Military uniforms

[TheGrey]

I've thought about this a great deal, and I'd like to know what your opinion is on the subject- for those of you that served, what was your favorite part of your uniform, what was your least favorite part of your uniform, and why? It'd be good to know when you served, and what branch.

I'll start.

I served in the USAF, 1988-1992. My favorite part of my uniform were my combat boots. Black combat Mil Spec boots, all leather and with enough waffle-stomper tread on them to allow me to almost walk up walls. I polished the crap out of them and sno-sealed them to the point that I stood in a 9" deep puddle in Mississippi and my feet remained dry.

They died in Maryland, finally. The soles cracked clean across on both boots, and foolish me had no idea that there were people that could repair them. :( I miss those boots; we had an understanding of each other. Maybe I'll order another pair, and try taming them.

My least favorite part of my uniform was my dress blues shirt. I have no idea what the uniform committee was smoking at the time of design, but it was clearly designed by people that believe all women had massive hips and no chest to speak of. I couldn't raise my arm without the bottom of my shirt rucking up and catching any stray breeze, belling out to crawl up my side. I also couldn't take a very deep breath without fear of losing buttons. The designers clearly never tested the uniform shirt on anyone but hippy sticks.


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Now that I think about it, just about every department has a uniform. First responders, I'd like to hear your opinions, too!

[SideShow Bob]

And when someone tried to tease your kids with the old saying "Your Mother Wears Combat Boots" your kids would just nod their heads and say "yes, yes she sure does"......
I too would like to find some of those, or the canvas sided ones. The real ones, not the cheap copies made overseas.

[TheGrey]

And when someone tried to tease your kids with the old saying "Your Mother Wears Combat Boots" your kids would just nod their heads and say "yes, yes she sure does"......
I too would like to find some of those, or the canvas sided ones. The real ones, not the cheap copies made overseas.

http://www.altama.com/products/4157-black-combat-mil-spec-boot

[SideShow Bob]

http://www.altama.com/products/4157-black-combat-mil-spec-boot

Those must have been the next generation, or the Air Force got better boots than us ground pounders were issued. I was in when Hueys were king, and Blackhawks were just a rumor.
This was even before the Army went to camafluage uniforms.

[BPTactical]

Those must have been the next generation, or the Air Force got better boots than us ground pounders were issued. I was in when Hueys were king, and Blackhawks were just a rumor.

Hell Bob when you were in the Cavalry was still on hooves.....

[Aardvark]

Navy '85-'05. I was in first when we had the dungarees that would fade after every wash, but were quite comfortable. Then we went to the blue utilities that looked like a postman's outfit, wore like crap, never fit anyone that wasn't a 5'9" anemic/anorexic. I retired the year before the current speckled smurf digitals came out. Our semi-dress outfits were white cotton or white plastic/nylon. PITA to keep clean and had to be replaced often due to permanent marks, stains, snags... Winter 'blues', aka: Johnny Cash's were ok. Dress blues....whew...could be itchy, hot as hell, stiff as cardboard, bellbottoms to make a 70's pimp proud, but when you had to piss, plan ahead; 13 buttons aint easy to undue when y'gotta do the doo. Guess, I could say the Johnny Cash's were my favorites for decent looks, practicality, durability. As for footwear...low quarter slick soled dress shoes, boondockers (chukkaboots to the AF), or if you could get away with it, some form of safety boot like Bates. I like the boondockers, but prefer boots.

[Hound]

Submarines, Fast attack, 90's

Loved the ball caps, wearing the Dolphins and the 'poopie suit'. Nobody asked me when they named them. They were just comfortable and functional. If you were hot, take off the top and wrap the arms around your waist to make a belt. Easy to clean... No fuss no muss.

The Dress Blues Cracker Jacks (Winter) were made of wool with an acid and fire ant blend. I would always wear my navy blue sweat suit under them to keep them off my skin. Ya, not regulation but the only way I could stand still and not cry as the devil raked his pitch fork over my skin. I hated those damn things. It was a big reason I wanted to get stationed in Pearl, so I never had to wear them. That and tying that damn neck tie noose just right. Don't get me wrong, I liked the look but I gurantee the person who came up with whatever wool they used to make them never actually WORE them. They should rot in hell as a traitor to the Navy for making us suffer needlessly in those damn torture suits.

