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2004-11-04 Home Front: Tech

Air Force develops new test version of field uniform

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Posted by Mark Espinola 2004-11-04 1:24:10 AM|| || Front Page|| [4 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#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|| 2004-11-04 7:15:00 AM|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2004-11-04 8:44:12 AM|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2004-11-04 8:58:32 AM|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2004-11-04 9:04:08 AM|| Front Page Top

#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|| [http://www.workaround.blogspot.com] 2004-11-04 10:28:01 AM|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2004-11-04 11:41:13 AM|| Front Page Top

#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|| [http://www.sgtstryker.com] 2004-11-04 1:23:00 PM|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2004-11-04 3:06:33 PM|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2004-11-04 4:35:18 PM|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2004-11-04 6:31:13 PM|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2004-11-04 7:25:49 PM|| Front Page Top

#12 Why not Cintas?

Posted by Mrs. Davis 2004-11-04 7:36:51 PM|| 2004-11-04 7:36:51 PM|| Front Page Top

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