Posted on Dec 17, 2014
SFC Michael Jackson, MBA
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Multicam joint
Airforce multicam
Multicam army
the closest I seen to a standard uniform for the Armed Forces was the multicam uniform when I was in Kandahar, and Air Force all wearing the uniform at one point with few deviations. Would do feel about this?
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CDR Michael Goldschmidt
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I love the Navy and our traditions, but it probably no longer makes sense even to have separate services. Our military budget is larger than all other countries' on the planet, COMBINED. Does it really make sense to have 5 separate air arms and at least 4 sets of Special Forces? I'd say it doesn't. Not only is it more expensive the way we do things now, but our equipment doesn't always interoperate. An F-15 or 16 or whatever the USAF is using now can't land on an aircraft carrier. Even if it could, the pilots don't have those skills. It makes most sense to move toward a common force, which many would say we're doing already. Marines have been used to operate at least hundreds of miles from water, as have SEALs. Navy and Marine Aircraft assault as far inland as USAF and Army aircraft. I've even known Surface Warfare Officers (ship guys) like me to command FOBs in Afghanistan. CENTCOM sent me there instead of Army officers on staff. Maybe we should just stop pretending and go all out integrated.
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SSgt Security Forces
SSgt (Join to see)
5 y
this shows that officers can be as dumb as a E-1.
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CDR Michael Goldschmidt
CDR Michael Goldschmidt
5 y
SSgt (Join to see) - High-brow replies like yours is why I rarely bother with Rallypoint, anymore.
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SPC Training Room Nco
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I don't think it woild work. Not only because every service CHOOSES to have its own distinctive uniform, but because each service also has its own globe of dominance, woth very few exceptions. Army on the ground, Navy/Marines/Coast Guard (who may be my only exception) on the sea, Air Force to the sky. Therefore, each needs a duty uniform duly displaying their separate realms of authority. Combat uniforms should be unanimous only if the services are all deploying to the same environment, much like the multicams are used for. But duty and dress uniforms should NOT be the same military-wide.
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CSM Louis Rothenstein
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I support it even though retired. Seems like a waste ro have more than one pattern per area of the world. I could see a couple but they should be the same across all services. The field is the field. Might save a few dollars.
I think the Army went astray by prescribing the field uniform for almost all wear. I think if ID becomes important, one can read the branch on a nametape.
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SGM Darren Bean
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Yes. The cost to maintain 4 different "combat uniforms" is becoming prohibitive. Keep the dress uniforms separate. The concept of a camouflaged uniform is to prevent the enemy, when in or near contact, from seeing you. On a ship, it doesn't matter if the enemy sees you, they are in a plane or another ship and YOU are not the target. Same thing with a flight line or hangar. The new OCP uniform and/or MARPAT are both equal in camo, so either is fine. Having one uniform, would increase the quantity of the contract, decreasing the cost of the uniform and provide a stable base of matching OCIE as well. So, the costs of all accessories like t-shirts, belts, socks, boots etc would all go down as well. Simple equation. Take the emotion out of the decision and make a smart business decision. All these items costing less equals less tax dollars needed, cheaper replacement costs in AAFES for the warrior as well. And while we are at it, name-rank-unit-branch-combat patch ONLY. I don't need to know you, like everyone else who attended, graduated Air Assault. That information is not necessary to fight and win. It's not like I move around the battlefield, wanting to set up a DZ, looking for dope on a rope. I know who my Pathfinder and AA guys are. More reduction in cost to the Soldier, less stuff for the 1SG to waste his time inspecting. We have to start reducing costs in a dwindling budget economy or more important stuff like weapons, armor, ISR gear will be sacrificed.
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SSG Paralegal
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I'm all for a unified camo uniform. But for dress uniforms, tradition and culture matters. As much as I never liked my cracker jacks, I'd be sad to see them go.
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SGT David Nicholas
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Doesn't the military have better things to spend money on besides a fashion statement?
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COL Military Police
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Edited 6 y ago
Each service should have a different uniform. It promotes pride in service. and those in that uniform are part of that team. However, since you ask, I do not approve of the periodic dress uniform change that goes on in each military branch every so often. I think the return to the Pinks & Greens by the Army is just a waste of money that can be used elsewhere. Work/Camo uniform changes I can understand because of the constant change of technology on the battlefield. However, the dress uniform is nothing more than a make money scheme for certain suppliers. I think if we follow the money we could find out who is friends with who in our procurement system. If someone tells me this constant change promotes pride in service, I say BS. Just saying.
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MSG John Wirts
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I was in more or less universal field or utility uniforms for a good part of my career. The fatigue uniforms had generally the same patters with the Marines having a map pocket in their version. When we went to the newer fatigues with the thicker buttons, the marines lost their map pocket the Air Force lost their black steel buttons. Then the services went to woodland camo and we were all still the same, to differentiate themselves from the other services they rolled their sleeves differently. I was in the Air National Guard for 6 years I went into the salvage store at McClellan AFB and bought a surplus Air Force Arctic Parka. My brother was serving as a submariner and on deck watch was freezing. He called me and asked me to send my surplus Air Force Arctic Parka. I did so and the entire crew used it on deck watch. He told me he wished he had the stock number for that parka. I told him in was on the label on the back of the collar, he ordered it and the requisition got up to base supply and it was rejected as not authorized for navy. Too bad the best item can not be used for all services!!!
