing the total cost to $200. Enlisted Soldiers will receive an increase in their annual uniform allowance to help offset the cost of the uniform.


TOPICS: Government
KEYWORDS: army; oldnews; uniform
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To: cll

61 posted on 09/08/2008 12:33:51 PM PDT by Nonperson
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To: cll

Gee, looks just like the Air Force uniform!


62 posted on 09/08/2008 12:35:41 PM PDT by GreyFriar (Spearhead (3rd Armored Division 75-78 & 83-87))
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To: cll

Yes, I would like fries and a coke with my burger...


63 posted on 09/08/2008 12:35:47 PM PDT by wtc911 ("How you gonna get back down that hill?")
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To: buwaya

I understand the significance of blue — Civil War esp, but the apex of the US military’s worldwide respect was (remains) WWII.

The WWII/Korea uniforms look like the “Army” to me — perhaps because of movies (and they didn’t change all THAT much circa 1986-96 — my time).

If they had to go different, maybe WWII style in kahki.


64 posted on 09/08/2008 12:36:41 PM PDT by MeanWestTexan (Wish it was Palin/McCain)
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To: Mr. Silverback

With that yellow stripe the trousers look like they were purloined from the Alaska State Troopers.


65 posted on 09/08/2008 12:38:30 PM PDT by AlaskaErik (I served and protected my country for 31 years. Democrats spent that time trying to destroy it.)
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To: MeanWestTexan

Nothing beats the uniforms pictured in your post. It’s sharp, tailored and professional. What a change! Hope there’s a good reason, as leaving this behind is sad. Maybe it’s too expensive to have our men and women dress than way today.


66 posted on 09/08/2008 12:39:43 PM PDT by Constitutions Grandchild
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To: Mr. Silverback
The yellow leg stripe is a nice touch (Plains Indians used to call the infantry "yellowlegs" because of their yellow-striped pants) and I wonder if the artillery guys will get red?

Only if they want to pretend they are United States Marines.

67 posted on 09/08/2008 12:39:52 PM PDT by AlaskaErik (I served and protected my country for 31 years. Democrats spent that time trying to destroy it.)
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To: cll

UUUUUUGHH! Spare me! There was nothing wrong with the WW II Dark Green/?Brown belted coat with tan pants. Ike Jacket? Still got one!


68 posted on 09/08/2008 12:41:11 PM PDT by Bringbackthedraft (OBAMA, = Jimmah's big chance to get out of last place.)
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To: cll
No disrespect meant to the men and women who will wear this uniform....but, the pic, with no jacket, looks like a guy who mans a missile silo in the 1950’s in a really cheap sci-fi movie! (oh wait, maybe I did see it in any one of SciFi’s recent “filmed in the former Soviet Union for $3.00” movies!
69 posted on 09/08/2008 12:42:00 PM PDT by blu (Last one out of Michigan, please turn off the lights.)
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To: cll
They should go back to these uniforms....


70 posted on 09/08/2008 12:43:21 PM PDT by fishtank (FIRST defeat Imam Mahdi Obama. - THEN resist McCain. -- A good plan.)
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To: cll

Oh for the days of the brown shoe army, with the O D’s,the Ike Jacket, Pinks and Greens, and Campaign Hats.


71 posted on 09/08/2008 12:46:02 PM PDT by late bloomer ( Neglegere homo pone aulaeum. semi-retired warlord)
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To: cll

UUUUUUGHH! Spare me! There was nothing wrong with the WW II Dark Greenish Brown? belted coat with tan pants. Ike Jacket? I still got one, it lasted this long!


72 posted on 09/08/2008 12:46:26 PM PDT by Bringbackthedraft (OBAMA, = Jimmah's big chance to get out of last place.)
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To: PhatHead
Horrible. When we switched from the khaki shirt to that puke-green one in the 80s that was bad enough, but blue? With a white shirt? That looks like some cheap security guard uniform. The Navy and Air Force can have blue. Army has not been blue since the Civil War, and we really should keep it that way.

Couldn't agree more
73 posted on 09/08/2008 12:46:48 PM PDT by uncbob
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To: cll
at least now it will match the blue helmets of the UN
74 posted on 09/08/2008 12:54:59 PM PDT by stylin19a
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To: rivercat
a Stetson

Easily the coolest Army uniform accessory. Especially in the club with a flightsuit.

75 posted on 09/08/2008 12:55:13 PM PDT by xone
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To: late bloomer
Oh for the days of the brown shoe army, with the O D’s,the Ike Jacket, Pinks and Greens, and Campaign Hats.

My dad told me in the fifties, the reason the Pinks and Greens
were done away with is that only the officers wore them.

It was a move to democratize the Army.


76 posted on 09/08/2008 1:00:17 PM PDT by Uri’el-2012 (Psalm 78:35 And they remembered that God was their ROCK, And the Most High God their Redeemer.)
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To: XeniaSt

Thanks.


77 posted on 09/08/2008 1:00:17 PM PDT by Redleg Duke ("Sarah Palin...Unleashing the Fury of the Castrated Left!")
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To: cll
OK, I admit a certain amount of, let's say, incredulity when it comes to things Army. That being said, I think that this choice is - inane beyond belief. Blue uniforms for those in the Sea service (USN) or Air (USAF) make sense. Blue for ground troops?

OMG! The Damn Yakees are comin' back!

78 posted on 09/08/2008 1:04:30 PM PDT by GunnyB (Once a Marine, Always a Marine)
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To: cll

It’s got to part of an ongoing project called “What Can We Get the Dumb Soldiers To Put Up With”.

“Let’s see if we can get them to wear a hat that’s hot in the summer, cold in the winter, won’t keep the sun or rain out of their eyes, takes two hands to put on, and that 85% of them will look like rodeo clowns in!”

“Who’da thought they’d actually wear that? I know, let’s try a pajama suit covered with velcro in a wierd color that doesn’t blend in with anything except one rare bush at Ft Irwin. We can sell the velcro as a convenience and cost saver, even though patches constantly fall off and cost several times what the old patches cost, and they’ll be reminded of how much we care for their convenience when they have to transfer all the patches each time they put on a clean one. And as a bonus, we’ll make them wear pin-on badges that you can’t wear with a seat belt.”

“Oh my God, they put up with that. There’s nothing left except to dress them up like wanna-be third-class shopping mall security guards, and we’ll especially pick on the elite guys by making them blouse neon-blue pants with big gold stripes into their boots. They already proved they’ll put up with anything.”

“the Army, as a whole, is like a guy that just keeps punching himself in the b**** over and over for no reason.” (anonymous)


79 posted on 09/08/2008 1:17:46 PM PDT by AbnSarge
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To: buwaya
The berets are a poor match with the uniform I think, as are the womens hats. A stiff Kepi would be better, or a Stetson-type campaign hat, though that is much less practical.

I think a Mississippi Marine Brigade/Ram Fleet "dragoon" style hat would work, too.

Mr. niteowl77

80 posted on 09/08/2008 1:22:28 PM PDT by niteowl77
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