New Uniforms

[Champ Kind]

Originally posted by whitman:

I wonder what the AF would be like if we went to Marine TBS for 6 months (or the AF equivalent) instead of ASBC (6 weeks)

Ummm.....probably like the Marine Corps? Hence why we're in the USAF....?

[nsplayr]

Bump.

AF Uniform Office Plans for the Future

The Air Force Uniform Office here is developing a seven year strategic plan to provide the Air Force Uniform Board vital uniform technology information to assist in making decisions to pursue the board's priorities.

Priorities for the AFUB include the airman battle uniform, dress uniform, physical training uniform, and specialty uniforms to include fire resistant, flight suits and extreme cold weather gear.

The current method of identifying and prioritizing Air Force uniform development and improvements is addressed through the AFUB. By logging into the Air Force's IDEA Program Web site, Airmen can select a link that allows them to submit their ideas. Those suggestions are reviewed by members of the Air Force Uniform Board for inclusion in the annual AFUB Priority List.

"We want to meet the needs of our Airmen in all areas of operations," said 2nd Lt. Justin Mason, the AFUO strategic planning project lead. "This plan will lay the foundation for future (uniform) designs and operational improvements.

The AFUO is requiring the new strategic plan to provide a full study of Air Force uniforms, which includes information on latest innovations from the textile industry, efforts by sister services, and feedback from Airmen service wide over current concerns.

Meetings will also be held with members of the textile industry to learn their plans over the next seven years, and incorporate those into the AFUO plan.

There will be quarterly reports that update the AFUO on current and future technology, while making recommendations for uniform design, said Master Sgt. James Lynn, an AFUO subject matter expert.

"We will use this strategic plan to examine our (AFUO) current and future efforts," Sergeant Lynn said. "This is a great opportunity to become more in-tune with meeting the needs of our Airmen on both sides of the wire."

To submit suggestions for consideration by the Air Force uniform board, please visit the "AF IDEA Program" web page on the AF Portal.

The comments are the best:

Here's an idea for the Uniform Board -- take the next seven years off and leave our uniforms alone for a while.

+1

[JeepGuyC17]

"said 2nd Lt. Justin Mason, the AFUO strategic planning project lead"

Isn't there a snack bar somewhere that needs stocking?

Edited March 17, 2010 by JeepGuyC17

[Guest Sammy7]

We're just a service in search of a tradition I guess.

I know that was written almost four years ago, but that sums it up perfectly.

It's an unfortunate catch-22, we're either stuck with horrible uniforms or have to put up with the asspain of rolling out new ones. Even then, there's no guarantee that the new ones will be an improvement.

Lt Mason, in case you're doing a vanity search and you see this, I want to give you my two cents.

PT gear: Go to Dick's/Academy/Foot Locker/whatever. Find something that isn't too flashy, order it in blue, swap out the Nike/Adidas/Under Armour/whatever logo with an Air Force logo and call it a day.

ABUs: The fundamental principle behind cammo is to blend in with your environment. It is NOT an opportunity to look snazzy compared to other services. Get together with your counterparts and find something that isn't going to stand out like a drag queen in Amish country.

Service/Blues: Change for the sake of change isn't always a good thing. As much as everyone thinks they're just a business suit, they sure are better than any of the prototypes I've seen. Keep everything the same except ditch the disco polyester fabric for something that doesn't feel so cheap.

Follow my advice and I guarantee that you'll pin on captain in the next 2-4 years as your just reward. In the meantime, we're out of Skittles.

[Bluto]

The new PT shorts are plain blue with no logo and are much better. They are selling for $16.95. Bad part is since they don't have reflective material you have to wear a belt even though the shirts have the reflective material.

[Guest TheBull]

The best-case scenario from this is some plan that says "We will do X and then leave it alone for the next 7 years..."

Of course - this could easily get trumped in the near future with this insert into the Defense Authorization Act back in July: http://soldiersystems.net/2009/07/30/congress-proposes-common-ground-combat-uniform/

Long term - hopefully everyone ends up in MARPAT-style uniforms with a Multicam pattern...