Not gonna go into the EAB's (Emergency Air Breather), which while not technically part of the uniform should be consider so with how much we were in them during drills. Running from one end of the pig (boat) to the other in one breath was a bitch. They made you do this in training.

Edit: ya, loved my boots too, once they were worn in. Still have them and wear them in the shop. Steel toes and all.

[SideShow Bob]

Hell Bob when you were in the Cavalry was still on hooves.....

You must be mistaking me for Blaster Bob.........

[TheGrey]

This is great. I had no idea about the Navy uniforms!

Our utility fatigues ("affectionately" called 'pickles') were phased out and BDUs were phased in while I was in tech school. The problem was that the uniform regulations appeared before the actual uniforms themselves- and were sketchy at best. There were no regulations for females and BDUs, so they shipped us army fatigues to wear in the meantime. The set they gave me fit me like oversized pajamas!

[Fentonite]

USMC '88-94

Favorite: my boots (same ones you referenced). Close runner-up was my dress blues, although I only wore them a couple times.

Least favorite: Toss-up: either those crappy wool socks they issued us in boot, or the Cu#% Cover (garrison cover).

[drew890]

My favorite was my black beret.
My least favorite was my tan beret.
Fuck you Gen Shinseki.

[Scanker19]

Field Jacket and liner. I still wear them too, that was until some guy in a bar yelled at me. Also I had my hands in my pockets.

[theGinsue]

Also '88-'05 - USAF.

Favorite: BDU's. Comfortable fit, durable enough, flexible enough to crawl through subfloors & run with full cop gear.

Least favorite: Service dress - particularly the ones we were wearing ~2000-2005. Uncomfortable & with my build the jacket never sat right on me, looking sloppy.

[Aloha_Shooter]

USAF 1987-2009.

I liked the quality Class Bs, the ones made with poly wool instead of 100% polyester, short sleeve shirt because I hated the feeling of sleeves past my elbows. I REALLY liked the short period when Gen Fogleman was CSAF and we got to wear all-some-or-none of our ribbons. I liked just wearing the three ribbons that I got for doing things I felt were particularly important and not having to put on stupid garbage like the Training or NDSM ribbons. Of course, the E-9s hated it.

I hated the flight suit. Some kind of freaking magic cloth that wouldn't breathe in the summer but let any and all drafts in during the winter. Wearing in Florida summers? Ugh! The wash-and-wear nature of it was about the only thing I liked.

I wore the pickle suit when I started, transitioned to the BDUs but hated them for a long time. Having to press BDUs just never made any sense to me, even when Army guys told me pressing was strictly for garrison and they all kept at least one set for the field that never saw an iron. After a while, the convenience of the cargo pockets and being able to roll up my sleeves (yeah, yeah, out of reg but I never saw anyone complain about it) or even take the top off when we were doing dirty work (like filling sand bags) grew on me.

[HoneyBadger]

USAF 2007-now. ABUs suck. Everything about them sucks. BDU's were pretty good. I do miss the black boots I used to wear - now they hang out in the back of my truck for emergencies. Wool/poly blues pants are uncomfortable and don't breathe. I miss wearing a flight suit (I'm a space guy, and we used to be authorized to wear them while pulling shifts).

I wish we would just switch to multicam already and be done with it.

[Great-Kazoo]

Pea coat and ball cap. Spouse still has a cracker jack top i sent her in 74.

[Rucker61]

Favorite uniform was the khakis we wore in JROTC. The Army should bring those back as a garrison uniform. Least favorite was the saucer cap. I don't know what head shape it was designed to fit, but I don't think it was a human head.

[Bailey Guns]

USAF '79-'89 Active, '96-'99 AFRES.

