Can Soldiers be mandated to buy the new Physical Fitness Uniform now?

I do not believe your 1SG has to authority to mandate that all Soldiers within the unit buy the new PT uniform by May 1st. He/she is responsible for the standards and discipline within the company but he/she does not have the authority to set or change Army policy or guidance. If he/she thinks they do have the authority then I would love to be shown the Army Regulation that allows this.

I believe the 1SG has the right to make that call for their Soldiers to buy before the deadline…… as long as he is willing to stand at the front of the line at Clothing and Sales and pay for each and every one of them…. now after the deadline, the Soldier is all on their own.

No, a 1SG, nor a local commander for that matter, cannot mandate all Soldiers switch to the new APFU by an arbitrary date. The Army makes wear out dates for a reason.... One of them is to give career Soldiers time to react, and the other so first term Soldiers who are not staying on don't have to waste money.

Technically no the 1SG nor CO can institute their own possession date. They can highly encourage it be done sooner than the mandatory date, but wouldn't have a leg to stand on if someone chose to wear the old uniform until the "drop-dead" date.

Thinking about this some more after SGT Jim Z.'s comment; The ARMY has determined a reasonable amount of time to acquire the new uniform.

They most likely came up with that date after research on cost and production for the whole force to obtain it properly and all the pieces that go with it.

I know this is a silly question, but have you tried the "open door" policy and just asked the 1SG (or the CSM) about it?

I'm not saying challenge him, but hell, sometimes leaders just don't think things through. He probably just saw somebody wearing the new PT uniform and is thinking "#%^%$# rainbow formations" and said "go out and get the new uniform" without making the logical thought to phase out date, or mandatory possession date. If no one actually brings it up to him, he may never realize it until some E2 says "1SG, I don't have that kind of money, I have 2 kids, and I'm not required until 2 years from now." and he goes to his PSGs and says "WTF, why didn't you tell me I was all jacked up?!?"

To all that read this...this 1SG is one of the reasons the Army is going to crap these days. We have toxic leaders amongst our ranks that do not think the rules, regulations, and orders from superiors apply to them. This is EXTRMEMLY sad and unfitting of a Senior NCO, will this action reflect on his NCOER, probably not but it should because it has effected his unit for over 90 days. Make this guy pay for his dumb uneducated mistake, the Army is good at making Junior Soldiers paying for their mistakes, but Senior Leaders can skate by day and day out. WHY?, because they have the experience...I call the BS card, if he had the experience here, he would know he can't mandate before the wear date. This is all I have to say about this matter. Yours truly...

A Pissed off SFC in Alaska

I think the uniform is missing one very essential item...the PT belt. Without one you are in grave danger...lol.

In my opinion, everything that is "required" should be issued to soldiers first, and then made the soldiers responsibility to keep free from defect, and replaced as needed.

Though I understand that your 1SG is looking to get uniformity as unit as quick as possible. aHowever the Army has set 1 Oct 2017 as the mandatory possession date for Army personnel. Hopefully your PSG (or you if you're a PSG), has inquired with him concerning the DA mandated date and discuss the required date.

Hopefully the unit leadership, will come together and set the example and get the uniform at one time as a leadership team, set the example, and then encourage the Jr. Leaders and Soldiers to follow suit. That would get the Soldiers into the new uniform a lot quicker then he current method.