Why do we not blouse boots in our ACUs/Mult-Cams/ACU w/OCPs?

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 06 Oct 2015 09:05:22 -0400

It used to be the standard for Paratroopers. So why do we not blouse our boots in the battle uniform?

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 6 at 2015 9:29 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 06 Oct 2015 09:29:10 -0400

Maybe there is a misunderstanding of the term blouse. Do we not currently blouse our boots? I thought we all did...

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 6 at 2015 9:46 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 06 Oct 2015 09:46:17 -0400

Sir,

DA PAM 670-1 states:

4–9. Combat uniform trousers
a. Soldiers will wear the trousers tucked into the top of the boots or bloused using the draw strings at the bottom of
the trousers or commercial blousing devices. Personnel will not wrap the trouser leg around the leg tightly enough to
present a pegged appearance or insert any items inside the trouser leg to create a round appearance at the bottom of the
trouser leg.
b. When bloused, the trousers should not extend below the third eyelet from the top of the boot. The knee pouch
with hook-and-loop closure for internal knee pad inserts and bellowed calf storage pocket with the hook-and-loop
closure on the left and right legs will be worn closed at all times.

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Oct 6 at 2018 9:38 PM

SGT Philip Roncari — Sat, 06 Oct 2018 21:38:36 -0400

Forgive an old man I was in long before ACUs/multi- Cams/AcUw/OCPs only had the old starchies in training where your boots had to be bloused to show the white paint dot on your black combat boots every other formation (rear of boot approx two inches down back of boot top) no blousing rubbers ,our training NCOs said they didn’t want us to look some SPEC 4 clerk (no disrespect to company clerk they could get you passes off post) Vietnam was jungle fatigues and George Washington blouse again , kept the leeches out,of course if if jungles were ripped well there was Crat cigarettes shriveled and burnt those suckers off (no pun intended )Well I hope you enjoyed this old guy’s memories

Response by CW2 Michael Bodnar made Mar 22 at 2020 10:59 AM

CW2 Michael Bodnar — Sun, 22 Mar 2020 10:59:28 -0400

I think we all should blouse our boots like this. I was a prior service Marine and I still use boot bands to this day to blouse my boots. I think some soldiers do not take pride in the way they look in uniform and in my opinion, tucking your trouser legs into your boot is messy and looks like crap.

Response by CPL Steve Kalinowski made Aug 30 at 2021 7:28 PM

CPL Steve Kalinowski — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 19:28:29 -0400

As an MP in the late 80s/early 90s, the only acceptable way was the pegged, wrapped, George Washington blouse. In fact once we had the proper wrap around our calf, we used packing tape to hold it in place at our ankles and then put on our jump boots.