Man, I hated those fatigues we started out with. I could never get a shirt or pants that fit properly. I was really happy when we were authorized to wear the BDUs in the late 80s. I drove from Offutt AFB to Ft Riley and stocked up. Very functional and comfortable. I wore flight suits on occasion for certain TDYs I'd do in Okinawa. Gave myself a serious wedgie every time I bent over or kneeled down for something. Took some serious effort to dig them outta where they weren't supposed to be. I did love the flight boots, though. Way better than the standard combat boots.

That's why I became a cop. Went into the military right outta high school and never had to buy clothes. I needed a job with a uniform to wear when I separated. Most uniforms I wore as an LEO were just awful for working the street.

Favorite uniform is the one I wear now. Carhartt pocket t-shirt with the company name on the chest, blue jeans and boots. Perfect.

[Martinjmpr]

Army 1980 - 2005. We were issued the green "pickle suit" when I first came in, which I hated. The front pockets were cut so if you had any change in them it fell out when you sat down. The baseball cap had a leather sweatband that got nasty and greasy in the hot, humid climate of Fort Benning, GA. Keeping the "gig line" straight was a PITA.

I did like the khaki summer dress uniform, but it was phased out right after I came in.

The early BDU's with the "Elvis Collar" were goofy but they were an improvement over the pickle suit. By the late 1980's the BDU was a great uniform, very comfortable and sharp looking (of course, by then everybody pressed and starched them, even though they had been initially issued as a no-starch uniform.) My weekly ritual was Sunday night in the barracks ironing my uniforms and shining my boots for the week ahead.

The DCU (Desert Camouflage Uniform) version of the BDU was also very comfy. I wore that on both of my deployments to the sandbox (Afghanistan 2003 and Kuwait 2004.)

The old black boots were great, too. I still wear mine when I ride my motorcycle. They're at least 15 years old but they still fit great and are in good shape.

[thvigil11]

Always loved my boonie hats. Something about that cover made me feel very comfortable. And who hasn't loved their woobie

[Chaffee2]

I liked the pickle suits we had when I first transferred to the AF. The BDUs we had in the Marine Corps were comfortable and easy to wear. What I hated about the BDUs once the AF went to them is we had to iron and starch them. I remember the first 2 or 3 weeks after the AF got the BDUs we had to wear them the same as the pickle suits, we had to tuck them in. I didn't care for the covers we had in the Marines as there was no protection from the sun. I'm paying for that now that I'm over 50.

Being a maintenance troop for most of my career I never came to like the dress uniforms. If we had to be in dress uniforms usually meant we had to something we would rather not. One command I was in had a thing for dress uniforms. Every Friday we had to be in our dress blues no matter what our duty for the day was. Needless to say we didn't get much maintenance done on Fridays and when something had to done we gingerly done it as not to get oil or grease on the blues. Happily that policy didn't last to long maybe 4 or 5 months.

The artic issue was generally very good with the exception of the cotton long underwear. Once we went to the polypropylene it worked very well.

[davsel]

USAF 1987 - 2008

Loved my black combat boots - once they were broken in.
Loved my field jackets - both fatigue and BDU versions.
I liked the fatigues in the summer in Texas when we could wear them untucked and cut off the sleeves.

Hated the low-quarters. The shiny plastic ones were painful, and the leather ones never took a good shine.
BDUs were OK to wear, but a pain to iron or make them look as well kept as the fatigues.
I got out before ABUs became mandatory, so I never owned a set.

[airborneranger]

Green jungle boots. Nothing was better for the field or road marching.

[BlasterBob]

You must be mistaking me for Blaster Bob.........
Hey, wait a minute. Well I am probably ONE of the oldest guys here.
Exactly sixty (60) years ago today, I left home to head down to Camp Chaffee, Arkansas for basic, Sixty years ago tomorrow, I pledged to protect the Constitution of the United States of America. Had no favorite uniform but fatigues were pretty OK with me. Uniform that I disliked the most was the Winter wool OD's with the "Ike jacket". While stationed in Fairbanks, in 1955 -58, the wool OD's were the only dress uniform, Winter AND Summer. Not very comfortable when the temps reached the high 70's and low 80's. We were still issued brown boots back then and some guys were actually issued the WWII era boots with the rough finish with twin buckles at the top of these boots. At least they didn't have to spit shine those oldies. When I got discharged at Ft. Lewis, I watched one chap just discharged, get just outside the main gate, take lighter fluid, spray his duffle bag containing his former uniform, and toss a match on it. The MP's quickly extinguished the fire and hauled his ass back inside the gate. They told him that he destroyed Governenent property even though he had just received his discharge papers. Never did hear the outcome of this TRUE story.

