Unauthorized Boots, why do SM keep wearing them?

A couple of thoughts for what they are worth...

The soldiers I have deployed with have all had the mentality that their demise was likely to be met through a catastrophic IED explosion. Govt approved boots weren't going to make a bit of different when you're a double, triple, or quadruple amputee. So why not patrol comfortable?!

I understand that there are far less serious injuries approved boots are intended to save soldiers from; however, the Army acquisition system focuses their Public Affairs more on high tech anti drone lasers than on boot education (ie the system is not transparent).

Lastly, there are always people in the military who will refer back to the military "in their day"....lets just acknowledge that many things have changed since even Kosovo in 1995. My father was a LRSP team leader in Vietnam. He patrolled with jungle boots, and half unbuttoned cotton blend trousers and blouse and a ton of ammo. Our soldiers today are breaking under the weight of the gear being mandated on them by leadership. Body armour, helmet, rifle, ammo, extra batteries, food, water, etc...hip and leg injuries are crushing our fighting forces.

Up to leadership to enforce the standard if it's really that big of a deal....only tan boots I dealt with were in 1991 and there were only one style issued....but let's talk about black boots....you had cruit boots, 4 styles/brands of jump boots, tankers boots, 4 or 5 different cold weather boots, 2 styles of jungle boots....AND, if you were in Germany, German army boots...all sold in MCSS. Officers loved their jungle boots, senior NCOs liked there jump boots, and everybody else wore whatever.....we worried more about training I believe than what was on your feet.

Because they don't know better, and their chain of command is failing SGT(P) (Join to see). Boots are on the authorized list (just like eye-pro) because they meet Army physical and safety standards. Those that are not, are synthetic and can be deadly in say a vehicle fire... If junior NCOs and Officers are not modeling and enforcing basic standards... that is a problem...

Always like a down-to-earth issue like this for discussion. Found the reference for boots on pp 123 & 124 of Army regs and would be hard pressed to select a pair from any source which I was certain would meet the descriptions contained therein. Is there a photo(s) of boots which are 'authorized' or which meet the regs? I imagine the PX sells only boots which are somehow authorized. A junior NCO might not be able to distinguish unauthorized styles when faced with so many varieties on the market. Hope this can be settled before the SMA has to get involved and put his foot down.

I wear the Nike ones and my boss also wears the Nike ones as well. Guess what? No one cares. Just do your job.

I have rocky C4T that I wear daily; bought them off a friend for 50$
I work in Garrison as a nurse, I'm not wearing army issued boots when I have to be on my feet all day.
got them cheap and comfortable; no one is at risk of anything, pointless

My guess is it's all about comfort.

It could be worse too, I've seen pictures on the USAWTFM page that show soldiers wearing tan Uggs in uniform.

With anything Soldiers will ask, "What are they gonna do about it?" If the answer is nothing and nothing is done to deter undesired behavior it will continue.

Are you focusing on the important or just thumping the book?

Why does Joe do it?
Why does Joe do anything that they are not supposed to do?
Because they can get away with it.
Because leaders don't care, or worse do it themselves.

I remember when there were only a handful of authorized boots out there. It wasn't better to have fewer options, but it sure was easier to enforce the standards.
Every NCO needs to know the standard and enforce it.