# Question for you Vets, and Active Duty..



## Bob Wright (May 10, 2006)

In another thread several of ya'll stated you had been in Military. So....

When I was in the Army, you wore Class "A" uniform every time you left the post, and it had better be Class "A" all the time you were off post, or you wore the equivalent civilian attire. Now Class "A" was ODs in winter, Khakis in summer, tie, shined shoes, and cap worn properly. (And all buttons buttoned)

Now, I see soldiers and airmen in fatigues, or BDUs as they call them now, in many places in public. Don't remember seeing Navy or Marine personnel lately, but, what has happened? How in the world are these people allowed off post dressed in such a manner?

Bob Wright


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## propellerhead (May 19, 2006)

When I was Active Duty, we weren't allowed to wear that olive drab uniforms off base. The only exception was during your travel to and from the base from home and for quick stops. Fast food joints were ok. Anywhere they had waiters was not allowed. I never really understood the reason behind that rule. Anyway, that rule relaxed shortly after I got out in 92. The reason I heard was if a firefighter, nurse, EMT, plumber or mechanic can wear his or her work attire in a restaurant, why can't the military folks wear their work attire out there too? Also, most of us in the USAF kept the olive drab/BDUs clean and pressed all the time anyway. We did the dirty work in coveralls.


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## Bob Wright (May 10, 2006)

You had ODs in the Air Force in the 60s? I thought the AF went to blue about 1950 or so? Did away with brass insignia about that time, too?

Bob Wright


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## propellerhead (May 19, 2006)

During my time (Reagan's USAF) Class As were blue. Dark blue pants. Light blue shirts. Dark blue jacket. We could wear it with or without the jacket but without the jacket it wasn't called Class A anymore. The Class A was the equivalent of a business suit and we wore metal insignias on them. Any combination of the blue uniform was ok off base. The green utility uniforms (olive drab or BDU) had the restrictions I mentioned. The utility uniforms had cloth patches. 

The rules for wearing the uniform off duty offbase in overseas locations are totally different.


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## Bob Wright (May 10, 2006)

We had to wear a tie to even get into the post theatre. Pulling out an OD tie to wear with civilian clothes got you written up quick by the MPs.

But, we were in California where the bolo tie was acceptable. Many a "tie" was a decorated up rawhide boot lace!

Bob Wright


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## STINGER (May 13, 2006)

Bob Wright said:


> In another thread several of ya'll stated you had been in Military. So....
> 
> When I was in the Army, you wore Class "A" uniform every time you left the post, and it had better be Class "A" all the time you were off post, or you wore the equivalent civilian attire. Now Class "A" was ODs in winter, Khakis in summer, tie, shined shoes, and cap worn properly. (And all buttons buttoned)
> 
> ...


BOB

we have a military presence here, an air force base. i haven't seen but one person wearing a class a uniform since the gulf war. everybody wears bdu's.

we are at war you know. my backside. thats the worst garbage i ever heard.

the air force regulations at the time i served were that you could wear fatigues from the base to town and your place of residence.

if you enter an airforce base now you will find absolutely no one wearing blues. we are at war you know. everyone is in battle dress. what a crock.

i could make a few unsavory comments here but i won't. i don't blame the troops, i blame the leaders.


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## Thor (May 11, 2006)

Sometime in 93/94, the Navy relaxed their rules on uniforms. We were allowed to wear dungarees (working uniform) to and from work. It's been a LONG time coming because it was always a PITA to change when one got to work and when one was ready to head home. Personally, I welcomed the change.


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## Bob Wright (May 10, 2006)

*Class "A" uniforms...*

The Class "A" was for going off base during non-duty hours, such as on pass or leave.

Even during war time it was required for that.

I always liked the old pinks and tans worn by the Army (And Air Force) officers. My brother's best friend visited us several times and I always thought that was the sharpest uniform. He was a B-17 pilot. He was buried in a military cemetery in England.

Bob Wright


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## Mike Barham (Mar 30, 2006)

The Army authorizes the BDU/DCU/ACU for general duty wear. I wear the ACU daily here in Yuma, and I am never on a military post, but rather working for the Border Patrol. The battle uniform is also now authorized for travel in some cases (as when returning from the theater of battle).

The dress greens are going away, replaced by blues. But I think the ACU looks sharp, and is very appropriate for an army at war. It's a work uniform, and the Army works for a living.

