Should velcro finally disappear with the new Army Combat Uniform with Scorpian W2 Pattern?

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 19 Sep 2014 09:38:49 -0400

I've been sewing on my uniform tapes since it's been authorized. If you take a look around and it seems, in my opinion, most Soldier's are already going back to sewing on the tapes and badge qualifications. I believe it looks more professional and I don't have to stick/restick in badges or blacken them when the gold starts showing. The Army switched to hook-and-loop fasteners (referred to as Velcro from here on) to save the Soldier money and ease the transferring of items from one uniform to the other. When you were told you could sew on the tapes and badges. What did you do? Did you hop on board or wait until you had a general consensus of what everyone else was going to do?

Now we, as an Army, have the opportunity to fix where the ACU went HORRIBLY wrong. Although, SMA Chandler said the uniform styling cues weren't changing but aren't we passed the "let's throw some Velcro back on the new uniform so we can go ahead and sew over it again". Leave the stitch marks for where it needs to be (name tapes and rank) and let's go ahead and sew on our American Flag, that's not changing, and our combat patch, that rarely changes, and our unit patch, changes every few years. Last time I checked we took pride in our uniforms, or used to, and let's pay the 40 bucks to get all the hoopla sewn on and call it a day. I won't even get started on the Velcro pockets on this thread, which as you know, have been slowly disappearing as they update the ACU every so often. What say you?

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Sep 27 at 2014 2:26 AM

SFC Mark Merino — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 02:26:53 -0400

Until uniforms start being designed by those that play in the dirt for a living.........

Response by CPT Jacob Swartout made Sep 27 at 2014 7:32 AM

CPT Jacob Swartout — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 07:32:53 -0400

I never did agree with the hook-and-loop fastener concept on uniforms. Yes, velcro to many of us is annoying. For one, it gets worn out and makes that irritating noise when taking off patches and name tapes. I have all my ACUs with sewn on name tapes/rank/badges. The BDUs looked better because you had everything sewn on. One thing I can't stand is when someone has their name tapes curled up and almost falling off their ACU top. I hope the changes go back to having everything sewn on.

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 9 at 2014 6:18 PM

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 09 Nov 2014 18:18:05 -0500

I'm probably biased but I think the AF uniform looks so much better because it doesn't have all the Velcro.

Response by SFC Douglas Duckett made May 15 at 2015 1:27 PM

SFC Douglas Duckett — Fri, 15 May 2015 13:27:42 -0400

Scorpian W2 Pattern, that's what it is called? News to me. The Velcro on the ACUs is probably the worst idea ever. It frays and the patches attached will bend over time; giving an sloppy look. Additionally, you lose noise discipline when retrieving things from pockets (no to mention sticking to your fellow Soldiers when in close proximity of each other).

Go back to the tried and proven things, button and sew on. They worked for generations.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made May 15 at 2015 1:31 PM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 15 May 2015 13:31:04 -0400

MAN I hate Velcro on uniforms!!!!

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made May 23 at 2015 6:54 PM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 23 May 2015 18:54:48 -0400

http://soldiersystems.net/category/ocp/

Take a look at the link for the finalized uniform to be released in the very near future. It seems that the only velcro sustained from the UCP/ACU is for the unit/combat patches and rank/nametape/U.S. Army Tapes. Everything else has transitioned to buttons. It is still frustrating to see that velcro is the staple for things we CAN change yet choose to sew on to look more professional. Soldiers want to take pride in their uniforms, or even if they don't, can be instilled in them by their NCOs. All of my Soldiers in my platoon have their tapes sewn on by choice not by force. It is not required to be sewn however, that pride they have in their uniform reflects in their daily life as Soldiers. We have to allow Soldiers to choose to be squared away however, requiring them to do certain things like we used to do with BDUs, made it that much more special when we were part of a unit, deployed to combat, or have that U.S. Flag permanently affixed to the uniform. Saving money should never be a reason unless it costs the Soldier at the lowest level to spend a large sum of money to have, which is issued by CIF and lost by the Soldier, which happens due to failure to maintain positive control. I've been in an Army of transition since I first enlisted in '03 and hopefully, this should be one of the last items we have to embrace at the personal level after a $3 billion error we had to live with since 2005.