[HeloDude]

I imagine the one benefit of allowing openly gay dudes serve is that we'll all be better dressed.

[Vertigo]

I imagine the one benefit of allowing openly gay dudes serve is that we'll all be better dressed.

No- their inputs will be counteracted by the openly gay females.

[Guest TheBull]

New men's service uniform:

New women's service uniform:

[Champ Kind]

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123219081

In other words: "The ABU is a piece of shit."

[Duck]

Wow... a new uniform, before we even got to the mandatory wear date of the last uniform.

Take some time to read this website on the production of our outstanding ABU. It really focuses on how F*d up our leadership's focus has become.

http://www.tigerstripeproducts.com/airforcetiger.htm

[Hacker]

The note at the bottom of the page is priceless:

When we started the uniform project in 2002, USAF Leadership informed us that 97% of AF personnel did not need a battle uniform but rather a barracks utility work uniform. Leadership ultimately received exactly what they asked for. The resulting uniform is that barracks utility work uniform.

The name actually does apply if one takes into consideration the battle activity that USAF Leadership says is the mission of the majority of today's Air Force. As determined by USAF Leadership, advanced Battle features like easy entry slanted chest, arm, and leg cargo pockets, elbow and knee padding pockets, improved neck closure to keep debris out and to protect from body armor, gusseted shoulders for ease of movement, and most importantly... an authentic Battle ready advanced pixilated Tiger Stripe pattern and colorway are not needed for the 21st century U.S. Air Force.

This uniform does not seem to fit the definition of an advanced battle uniform. This is evidently a new style of battle uniform.

We're sorry. We wished we had had the opportunity to give you an authentic battle uniform with all the relevant features plus an effective camouflage design. At the very least you could have had a uniform with a State-of-the-Art pixilated Tiger Stripe pattern and colorway unlike what was chosen.

The men and women of the Air Force have our undying support for the difficult jobs that you all perform for our country. Is this new adopted camouflage and uniform design an Airman Battle Uniform or an Airman Barracks Uniform? Maybe it's just according to your own definition.

[Napoleon_Tanerite]

The new PT shorts are plain blue with no logo and are much better. They are selling for $16.95. Bad part is since they don't have reflective material you have to wear a belt even though the shirts have the reflective material.

The new new PT shorts are the best of both worlds-- they're the same softer, non-swishy material as the "running shorts", and they have the reflective bullshit on them so you don't need to add a reflective piece of flair (unless you're at the Deid). Best of all, they have POCKETS, like real side pockets!

[M2]

In other words, ABUs were designed for folks who sit in offices.

Even the Army is moving away from ACUs in theater, now they are issued the new MultiCam uniforms...

"The decision to field and develop an alternative camouflage for uniforms in Afghanistan came out of the realization that the Army's current Universal Camouflage Pattern, or UCP, did not meet all of the concealment needs for Afghanistan's multiple regions."*

I don't know why the AF doesn't pull its cranium out its ass and just adopt the ACU/MultiCam and put our own patches on it. Some already wear them in theater, this need to have our own "unique" "battle" uniform is just costing the troops a lot of money and embarrassment!

But at least it's not as bad as the new Navy Vietnamese special forces uniforms!

Sheer brilliance! Design a "camouflage" uniform with bright silver and gold insignia sewn on it!

Cheers! M2

[Guest AFJWest]

Just wanted to add some fuel to the fire:

http://www.tigerstripeproducts.com/airforcetiger.htm

The whole things a great read, but if you only have a minute, scroll to the bottom and read: "A note to the ranks."

[Napoleon_Tanerite]

In other words, ABUs were designed for folks who sit in offices.

Even the Army is moving away from ACUs in theater, now they are issued the new MultiCam uniforms...

"The decision to field and develop an alternative camouflage for uniforms in Afghanistan came out of the realization that the Army's current Universal Camouflage Pattern, or UCP, did not meet all of the concealment needs for Afghanistan's multiple regions."*

I don't know why the AF doesn't pull its cranium out its ass and just adopt the ACU/MultiCam and put our own patches on it. Some already wear them in theater, this need to have our own "unique" "battle" uniform is just costing the troops a lot of money and embarrassment!

