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Regulation forbids steam pressing, dry cleaning an starching but allows for "roll pressing" uniforms. What is this? And are there other techniques within regs to enhance the appearance of the uniform?
Army Regulations
OCP
Advice
Professionalism
Posted 5 y ago
Responses: 17
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It's a "wash n wear" uniform. Don't be the 1/100 people who looks different because you have creases/ironed uniform.
Looking different in a uniform isn't the point of a uniform.
Looking different in a uniform isn't the point of a uniform.
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1LT William Clardy
While Sections 630-632 of U.S. Code 10 remain in effect, CW2 (Join to see), any company- or field-grade officer who wants to stay in the business of defending his country needs to pay attention to promotion boards. Been there, done that, didn't get a t-shirt.
Ditto for warrant officers under Section 580.
And the "honorary retirement" alternative (no pay, just keep the commission and go on the "Break glass in case of really bad war" list) was closed out in the '90s.
If you think writing "up or out" into law is stupid, by all means feel encouraged to share that opinion with your Congressional delegation. In the meantime, you might want to think carefully about the advice you give young officers and soldiers who are looking forward to a lifetime spent doing unpleasant things so loved ones can sleep safe and sound.
Ditto for warrant officers under Section 580.
And the "honorary retirement" alternative (no pay, just keep the commission and go on the "Break glass in case of really bad war" list) was closed out in the '90s.
If you think writing "up or out" into law is stupid, by all means feel encouraged to share that opinion with your Congressional delegation. In the meantime, you might want to think carefully about the advice you give young officers and soldiers who are looking forward to a lifetime spent doing unpleasant things so loved ones can sleep safe and sound.
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CW2 (Join to see)
1LT William Clardy - That's the problem, like I said. People are working to write their evaluations - not the most selfless of service. They should be writing their evaluations through their work. That way the system works. If you do your job as a Soldier, mission first, then promotion shouldn't be a problem. We will retain who is best and become better, not who looks best despite mediocre work.
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1LT William Clardy
That may be the way the system works in your neck of the woods, CW2 (Join to see). Have you ever had a rater tell you that you can p*** him off just by walking in the room, or one who didn't even spell your name right on your NCOER? Ever heard a Cav troop commander tell one of his platoon leaders, over the tactical net, that he didn't care if he made it back to home station after a large-scale exercise?
To draw a coarse analogy, would you tell a new driver to just focus on driving safely and not bother with wearing a seat belt?
To draw a coarse analogy, would you tell a new driver to just focus on driving safely and not bother with wearing a seat belt?
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CW2 (Join to see)
1LT William Clardy wearing a seat belt is under regulation. People don't wear their seat belt in a desperate attempt to impress a supervisor and say "hey look at me! I'm trying too hard!".
And no I haven't been told I could piss someone off by entering, and I a spelling error of a name is the job of the rated a soldier to correct. As for the radio thing. Also no never heard that. Dunno what is has to do with anything.
And no I haven't been told I could piss someone off by entering, and I a spelling error of a name is the job of the rated a soldier to correct. As for the radio thing. Also no never heard that. Dunno what is has to do with anything.
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Things have changed since I was in. We kept one set of uniforms starched, pressed and clean hanging in our closets for special events.
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SGT (Join to see)
Hanging in a closet. We stood ours in the corner as they had so much starch in them.
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If you ever noticed a Navy dress blue jacket, they're roll pressed. The Exchange cleaners have a tubular ironing board horn that the sleeve goes into and they tap press it all the way around. Our poor man's way of doing it was rolling up a beach towel, shoving it up the sleeve and lightly iron around.
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CWO3 (Join to see)
I got to know the steam tables on El Paso LKA. Didn't much care for troops doing our bag laundry, and drew the line at pressing. The Skipper of LPD on next float was a brown shoe as well. He would come on 1MC and announce going out for pump and dump off Somalia, and said he wanted to see lots of khaki out there.
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How To Iron OCP military uniform expert!
How to properly in best iron the OCP military uniform from one of the leading experts.
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1LT (Join to see)
Thank you ma'am. I saw this video before posting. While the uniform looks good with his technique, the problem is he says he uses starch and also irons in seams, which are technically against regulation for OCP's. Steam also evaporates the dye in the uniform, fading it, which is also against regs. In the video, he says he has to buy uniforms more often due to fading
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You know when the BDUs came out in the early 80s (yes, this makes me old, I know), we were instructed that they were "wash and wear" and we were specifically instructed not to iron them. I remember my drill sergeant telling me that it hastened the deterioration of the IR scattering properties of the uniform. But as time went by that instruction went by the wayside. Soldiers felt the uniform appearance was unprofessional. Pretty soon we were breaking starch when we put on a fresh uniform. I wonder if the same thing will happen here?
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Suspended Profile
It is a combat uniform, not a dress or service uniform. Would you iron the OCP downrange? There is your answer. Hang it up right after washing.
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CW4 Keith Dolliver
CWO3 (Join to see) - Maybe in the USMC, but not in the Army. Starch is not authorized on the Army OCPs (it wasn't authorized for the ACUs either). The uniform is "wash and wear".
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CW4 Anthoney Lowry
so there i was, 2010 getting off the plane Bagram Afghanistan. on the plane with me was an E-7, "S" shop type, carrying her pressed and starched ACUs on a hangar still in the plastic from the cleaners. her year in combat and my year in combat were just a little bit different.
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1LT William Clardy
There is a no-starch middle zone where pocket flaps and the like get flattened out with a quick and light ironing.
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let them dry on a hanger - the weight of the water will pull them flat - use double hangers
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I wouldn’t recommend using starch on this material for the new ones. One of the main concerns of using steam iron on the uniforms has also been that it destroy the mfg anti-bug repellent. Everybody that says you shouldn’t “crease” iron your uniform because it’s a combat uniform are completely full of it. For the time being we only have the 1 uniform for both actions, and for the most part that won’t be the uniform type you actually wear in combat. So in the office and home side it is important, and does speak on how you carry yourself. I’ve been told on multiple occasions by BDE CSMs for reception of medals and things of that nature to crease my uniform for photo ops; all of which had theirs creased 24/7. Here’s my thing Lt, if you use steam and make your sh*t squared away, who is to know that you used steam? Ask yourself, how could anybody prove I used steam in my process? Pull it out of the dry early, use a steam iron and sharpen the hell out of those creases. When you fold it to put it away, fold it the same way it comes from issue; they come with creases brand new. Be the cleanest sharpest cherry eyed puppy LT out there, but first and foremost crush the mission while your doing it. If you look squared away and your plt is jacked up it’ll be a waste of time.
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