173rd Airborne Brigade 2005 Deployment - When did you receive modified uniforms?

SPC Brent Melton — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 07:40:53 -0400

Basically as the title states. I was wondering when you received your DCUs with sleeve pockets prior to the 2005 deployment? Also how many sets did you receive? I save uniforms from OEF/OIF and try to get the story when possible. I've got a couple uniforms from this deployment, however I don't know when these were actually modified. I do know it was a brigade level event, so I'm not completely in the dark.

Response by 2LT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 5 at 2018 7:44 AM

2LT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 07:44:01 -0400

I’m pretty sure we got 4 sets, two or three months before the deployment.

Response by SSG Jose M. Hernandezsanchez made Jul 5 at 2018 9:16 AM

SSG Jose M. Hernandezsanchez — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 09:16:45 -0400

SPC Melton,
I never received this actual modification, I went straight from DCU to ACU. But, during the summer of 2004 when I was deployed to Iraq, I supported either 2nd of 3rd BDE, 2nd ID with imagery, that's when I first saw these modifications. Well, they were actually testing them while deployed to Iraq during that time. Then I saw similar modifications done to the DCUs when I got assigned to 5th SFG in 2005 which is when I received my first sets of ACUs. But yeah, first time I saw such modifications was in 2004, in Iraq.

Response by SMSgt Thor Merich made Jul 5 at 2018 11:31 AM

SMSgt Thor Merich — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 11:31:50 -0400

I got my first set of DCU’s back in 2002 before I deployed. But on the AF side, DCU modifications were not made until you arrived down range.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 5 at 2018 11:59 AM

CW3 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 11:59:34 -0400

We had the sew shops on the FOBs modify ours. Took the small chest pockets and put them on the sleeves, then put the bigger pockets from the abdomin and put them on the chest.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 5 at 2018 12:14 PM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 12:14:46 -0400

And we Navy boys thought we were the only "cool kids" doing that :)

We were issued "straight" DCUs prior to deployment as late as 2007, with a mixed bag of DCU/ACUs coming to IAs over the next couple years as a I recall. Once downrange, it was "common practice" to have at least two sets modified with the sleeve pockets. I know we had "intense" discussions about it since our groups were pretty much all E6 and above...it came down to a "all for one, and one for all" decision, with the prevailing wisdom being that it was approved for those leaving the wire regularly...and if we had to go visit a major installation, had a VIP visit, etc...the "tacticool" went into retreat.

Near the end of my tour, I had one set that I had removed all insignia from, had a re-enforced collar, and even one of those "cooling bands" on the inside (man, I should've tried to sell that!) that I wore when going out for more than a few days.