Army Commander requires troops to wear ACUs with no badges/combat patches?

I think it's a great idea. Ditch the badges and tabs except on dress uniform. Your ERB/ORB has all that stuff on it. Too many tab chasers and arrogant idiots out there that think that is all that is important. Marine corps have the right idea, except for the wings and bubble (however most don't even wear them.) lay low and be professional, let their work show who they really are, no a bunch of "I completed an army school" flash

So...if you had all those badges sewn onto all your uniforms, is the Colonel paying to have the stuff put back on if you have to take it off with a seam ripper or is he going to go with the usual "clothing allowance" justification? Not to mention you are going to see where the badges used to be at on the uniform due to fading and where the stitches were (Remember BDU's when you changed unit patches?) I don't have any special skill badges, but this idea seems ridiculous. Just because someone is a commander, they don't have to "create a legacy."

Everywhere I have been, the field/training was just like a deployment, only the cadre wore their love me badges. Everyone else was basically sterile

Commanders can do whatever they want. I don't mean that in a derogatory manner, it's just true. I've never been under two different commands where things have ever been the same. It's how they distinguish themselves form others.

I see pro and con to both sides of this.

I can see where the new troops would look to the experienced members for guidance. I can also see where the CO wants to emphasize character as much as "back in the day" stuff.

I've seen more seasoned troops get complacent using their past achievements to carry them through. I've also seen untested troops straight from training units run circles around the "old guys" when it comes to newer technology and/or tactics.

Training this month, means that the less experience soldiers learn from the more experience soldiers, so now no one can tell who has the experience. Looks like the CO lacks experience too.

I have mixed feelings about this issue . . . .

In my previous unit (an infantry company), I didn't wear any of my badges on my uniform because I thought it was a hassle to put them on and because I didn't like the attitude certain badge hunters had. I put them on only once -- at a family function when we were getting ready to deploy, because I wanted to reassure the soldiers' loved ones that the soldiers were in experienced and capable hands.

However, when I did an interstate transfer to another unit (a military police company), I decided to go ahead and put them on. And, I found that I didn't have to prove myself all over again. People saw that I'd served overseas and that I'd seen combat. And, they knew where I stood in terms of tactical and technical expertise. Sometimes, I'd get deferred to. Sometimes, I'd get assigned additional training tasks. But, they had a better idea of what they had (me and others) as resources amongst the NCO Corps.

I can understand why a commander might want to limit the wearing of badges if we're talking about the former issue -- the attitude that certain badge hunters have. And, he probably can't put it quite like that. However, the rationale that he used to explain his decision is a bit weak.

At this point, we've been deployed overseas quite a bit and everyone has had the chance to go on a deployment. And, if you haven't gone on one, I think that says something. So, I don't think the opinion of someone who has stayed home every time the unit was deployed should be given the same weight as the opinion of someone who has been overseas several time. And, the sanitized uniform does that -- putting everyone into a level of equal obscurity.

I don't ever wear badges or anything in the field, but for something that I earned, if in Garrison, I want to wear it. But it is ultimately the CDR's call. The whole welcoming new blood thing is bit stupid to me, I remember coming in and seeing the badges and tabs my NCOs wore. I was thinking, "One day, I'll earn that."

A bit more like the USMC approach to uniforms. All for the team, less about "me."

It probably also makes starting conversations just a bit more difficult....

BS, you earn those patches you wear them. Regardless of what some crazed CDR says, it’s a shame the CDR tries to take away the the honors and privileges a Soldier has earned.

No info

One more instance of brass getting bogged down micromanaging trivia with a feel good solution to something that wasn't a problem to start with.

Just to add some context here...and I’m o my speculating based on some observations I made when I was assigned to the 1SBCT around the time COl Hodne took over...
Around the time COL Hodne took command of the 1 SBCT, it had recently been reflagged as a Stryker brigade and as a result, a slew of experienced Soldiers started to arrive from many other recently reflagged/disbanded units. What started to happen was that you would have these little cliques that would form. A 2ID guy sees other 2ID guys and only hangs out with other 2ID transplants. As a result, you had junior Soldiers who were basically being ignored because the newly promoted E-5 TL was busy talking to the Soldiers in another platoon because they were 2ID. If you ask me, some of those Soldier did need reminding that hey your not in your old unit anymore. I mean even 4ID guys who deployed were feeling out of place when all of a sudden most of your platoon is made up of 2ID guys who recently deployed together.

The other part of this is, COL Hodne came from the 75th...those guys go to the field to train and thus wear sanitized uniforms. They understand that they are training in the field and trying to instill this mentality on regular Soldiers is not the worst idea I’ve heard.

Just my .02

ACU insignia such as skill badges and SSI-FWS are items which are part of the uniform. Yes, an individual can choose not to wear them but, on the other hand, I see it as beyond the commander's authority to order their removal. If the commander is worried about younger soldiers being intimidated by those with combat service - should he also be worried about them being intimidated by those with higher rank? In that case, he should have rank insignia removed as well - including his own.
Remember that we are in the United States Army and not the People's Liberation Army of China in the days of Chairman Mao where nobody wore any insignia.

After the reading the article- this was done in a field training environment. I dont see a fuss. USCG- barest day to day uniforms around. Rank name uscg....no fancy badges or monikers. Yes you see wings on the airdales...and cuttermans pins for sea farers.....thats it. Command pins on officers when in command.

and no indication of RANK?

This would be hilarious if it wasn't sad

I wonder what his rationale was to do such a thing? One thing I'm glad to be rid of in military life is commanders whim. Which can also be a "someone convinced the commander this was a good idea" kinda thing, which is really worse.

Imagine what it would be like if commanders got to choose the whole uniform like in the old days with no restraint. Some troops would be wearing full battle rattle all the time, some would be dressed like Bozo the F*(&ing clown complete with big-assed clown shoes, I bet. And, pikes! Pikes are cool...I'm really not making fun of this particular commander, BTW, it's just that people in general will do weird stuff if there are no controls.
But, really, why do such a thing? There has to be a reason, and I'm curious what the probability of destroying morale could possibly be offset by enough to make this worthwhile?

he must be a no deployment leader who has hidden in training units to not go to war. or he is just feeling lesser of a solider when he sees all these studs with the patches and badges.

Bad idea. I'm hearing a lot these days that "slick sleeves" are having a hard time leading because they're being undermined by combat vets, but that's a leadership problem. Forcing soldiers to take off their "extras" just makes their past efforts seem unappreciated; not exactly great for morale.