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| Army says "Goodbye to Green" |
| 2006-06-16 |
| WASHINGTON (Army News Service) -- Army service uniforms will be streamlined to one blue Army Service Uniform, the Army announced today. “World-class Soldiers deserve a simplified, quality uniform. The blue Army Service Uniform is a traditional uniform that is consistent with the Army’s most honored traditions,” said Sgt. Maj. Of the Army Kenneth O. Preston. “We have all of these variations of uniforms – green, blue and white,” said Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker. “It makes sense for us to go to one traditional uniform that is really sharp and high quality and which Soldiers will be very proud to wear. And that’s what we’ve done by adopting this blue Army Service Uniform that reflects simplicity, quality, utility and tradition.” Many Soldiers already own an Army blue uniform (now to be called the Army Service Uniform) and may continue to wear it. Improvements will be made to the fabric and fit. Reduction of the number of uniforms will reduce the burden on Soldiers for purchases and alteration cost. Introduction in the Army Military Clothing Sales Stores should begin in fourth quarter of fiscal year 2007. Introduction in the Clothing Bag should begin first quarter 2009. The Mandatory Possession Date is expected to be fourth quarter fiscal year 2011. A wear-out date for the Army Green Class A and White dress uniforms will be determined at a later date. The consolidation of Army service uniforms is part of a streamlining process. In 2004, the Army reduced the number of battle dress uniforms from three to one when it adopted the Army Combat Uniform in place of the Woodland Green Battle Dress Uniform (winter and summer versions) and the Desert Combat Uniform. That uniform consolidation has been a resounding success in terms of Soldier acceptance and reducing the variety of combat uniforms with which they must deal. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #10 I think the new cammies look cool, and I can see how they would help diffuse your outline in our current battlefields. Nice design |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-06-16 19:06 |
| #9 Blue BDU, I thought that was an As to a different hat, I thought this was a fine choice at one time. Yo! |
| Posted by: Hupitle Phereger1161 2006-06-16 18:47 |
| #8 So...while I understand the utility and the tradition, will BDUs (battle dress uniforms) be going to blue as well? |
| Posted by: FOTSGreg 2006-06-16 18:35 |
| #7 We never really got rid of them, Barbara, except during WWII. You've seen them on the soldiers guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and at state funerals, you just might not have known that you were looking at Army troops. Every officer and NCO over staff sergeant is required to have one. The greens are actually the aberration, not the blues. The greens started out as the combat uniform of their day and gradually mutated into the ugly mess you see today. The Marines' dress greens had a similar evolution (tho' they look much better). It only took us 60 years, but we finally got away from having an "intermediate" uniform between the dress blues and the combat uniform. |
| Posted by: 11A5S 2006-06-16 17:35 |
| #6 They need to change the headgear to black slouch hats for the full-on Iron Brigade look. |
| Posted by: Mike 2006-06-16 16:47 |
| #5 The Army has blue uniforms? Who knew? |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2006-06-16 16:38 |
| #4 So I gather it will be the US Grant, Civil War blues. That is an honorable uniform. "The bluecoats." I always liked its cut better than the 'greens', though they had about perfected summer khakis to look good even in sweltering hot and humid conditions. Whites were the distinction for those who had served "down South", and were always worn proudly. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-06-16 16:33 |
| #3 Yeah, they had these once before... |
| Posted by: DanNY 2006-06-16 16:11 |
| #2 So it'll be blue not purple. 'kay. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-06-16 15:44 |
| #1 Darn. When I saw the headline, I assumed it meant that the Army was telling the environmentalists to go pound sand. |
| Posted by: Rambler 2006-06-16 15:38 |