[Hound]

Pretty sure the wool you discribe was shipped over to Navy to be colored for our dress blues... Thanks ;)

I am trying to come up with a better sad story than the fire one................. Nothing........... I got nothing. You win hands down!


Hey, wait a minute. Well I am probably ONE of the oldest guys here.
Exactly sixty (60) years ago today, I left home to head down to Camp Chaffee, Arkansas for basic, Sixty years ago tomorrow, I pledged to protect the Constitution of the United States of America. Had no favorite uniform but fatigues were pretty OK with me. Uniform that I disliked the most was the Winter wool OD's with the "Ike jacket". While stationed in Fairbanks, in 1955 -58, the wool OD's were the only dress uniform, Winter AND Summer. Not very comfortable when the temps reached the high 70's and low 80's. We were still issued brown boots back then and some guys were actually issued the WWII era boots with the rough finish with twin buckles at the top of these boots. At least they didn't have to spit shine those oldies. When I got discharged at Ft. Lewis, I watched one chap just discharged, get just outside the main gate, take lighter fluid, spray his duffle bag containing his former uniform, and toss a match on it. The MP's quickly extinguished the fire and hauled his ass back inside the gate. They told him that he destroyed Governenent property even though he had just received his discharge papers. Never did hear the outcome of this TRUE story.

[USMC88-93]

Favorite part of the uniform was the fact i was skinny. Close second who doesn't like a sword for cutting cake every 10 NOV.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v651/PhotoTWB/USMC/img011.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/PhotoTWB/media/USMC/img011.jpg.html)http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v651/PhotoTWB/USMC/PendletonRifleRange.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/PhotoTWB/media/USMC/PendletonRifleRange.jpg.html)

[.455_Hunter]

I don't know how many here were (are) Officers in the Army, but my biggest complaint about the post-BDU uniforms is the removal of the actual "branch" (Infantry, Armor, Ordnance, Quartermaster, etc.) from the collar. Previously, at a glance, you knew who to talk to about various topics. If I wanted to discuss maintenance support issues, I would look for the O3 with the flaming piss pot (Ordnance), not some cannon cocker (Artillery- crossed cannons) or grunt (Infantry- crossed muskets) pretending to be a logistical expert.

[airborneranger]

I don't know how many here were (are) Officers in the Army, but my biggest complaint about the post-BDU uniforms is the removal of the actual "branch" (Infantry, Armor, Ordnance, Quartermaster, etc.) from the collar. Previously, at a glance, you knew who to talk to about various topics. If I wanted to discuss maintenance support issues, I would look for the O3 with the flaming piss pot (Ordnance), not some cannon cocker (Artillery- crossed cannons) or grunt (Infantry- crossed muskets) pretending to be a logistical expert.

Agreed. That is the worst part of the uniform. Army of One!


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[BlasterBob]

Back in the mid-50's, the Army O's wore "Pinks & Greens".

[DocMedic]

Favorite Part = Boots, least favorite part = Boots.

[Rucker61]

I don't know how many here were (are) Officers in the Army, but my biggest complaint about the post-BDU uniforms is the removal of the actual "branch" (Infantry, Armor, Ordnance, Quartermaster, etc.) from the collar. Previously, at a glance, you knew who to talk to about various topics. If I wanted to discuss maintenance support issues, I would look for the O3 with the flaming piss pot (Ordnance), not some cannon cocker (Artillery- crossed cannons) or grunt (Infantry- crossed muskets) pretending to be a logistical expert.

Hear, hear.

[Honey Badger282.8]

Navy 2007-2015

Biggest gripe: too many uniforms.