But at least it's not as bad as the new Navy Vietnamese special forces uniforms!

Sheer brilliance! Design a "camouflage" uniform with bright silver and gold insignia sewn on it!

Cheers! M2

Multicam is a superior pattern, bar none. Personally I think it should be the new STANDARD camouflage pattern, and let the army and marines fight it out for whose cut is better uniform wise, with the winner being the uniform for THE WHOLE DOD. I think the Army cut is probably the best of the two, and maybe incorporate the arm pockets for pens from the ABU. Imagine how much simpler life would be if there was ONE uniform from all branches that was delivered to supply/AAFES/etc with loop side velcro on all the places to put rank, nametapes and shoulder patches. ONE boot for everyone as well. I vote either the current desert tan one, as it looks reasonable in every uniform combination to include tan and green flight suits and we have a LOT in the inventory, or the darker brown suede boot used by the Marines, which looks better, but is not in as high of supply currently.

And WRT the Navy disaster that they call a uniform-- gotta love how the ONLY think it blends into is the water, the one place that Navy guys would WANT to be seen if that's where they were.

[Prosuper]

That new Navy utility uniform is ideal for acft mx, it will hide any oil stain. Plus compared to their old work uniform they don't look like Federal inmates on work release anymore. Plus it hides a fat Navy chicks ass better. When deployed to a FOB they wear DCU's or whatever the USMC wears if attached to them.

Can any old timers here explain to me why at a Red Flag in August when we still wore DCU's and BDU's could not wear our DCU's at Nellis on the flightline in 120 degree heat ?

[contraildash]

Anyone else notice the playstation/xbox/whatever game controller the guy on the left is using?

[sky_king]

Anyone else notice the playstation/xbox/whatever game controller the guy on the left is using?

He's confused

[jazzdude]

Anyone else notice the playstation/xbox/whatever game controller the guy on the left is using?

I think they use an xbox controller to control their EOD robots...something about having a familiar user interface...

But hey, if it works, then why not?

[M2]

I think they use an xbox controller to control their EOD robots...something about having a familiar user interface...

But hey, if it works, then why not?

Yep.

Microsoft XBox Joins the U.S. Army for Military Combat Missions

US Army has started implementing Microsoft’s newest gaming system, the XBox 360, to help train soldiers with simulated combat and war games. The United States military has always been aware of the synergy between gaming and its new weapons systems.

Recently, the US Army conducted its first live-fire exercise, Experiment 1.1, using Future Combat Systems (FCS) technologies and equipment. The military exercise was apart of the most comprehensive Army modernization effort and was held at Oro Grande Range at Fort Bliss, Texas. This included a robot designed to take out snipers and code named the RedOwl. The inventory of military robots and unmanned vehicles doesn’t stop there though. The XBox controller is used to control and maneuver robots. The controllers are not completely wireless however. It looks like the controller goes to a pack on the soldier which communicates wirelessly to the robot. Not only does having a wired controller save on batteries, it simplifies the system, by only having one wireless system versus two, which cuts down on points of failure.

Edited August 25, 2010 by M2

[Napoleon_Tanerite]

I think they use an xbox controller to control their EOD robots...something about having a familiar user interface...

But hey, if it works, then why not?

I think it's a matter that the XB360 controller functions as a USB game controller when plugged into a windows PC. i'd be willing to bet bombot software is designed to work with a controller like that, so instead of a $69m proprietary controller to control the bombot, they use an off the shelf one that costs $25

[gmwalk]

What are the little yellow dorks on the muzzles of their guns? Are they dust caps?

[FUSEPLUG]

What are the little yellow dorks on the muzzles of their guns? Are they dust caps?

I believe those are used in training - just an extra warm fuzzy that they aren't going to shoot one of their buddies/instructors.

[Smokin]

Correct, they attach to and block the end of the barrel in case somehow a live round ended up in the chamber.

One complaint I have heard about the ACUs is the velcro pockets. Nice for in base, but if you're trying to be quiet and need something in your pocket, you're SOL. Other than that, most of the JTACs and guys who actually work in the field would take the ACUs over the crappy uniform we have now.