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## STINGER (May 13, 2006)

Mike Barham at Galco said:


> The Army authorizes the BDU/DCU/ACU for general duty wear. I wear the ACU daily here in Yuma, and I am never on a military post, but rather working for the Border Patrol. The battle uniform is also now authorized for travel in some cases (as when returning from the theater of battle).
> 
> The dress greens are going away, replaced by blues. But I think the ACU looks sharp, and is very appropriate for an army at war. It's a work uniform, and the Army works for a living.


i could get a little argument going here so let me mull this over. i'll be back later.


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## Navy87Guy (Jun 4, 2006)

For Navy folks, we are allowed to wear out working uniforms (blue utilities for enlisted, cotton khakis for CPOs/officers) to and from work -- but *no stops in between*. If you need to go to Walmart, then you need to be in a dress uniform or civilian clothes.

It always use to bother me at the Pentagon to see Air Force guys in their flight suits...after 9/11 we didn't even have a heliport any more! Or the Army and Air Force in fatigues. That's fine for guys in the field, but not "in the office". Who are they trying to hide from? It's not like they were wearing "urban office" camouflage!

Jim


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## STINGER (May 13, 2006)

well kiss my grits. had to go to a doctors appointment the other day. 

upon leaving the appointment area what to my blodshot would appear but a lt. col air force officer wearing.........dress blues. i almost fainted. i told her, yes a her, about the discussion we were having. and i appreciated her dress uniform. and yes she was plenty good looking. i also thanked her for serving her country. 

mike

i agree somewhat. it used to be that fatigues were a badge of honor. fatigues meant you got your hands dirty doing maintenance work, motor pool, aircraft mechanic, ground pounding, etc. now it's just a uniform? almost. 

i totally agree with navy guy on the place and type of uniform that should be worn.


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## Bob Wright (May 10, 2006)

*Standin' Tall*

Too bad I don't have a picture, but Matthew Brady was never around.........

I felt like I was standin' tall in class "C" uniform-starched stiff fatigues, pale blue neck scarf, spit-shined Corchoran combat boots (the new black ones) polished and laquered helment liner and cartridge belt. In Korea, fatigues gave way to olive green wool shirt and field pants, with pile cap.

Bob Wright


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## Mike Barham (Mar 30, 2006)

Maybe I'm just a minimalist, but I think the ACU works fine as a practical, all-purpose uniform. Granted, it's somewhat casual, but what's wrong with that? Most modern civilian employers only ask for "business casual" attire.

There's a new emphasis in the Army since the Iraq war. What used to be called "weekend drills" for reservists are now called "battle assemblies." Some of this attitude carries over into a philosophy of "even if you work in an office, you're first and foremost a warrior, and you should look like one." Hence the battle uniforms even for office workers.

I wear my Class A uniform exactly once a year for inspection, twice if going before a promotion board. The rest of time, it is ACU, which is just fine with me. On the current border mission, we don't even wear the silly beret, even if working in an indoor environment. It's patrol caps all the way!

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## Thor (May 11, 2006)

Mike, I'm glad the rules have relaxed. I'm also glad that the Army is taking a different tack towards their uniforms. I have never seen much wrong with any of the working uniforms, period. Of course, there's the 10% rule. There will be people that abuse the system or privilege. My take on it is to root out these people that abuse the privilege and punish them accordingly. Granted, some people's jobs, especially like Boatswain's Mates, "Snipes" (engineering types) and others whose jobs demand that they get filthy dirty shouldn't be wearing a filthy uniform around. I saw it all too often at the local Navy Exchange.


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## Mike Barham (Mar 30, 2006)

Thor said:


> My take on it is to root out these people that abuse the privilege and punish them accordingly. Granted, some people's jobs, especially like Boatswain's Mates, "Snipes" (engineering types) and others whose jobs demand that they get filthy dirty shouldn't be wearing a filthy uniform around. I saw it all too often at the local Navy Exchange.


Agreed. Operation Jump Start has lots of engineers, welders, and mechanics. If they are doing dirty work, they are supposed to be issued coveralls, which solves the filthy-uniform problem. Soldiers working in admin/intel obviously don't have that problem, and the guys on the line in the LP/OPs (the politically correct term is now "entry identification teams" actually) are of course wearing BDU/ACU.

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