OCP - Soldier Systems Daily

On 7 July, 2015 the US Patent and Trade Office issued Utility Patent 9,074,849, Entitled: “Camouflage for Garment Assembly” to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army. It followed Utility Patent 9,062,938, Entitled: “Camouflage Patterns”, issued two weeks earlier on 23 June, 2015. Both cover Scorpion W20601, initially developed in 2010 by engineers at the Natick Soldier Systems Center and later, after further...

Response by SSgt Rose Ferguson made May 23 at 2015 9:15 PM

SSgt Rose Ferguson — Sat, 23 May 2015 21:15:20 -0400

I was active duty Air Force, deployed to Camp Bucca, Iraq. I was happy and a little envious that the Army ACU uniform allowed them to take off certain patches like rank, etc. In many aspects of war, you want to have some things not show. But while not deployed, it's easier having everything sewn down. It's already placed correctly, stays, don't have to search or worry about missing a patch or placing it incorrectly. .. in a rush. I would hate to forget a patch at home and realize it in the parking lot at work. I would probably have extras of all of them in my vehicle incase one comes off and I lose it. During some of our pre-deployment training, it's way too easy to lose patches. I see benefits and negative aspects to using velcro.

Response by 1SG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made May 23 at 2015 9:16 PM

1SG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 23 May 2015 21:16:52 -0400

Never did like the hook and loop. My tapes and rank are sewn on. The sleeve pockets only get in the way by somehow occasionally connecting to my collar and catching it. Taking off the parka or fleece, you sometimes have to readjust the flag and unit patches. I say away with them. When we had BDU's, it looked much more professional and squared away in my opinion.

Response by SFC Stephen King made May 23 at 2015 9:19 PM

SFC Stephen King — Sat, 23 May 2015 21:19:27 -0400

I agree sew it all on. I miss my BDU's and black boots a highly shined jump boot but I digress. I will be rolling out in 3 years I can embrace the suckered as we say and drive on.

Response by SrA Matthew Knight made May 23 at 2015 11:52 PM

SrA Matthew Knight — Sat, 23 May 2015 23:52:23 -0400

Being in the Air Force the only things I have velcro on are my back pack and my fleece. For the sake of the Army I hope ya'll go away from velcro though. It's obnoxiously loud which I can't imagine is a plus in combat. Buttoned pockets stay closed far better. And then the biggest thing is sewn names/rank look better and last far longer than velcro which starts to wear out fairly quick, especially I would imagine if worn on a daily basis as your ACUs are.

Over all, sewn names and rank and buttoned pockets are much better. I could see the shoulder patches remaining velcro but that's about it.

Response by SSG Robert Reynolds made Sep 6 at 2017 5:12 PM

SSG Robert Reynolds — Wed, 06 Sep 2017 17:12:34 -0400

A Squad Leader goes from man to man just before hitting a house, and whispers to each one. "Alright we're going to sneak up on these guys, and detain them. Everybody tracking? Cool let's go" Then standing up after talking to the last Soldier, a loud RIIIIIPPP!! sounds out as the hook and loop fasteners on their shoulders detaches from each other. "Shit! Let's go!" Stupid Velcro!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 19 at 2019 5:56 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 19 Mar 2019 05:56:17 -0400

Absolutely the velcro is atrocious

Response by Bill Baldwin made Sep 24 at 2019 11:59 PM

Bill Baldwin — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 23:59:30 -0400

The above was written in 2015. Has it really caught on. US Army BDU jackets now appear (2019) to have a full velcro-faced pocket on the arm so that new unit members can have a "slap a patch" introduction ceremony. It appears the Velcro "hook" backed patch is just slapped against the "loop" fronted Velcro face of the pocket by their commanding officer. The name strips, American flags, and other elements may have gone back to sewing-on, but it appears the unit patches are still Velcro. Is this true?