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Sgt Tom Agostini
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Absolutely not. People join the various branches of service for a multitude of reasons. Those reasons are as expressive as the individuals. By differentiating the uniforms, we allow all of those entering each branch to be immediately identifiable by, and take pride in the uniform of their CHOSEN branch.
Thomas Agostini,
SGT., USMC
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CSM William Payne
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Edited 7 y ago
For the Combat Uniform, this is doable. This is exactly what we did with the BDU / DCU uniforms. All the services wore the same combat uniform for years and modified them for their particular services. That made too much sense. Then somewhere down the line with the development of the ACU, all the other services didn't like it and therefore went off to develop their own combat uniform(s). It just adds to confusion on the battlefield. This color uniform, that color uniform, these color boots, those color boots, it’s redundant, rediculious and a waste of taxpayer money.

As for each services dress uniform, I do not agree that one uniform is best. The Marines by far have had that corner of the market covered for years. They don’t look like anybody else and nobody else looks like them and by tradition that should stay that way. The Navy is second with their own unique uniforms, though without all the pomp of the the Marine Uniform. The current Army and Air Force uniforms, specially before the issuing of the Army Service Uniform, looked almost identical, except made with different color cloth. I guess that is a carry over from when the Air Force was still the Army Air Corps.

So when I see you on the battlefield, all I really need to know is that you are an American combatant and I’m really not concerned with service you represent, unless there is a specific need, and we can easily figure that later if necessary. But if I’m watching a parade, I want to see each service stand out destictively, wearing uniforms representative of each service.
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LCpl Michael Cappello
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Absolutely NOT !!! Our Dress Blues represent much that has to do with our heritage. ie. the Leather Neck, the Blood Stripes, the Eagle Globe and Anchor, the wide belt to hold a saber (or cutlass back in the early days), etc... Why must it ALWAYS be some "grand unification" which is nothing more than a "blandification" and total disregard for heritage and tradition? Why does it seem to me that every one of these types of questions concerning history and tradition are usually asked by Army personnel. As far as I know, you people have a long and glorious history. Why would you want to make everything the same? Is it something that has been indoctrinated in to you which makes you just want to be one homogeneous mass? What about all the BS about the frigging berets? You couldn't be happy with the Green Berets. You then had to have the Rangers Red Beret. Now (like a bunch of whine ass school children who have to get a trophy just for participating) the Army had to authorize the damn Black Beret so no ones feelings would be hurt. Sorry if I offended anyone. I am just calling it like I see it.
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1SG Cj Grisham
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I think the different services have unique needs and the uniforms should reflect those needs. Creating a single uniform across the entire DOD wouldn't be a good idea in my opinion.
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CPO Donald Drake
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No I don’t support it
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SrA Richard Bishop
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All the combat services should wear the same uniform. Navy has always had their duty uniform on ship. Air Force aircraft maintenance needs a different type of duty uniform. Army, Marines, and field service Air Force personnel should have the same camouflage uniform so they are recognized by each other and by allies.
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SSgt Forensic Meteorological Consultant
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SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth
SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth
>1 y
You're very right there.
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SSG Environmental Specialist
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Well at one time the old BDU was worn just about by everybody is some form or another, then the Marines got their new pattern and after that everybody had their own pattern and color.
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SPC Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic
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It makes sense and maybe a standard rank change too and get rid of Spc ranks and just have corporals
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SFC Michael Jackson, MBA
SFC Michael Jackson, MBA
8 y
I don't know about the standard rank. I think some Soldiers are good with specialized skills, but don't have the leadership qualities of NCO. I'd be inclined to recommend an increased specialist track. Bring back spec5, spec6 for those without the necesaary leadership traits
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LtCol George Carlson
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While I personally think the various camouflage patterns have been more a product of, "Sustained employment for DoD civilians at research labs" than anything else, I do have a couple of thoughts on previous comments. #1 The "cost-saving" argument is likely moot. At any given time, there will be some contract cost differences, but the "volume discount" on 1 million vs. 200 thousand is either zero or negligible. #2 Service differentiation can be limited to rank/service/branch and not affect much of anything. Maybe it was a different time and a different war, but I will guarantee the VC knew when they were taking on Marines vs. Army. The enemy had intel too! #3 This is the first time (to my knowledge, I may be wrong) we have had so many differences -- see my lead-I for part of the explanation. The rest is like emergency responders -- everyone wants to by both "current" and "different."
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SGT Ronald Bacon
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One Uniform for each theater makes sense in that all supply could work in one direction, equipment could be easier to transfer from unit to unit regardless of branch. Also if there was some kind of uniform standard for across the board so on every person walking by I can see clearly where rank should be so I am not looking all over for it. (maybe that is dated I have been out for a while) While service back in CONUS wear whatever the Branch wants their Service Members to look like. When in the face of the world look as if we stand united...
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SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
8 y
Seems that is how it was at one point, the made sense. This all goes back the old adage if it isn't broke don't try to fix it. It seems certain senior people trying to put their own brand on things without input from the people who were actually going to use it has sure screwed up a lot of things.
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PO1 Mark Perreault
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Keep the sailors in blue aboard ship but if in a ground combat role, such as SEALS or Seabees, switch to other colors, depending on theater of operation.
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SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
8 y
Gee, that actually makes sense, what a concept !
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