We should be taught to alter our own uniforms in basic training! $55 to get service stripes sewn on my Mess Dress!!!

SSG Robert Burns — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 15:11:59 -0500

So I have a Daddy/Daughter dance coming up this Friday and needed to get the service stripes changed on my Mess Dress. So the stripes themselves cost $38. Then I walk across the hall to the sew shop and they charge me $55 to sew these bad boys on. Unbelievable.
They teach or at least taught us to shine our boots. It would have been a better investment to teach us to sew our own stuff on our uniforms!
Again thats a total of 91 freakin dollars! For service stripes! (excuse my english)

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 2 at 2014 3:11 PM

PO2 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 15:11:42 -0500

Never a rush on that stuff either.

Response by CPT Zachary Brooks made Dec 2 at 2014 3:13 PM

CPT Zachary Brooks — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 15:13:43 -0500

Sewing classes aren't that expensive. Why don't you take one to learn? Its a good long term investment.

In the old days, when uniform pride was a thing, this would have been a great idea. Nowadays, I cannot really see it flying.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Dec 2 at 2014 3:28 PM

LTC Paul Labrador — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 15:28:06 -0500

Who says you have to have them sewn there? They are charging more because it's convenient. You can always find some place that is cheaper..... For me, though, I'd rather pay the money and know that it will be done right the first time, rather than me trying to do it and maybe it is correct the first time.....

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 2 at 2014 6:30 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 18:30:38 -0500

I wasn't aware you couldn't do your own sewing....

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 3 at 2014 3:43 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 15:43:26 -0500

Two words: Fabric Glue!

I feel your pain. I had to put out about that much to get my ASU prepared. At least I was able to stretch out the payments through the clothing credit on Star Card

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Jan 11 at 2015 10:15 PM

LTC Stephen C. — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 22:15:53 -0500

Unfortunately, SSG Robert Burns, this has been going on forever. The only thing that will change will be that the cost of uniforms and the associated tailoring will increase. As an E-2, I went from jump school to SF school in APR70. It was suggested (literally, we were told) to go get Corcoran jump boots and get our uniforms pegged (tailored), because that's what jump pay was for! Enlisted jump pay at the time was $55/month! This included OD fatigues and cotton khakis. I wore tailored fatigues from that time until the Army came out with BDUs. I shudder to think about how much I've spent on dress uniforms.
I always had all uniform alterations done professionally, and if done on post, it always seemed to be done right and was less expensive in the long run, because it was done right.

Response by SGT Jim Z. made Jan 12 at 2015 8:17 AM

SGT Jim Z. — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 08:17:27 -0500

I am sure like any other installations there are 100 of alteration shops just because you decide to go to the alteration shop at mini-mall, or attached to clothing and sales you are paying the Army Air Force Extortion Service (AAEFES). Soldiers have enough to learn in Basic Combat Training they do not need to learn to sew. If they want to learn to sew after BCT and AIT then go right ahead.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 12 at 2015 9:03 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 21:03:14 -0500

Isn't there usually an older lady that someone knows that does alterations, sometimes cheaper and better than those shops?

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2015 11:45 AM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 11:45:59 -0400

I have been in 7 years and have hand sewn every part of my uniforms from the start. Take your time, it really is easy. Note: if you can teach a 12 yr old Boy Scout to do it, a grown man should have no difficulty learning it.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2015 11:48 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 11:48:02 -0400

I recall hearing about a women exclusive MOS that did sewing and alterations. I am being serious as they would sew tents up.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Mar 10 at 2015 11:52 AM

CSM Charles Hayden — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 11:52:41 -0400

SSG Robert Burns, If you, as a poor PFC, have ever tried to sew 'Mosquito Wings' on a uniform, you will bite the bullet and go to the tailor shop!

Response by PV2 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 12 at 2015 4:48 AM

PV2 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 04:48:08 -0400

I know how to do that. Used to change stripes and sew unit patches on my ex's class A's and BDUs all the time. Sewed name tape on too. He got his ASUs after we split.

Response by 1LT William Clardy made Mar 19 at 2015 4:38 PM

1LT William Clardy — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 16:38:20 -0400

SSG Robert Burns, how dare you challenge the wisdom and insight of the general officer(s) who decided earlier in the 21st century that expecting soldiers to sew anything on their uniforms was unreasonable?

You're probably also one of those Deniers who doubt the economies of scale achieved by replacing eliminating the need for using a $2.95 sewing kit to sew patches on by using $11 worth of velcro on each ACU jacket. Shame on you!

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 26 at 2015 11:46 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 23:46:04 -0400

Same issue the other day. I had to get my ASU's altered the other day and it cost me $80.00. Clothing allowance sure as hell doesn't cover all of this.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 1 at 2015 1:07 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 01 Apr 2015 13:07:55 -0400

The high prices make me wish I took Home Eco in high school

Response by TSgt Melissa Post made Aug 26 at 2015 2:36 PM

TSgt Melissa Post — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 14:36:09 -0400

Why did your stripes cost so much in the first place?

Response by Cpl Joseph Roberts made Apr 30 at 2017 4:29 PM

Cpl Joseph Roberts — Sun, 30 Apr 2017 16:29:13 -0400

Isn't there a uniform stipend still, yearly or twice a year...i forget, its been a long time. If you plan ahead you can find much cheaper places too... I'm glad I didn't need to take a sewing class in boot camp, I had more important things to learn.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 28 at 2019 3:26 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 03:26:12 -0400

Easier than a subcuticular or figure-8 suture...

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Sep 10 at 2021 8:38 AM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 08:38:50 -0400

Basic Training is intended to teach you to be a Soldier, not a seamstress. There are other schools you can go to if that's your desired profession of choice.

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made Sep 10 at 2021 10:48 AM

SSG Edward Tilton — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 10:48:13 -0400

This is stupid. dressup balls and dances, what kind of Army is this?

Response by SGM Steve Wettstein made Sep 10 at 2021 3:50 PM

SGM Steve Wettstein — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 15:50:14 -0400

The reason sewing stripes on the old Dress Blues and Mess Dress is because they have to rip out the seems to sew them on.

Response by Maj John Bell made Sep 10 at 2021 5:08 PM

Maj John Bell — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 17:08:41 -0400

When spinning holes in the ocean as part of a Marine Expeditionary unit, it was not unusual for someone newly promoted to try and sew on his own stripes, or to pay one of the canvas riggers from ships company to sew on some stripes

OMG, trust me 5% of your troops have the manual dexterity and skill to be good seamstresses, but probably only 5% of those have access to viable sewing machines. But for the rest, you might as well hand a needle and thread to a duck.