Monday Night Football and Military Uniforms

Cpl Matthew Wall — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 09:16:58 -0400

During the opening ceremonies last night of Monday Night football I noticed that when the flag was brought out there were military members holding the flag. Majority were in their dress uniforms, but the Army was in its ACUs. In my opinion it did not look good and they looked very out of place. Then I went back and looked at some older pics and saw that the Army always wears cammies vs. dress uniform.

Doesn't some commander have a decision to make on what uniform to wear? Why wear your worse uniform to something like that? I thought they were dressed for casual Friday.

What are your thoughts for something that is televised like this?

Response by Cpl Matthew Wall made Sep 9 at 2014 12:38 PM

Cpl Matthew Wall — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 12:38:20 -0400

No thoughts on this?

Response by SSgt Gregory Guina made Sep 9 at 2014 12:39 PM

SSgt Gregory Guina — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 12:39:29 -0400

Different standards for different branches is about all I can say.

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Sep 9 at 2014 1:20 PM

TSgt Joshua Copeland — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 13:20:34 -0400

I watched it and the few I seen it was actually Airman in ABUs. My wife and I commented that it looked bad.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 9 at 2014 1:30 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 13:30:16 -0400

The army seldom wears any dress uniforms. The culture of being an Army at wear lets soldier wear ACUs as a professional uniform. I don't like the practice. I hope the Army moves away from this mentality. Other branches like the MC and Navy wear their dress uniforms far more. An example of this is when a Navy ship disembarks from a port. The AF has worked so much with the Army they just mirror another.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 9 at 2014 2:05 PM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 14:05:33 -0400

I was on the field waving a flag for the Monday Night Football game on November 11th last year. If I remember correctly, all the branches wore their duty uniform for that event.

Response by MSG Wade Huffman made Sep 9 at 2014 2:09 PM

MSG Wade Huffman — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 14:09:09 -0400

Prior to the onset of our current war(s), you would have seen the Army in dress uniform, but as previously stated, it is a representation of the Army at war.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 9 at 2014 2:09 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 14:09:46 -0400

I would like to add that the Army has a hatred for their class A uniforms. Now I know I don't speak for everyone, but most people I know agree when I describe them as a uniform for a 3rd world dictator crossed with a mall rent-a-cop. Most people I have spoken to in other branches (I work in a joint environment every day) will openly state that their Class A uniform is more or less comfortable to move and sit in. The Army's is not. The only time it ever looks good and put together is when standing at the position of Attention. Any other position or at all relaxed and it immediately degrades the look. These uniforms are not comfortable either, so more often than not, if the army has a reason to not wear them, it's going to take it. It looks terrible when we wear our ACU's all over the place, because those are ugly as hell after one wash as well. The Army would love new uniforms that looked better, but we don't want to deal with having to buy all new uniforms ALL OVER AGAIN so soon. I think another change that won't make much sense is coming up for the Army uniform anyway.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 9 at 2014 2:24 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 14:24:04 -0400

I believe current Army policy for this is for them to be in dress uniform. Maybe someone oopsed? (Is that a word?)

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 9 at 2014 6:24 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 18:24:35 -0400

Cpl Matthew Wall - I think the cammies can differentiate those and others who may be Color Guard. I think cammies look like war and that is what people see and what we want them to see. IMHO

Response by CW5 Sam R. Baker made Sep 9 at 2014 11:57 PM

CW5 Sam R. Baker — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 23:57:25 -0400

I am brutally exhausted in our policy to allow public presence in ACUs. I firmly believe in traveling (PCS/TDY) ought to be in the ASU versus the ACU and if you don't want to wear your ASU, then civilian. The motto and slogan "Profession of Arms" only holds water if we look professional in public and I can assure you in my humble opinion a Marine traveling looks a whole lot better than a Soldier in ACUs.

I was stationed at Fort Myer where we never wore BDUs unless on midnight shift, so the beef that Blues (ASU) cannot be everyday wear will not pass with me. I am proud of the uniform and work diligently to wear it correct and with pride.

There, the old man syndrome is exposed!

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 10 at 2014 7:17 AM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 10 Sep 2014 07:17:03 -0400

Wait a second, are you saying that the Army has another uniform? I thought they came out of their momma's wearing their ACUs.... I went to WWE Raw this past Monday and lo and behold, ACUs all over the place. Riddle me this Army, are your junior ranks just sooooo hooah that they have thrown away any and all civilian clothing?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 10 at 2014 7:26 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 10 Sep 2014 07:26:35 -0400

The Army doesn't need to show off.

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Sep 10 at 2014 7:58 PM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Wed, 10 Sep 2014 19:58:11 -0400

IMHO, everyone should be at the same uniform level. I agree with a lot that's been said about the "Army at war" theory but it's all about "uniformity". Without uniformity, the armed services won't know what to do. They'll be wandering through wilderness trying to answer the ultimate questions of, "What hip is your canteen supposed to be worn on?" and "Is the first aid pouch worn flap up or flap down?". They'll be as lost as a 2LT with a map and compass. On the bright side, at least no reflective belts were abused in the process.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 11 at 2014 1:11 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Sep 2014 01:11:28 -0400

I say they should wear the ASUs, its ceremonial event. Be proud, the public likes to see all your fruit salad! Seriously, nothing opens up a good dialogue than when you get a civilian asking you what all your stuff is for and you can regal them with your stories of how you earned it. And that provides you the opportunity to talk about your battle buddies and all the things you didn't get a ribbon for. It shows the public that we are humans just like them, not robots that just obey orders.

Response by SSG Robert Burns made Sep 11 at 2014 9:49 AM

SSG Robert Burns — Thu, 11 Sep 2014 09:49:43 -0400

I don't think we should be doing that anyway. Just my opinion.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 11 at 2014 10:05 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Sep 2014 22:05:07 -0400

ASUs would have been more suitable to the occasion than ACUs.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 11 at 2014 10:15 PM

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Sep 2014 22:15:21 -0400

Part of the problem is that the army has converted from the "Class A/B" uniform to the Army Service Uniform (ASU) but has not fielded the uniform to everyone as of yet. I just received mine this past summer but only because I was mentoring a soldier in the Guard Best Warrior Competition and needed one for DA Photos. In the most recent update to the AR 670-1 the ASU is currently designated as a Dress Uniform and the ACU is designated as a Mutli-purpose Utility Uniform. I do agree that wile the ASU looks sharper but at $700 per set the army cannot afford to issue more than 1 per person.

Response by Sgt W Hibshman made Sep 17 at 2014 6:35 PM

Sgt W Hibshman — Wed, 17 Sep 2014 18:35:09 -0400

That is an Army thing. They are allowed to go about in their Cammies. I remember once in the 1980's while stationed at Pendleton there was a lot of talk about that issue. Apparently some Marines, including officers, wanted to do the same. This is how it was explained; "Cammies are your work attire; you are Marines; your work is war. Would you sit down to dinner with your mother in the same clothes waged war in?" I truly hope that never changes.