Old Seabag
Utilities: ugly, uncomfortable and hot.
Coveralls: Ok, but never wore them because I was aviation.
Working Whites (Ice Cream Man): I loved the way they looked but hated how hard they were to keep clean.
Working Blues (Johnny Cash's): Looked awesome but the tie sucked and they were insanely hot.
DCUs: I loved these, light and decent looking.
BDUs: Hated the winter weight ones but loved the summer weights.

New Seabag
NWU Type 1: WTF were they thinking when they made this uniform. It's hot, it looks RETARDED, quality is nonexistent (I had to reinforce the buttons on every new set I bought right from the NEX).
NSU: The comfort of the working whites but easier to keep clean. They definitely don't look as good as the old service uniforms but they're ok.
NWU Type 2&3: Awesome uniform, actual camouflage not that BS aquaflage. Light weight fabric, breathable, high quality (compared to type 1's) and durable.
Flight Suit: AWESOME! I loved going to work in pajamas every day. Never had to wear a belt or blouse the pants. After breaking them in they never got wrinkled either.
2 Piece Flight Suit: AWESOME! Not quite as comfortable as the one piece but more functional plus you could de-blouse or wear the combat shirt while flying.
PT Uniform: I want to punch whoever came up with these. They look retarded and the good shirts go from gold to a dull mustard yellow after only a few washes. Since it's unserviceable you have to buy a new one and they're $50 a piece. The standard shirts suck to run in and will rub your nipples off after only a few miles.

Dress Uniforms
Dress Blues: 2nd best looking uniform in all of the military. Downside is they were hot and 13 buttons. They also weren't the most comfortable thing to wear.
Dress Whites: Best looking uniform in all of the military. Only downside is that they were hard to keep clean.

[Scanker19]

Always loved my boonie hats. Something about that cover made me feel very comfortable. And who hasn't loved their woobie

^^^^This x1000

[Danimal]

Deleted

[Mtn.man]

Can you wear the pants with a Tan shirt?

[airborneranger]

Can you wear the pants with a Tan shirt?

It depends on who you ask! [emoji56]


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[davsel]

Field Jacket and liner. I still wear them too, that was until some guy in a bar yelled at me. Also I had my hands in my pockets.
[ROFL2]

[Ronin13]

Army '06-'10, first of the post-BDU group (but we were still used some woodland stuff due to the switchover still going on). Favorite- no more pressing and shining of uniform items. Least favorite: ACU pattern didn't camouflage you in any situation (hardly), Velcro everywhere (sorry, hook and loop fastener), and they were weak under normal operating conditions. I remember my FR-ACUs tearing a lot in Afghanistan, and the crotch seemed to blow out for just about anyone getting in/out of MRAPs.

ACSO '14-Present. Favorite part of the uniform, newer shirts have better breathability. Least favorite: Class-A uniform pants are wool, hot as hell in the summer, and aren't as comfy as our B's which are 5.11 tactical duty pants.

[275RLTW]

Military:
Best = MC-4 Parachute & Ranger panties
Worst = anything that wasn't for field use


Cushy GS grade position:
Best = what ever I felt like wearing, usually Crye pants & t shirt that offends someone
Worst = I wore whatever I wanted... F' Your Couch!

[Joe_K]

USMC 07-12

Best: Green Silkies with a Black T -Shirt
Worst: Fucking Alphas with a Damn Barracks Cover and Cloroframs.

[OneGuy67]

Army 85-89
Army Reserve 90-98
National Guard 06-Current

Been through BDU's, chocolate chips, jungles, now crappy ACU's and soon, OCP's. Pickle suits were still authorized when I first came in, but they didn't issue them at Basic.

Best thing: jungle boots

Worst thing: jump boots (in winter, in Germany); ACU's; loosened enforcement of regs on wearing uniforms. The newer ACU's have replaced Velcro with buttons on the cargo pockets, so pants have 12 buttons now. Back in the BDU era, at inspections, you would have to do pushups for having a button unbuttoned, so you constantly checked to make sure your pockets were all buttoned on blouse and pants. The lax enforcement on ACU's has people with their shit all unbuttoned; officers, NCO's, joes. My platoon hates my button inspections. push ups for all!