Posted on May 11, 2022
Why is the military as a whole so against its members wearing a proper & professional looking uniform on duty when in a garrison environment?
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Why are Military Members wearing "combat" uniforms to work in a garrison environment?
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 11
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Cost, probably.
A one time cost of buying additional shirts/trousers, because you only get issued 2, and you need 1 to wear, 1 ready to wear, and 1 at the cleaners.
Then there's the weekly dry-cleaning costs x 52 weeks a year.
I joined the active component Army 8 years before the war started, and during that time, across at least 7 different installations, I never saw anyone at any job (except recruiters) wearing class Bs for anything other than "Payday activities" once a month.
I do recall the Air Force having a "wash and wear" version of their Class Bs. These uniform parts could not be mixed with their Class A uniforms (different material), but the wash and wear version allowed for all non-flight line personnel to work in Class Bs daily with no dry cleaning costs. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the majority of servicemembers I saw on Air Force installations on any given day were in this wash and wear Class B. And I did notice as the Air Force did away with the wash and wear Class Bs, wearing Class Bs daily also went away.
The Army has never had a similar version of this. I think that a daily Class B requirement would probably need to start with a wash and wear version of the Class B.
Functionality is probably the other consideration.
While a good many Soldiers "work at a computer" part or most of every day, none of them do exclusively that every day. Most of them are tasked one or more times a week to clean something, inventory something, mow something, load or unload something etc. Countless random but necessary tasks that will get the Soldier's uniform dirty, grimy, greasy, sweaty, etc.
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I would propose the question to you:
If a Soldier's primary duty during the week is at a desk working on their computer, why exactly do you feel that they "need to be in Class Bs"?
Is it to present a neat and Soldierly, professional appearance while dealing with other Soldiers?
I can assure you, if a particular Soldier struggles to present a neat and professional appearance in ACUs, they certainly aren't going to pull it off by simply switching to Class Bs, they would, in fact, look worse.
A one time cost of buying additional shirts/trousers, because you only get issued 2, and you need 1 to wear, 1 ready to wear, and 1 at the cleaners.
Then there's the weekly dry-cleaning costs x 52 weeks a year.
I joined the active component Army 8 years before the war started, and during that time, across at least 7 different installations, I never saw anyone at any job (except recruiters) wearing class Bs for anything other than "Payday activities" once a month.
I do recall the Air Force having a "wash and wear" version of their Class Bs. These uniform parts could not be mixed with their Class A uniforms (different material), but the wash and wear version allowed for all non-flight line personnel to work in Class Bs daily with no dry cleaning costs. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the majority of servicemembers I saw on Air Force installations on any given day were in this wash and wear Class B. And I did notice as the Air Force did away with the wash and wear Class Bs, wearing Class Bs daily also went away.
The Army has never had a similar version of this. I think that a daily Class B requirement would probably need to start with a wash and wear version of the Class B.
Functionality is probably the other consideration.
While a good many Soldiers "work at a computer" part or most of every day, none of them do exclusively that every day. Most of them are tasked one or more times a week to clean something, inventory something, mow something, load or unload something etc. Countless random but necessary tasks that will get the Soldier's uniform dirty, grimy, greasy, sweaty, etc.
.
I would propose the question to you:
If a Soldier's primary duty during the week is at a desk working on their computer, why exactly do you feel that they "need to be in Class Bs"?
Is it to present a neat and Soldierly, professional appearance while dealing with other Soldiers?
I can assure you, if a particular Soldier struggles to present a neat and professional appearance in ACUs, they certainly aren't going to pull it off by simply switching to Class Bs, they would, in fact, look worse.
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SFC James High
Seems to me that everybody is very busy coming up with reasons to not go to the Class Bs. I think it would help a Soldier feel more professional when they have to take pride in how they prepare their uniform for daily wear. to include shining brown leather shoes. You and I both know that Soldiers that are told to clean something, inventory something, mow something, load or unload something are usually E5s and below so anyone above that rank is in an office and should be in Class Bs!
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SGM (Join to see)
SFC James High - I have washed down HMMWVs and LMTVs, replaced air filters, seals, and done complete -10 PMCS on same, mowed the whole parade field, inventoried the company weapons, mopped and buffed the hall, cleaned the latrine, unloaded multiple flatbeds of ammo, and emptied and repacked connexes all as an SFC, next to SGTs, SSGs, SFCs, MSGs, CW2s and the occasional CPT.
I won't presume to know what it takes to make another Solder "feel more professional", I can only speak from my own experience. And in my own experience, my own feelings of professionalism were grounded in learning everything about my job and doing that job to the best of my ability, all day, every day, and mentoring Soldiers on the same.
I can also say that I spent quite a few of those early years heavily starching BDUs and spit-shining jungle boots down to the last layer, and I don't recall that ever translating to a feeling of "professionalism", in my own experience.
That said, I also have no experience with any Soldiers being busy coming up with reasons not to go to the Class Bs, but that could just be that there has been no actual directive or even recommendation for Class Bs.
I won't presume to know what it takes to make another Solder "feel more professional", I can only speak from my own experience. And in my own experience, my own feelings of professionalism were grounded in learning everything about my job and doing that job to the best of my ability, all day, every day, and mentoring Soldiers on the same.
I can also say that I spent quite a few of those early years heavily starching BDUs and spit-shining jungle boots down to the last layer, and I don't recall that ever translating to a feeling of "professionalism", in my own experience.
That said, I also have no experience with any Soldiers being busy coming up with reasons not to go to the Class Bs, but that could just be that there has been no actual directive or even recommendation for Class Bs.
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MSgt Steven Holt, NRP, CCEMT-P
SGM (Join to see) - I wore the "wash and wear" blues for a while (early 90's). They sucked and had limited service life before they looked like garbage. I'm glad the AF went away from them.
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SGM (Join to see)
MSgt Steven Holt, NRP, CCEMT-P - I had always assumed that their service life was at least longer than the dry-cleaned Class Bs.
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The army is shifting back to this. I am sure you remember when the Army didn't do that. We used to wear Class B's when we were in an office setting. During GWOT this changed. I am a commander at the Infantry Officer's Course. We make our students were their Class B uniform when we only have classroom instruction for the week.
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It's the Army....not Wall Street.
There's more to professionalism than what you wear. SO MUCH MORE.
The Army should concentrate of becoming more efficient, less 19th century, more lethal, less tasked out, and conduct actually effective PT before it worries about wearing a suit instead of fatigues.
We can't even maintain our vehicles, qualify with primary weapons, get enough reenlistments, or keep our people alive..... wearing a suit and getting grilled for 1/32 of an inch misplacement will just make things worse right now.
There's more to professionalism than what you wear. SO MUCH MORE.
The Army should concentrate of becoming more efficient, less 19th century, more lethal, less tasked out, and conduct actually effective PT before it worries about wearing a suit instead of fatigues.
We can't even maintain our vehicles, qualify with primary weapons, get enough reenlistments, or keep our people alive..... wearing a suit and getting grilled for 1/32 of an inch misplacement will just make things worse right now.
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