Some Stray Rounds for your consideration.
ARMY SERVICE UNIFORM
The only comments which I made to date regarding the Army Service Uniform had to do with the possibility of adding Epaulettes to the Officer version, which I found just plain stupid.
Now that I have seen the Army Service Uniform (ASU) being worn here are some thoughts:
• When worn as a Dress Uniform it is Classy looking; however putting the Pin-On Combat Patches makes it look like a South American Field Marshal. .
• When worn as a Class A Uniform—see comments above.
• When worn as a Class B Uniform with just the white shirt you look like a mall cop.
• Instead of letting Sergeants Majors design uniforms, why not hire someone like Ralph Lauren to design the Army Uniform I suspect it would look better and be more functional.
The Salvation Army has better looking uniforms! But rather than screwing around any longer the Army should just do nothing—given that we are fighting two wars and soldiers seldom wear them (though see next comment) why bother.
PUT THE ARMY BACK IN THE SERVICE UNIFORMS IN THE PENTAGON
This week Richard Doar in Army Times wrote that the military needs to put soldiers back in their service uniforms and regulate ACUs, fatigues, etc to garrison, the flight line etc. Could not agree more.
I have been back in the Pentagon for several months now and soldiers wearing ACUs in the halls of an office building (the world’s largest low rise!) does not make sense. If the civilians can wear coat and tie to work; soldiers can wear their Class A or Bs.
What is even worse, some have been spotted on Capital Hill wearing ACUIs. Wrong, just plain wrong.
I understand we are a military at war, wearing our Combat Uniform in public ain’t going to change the fact most Americans are unaware the war is being fought.
WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT AN IMPROVED M16, A NEW RIFLE, OR NEW COMBAT UNIFORMS?
A lot of discussion on the Army’s fixes for the M16, to include using a piston system vice a gas blowback. We shall see how long it take to happen? Is this worth the money or would the Army be better off to get a new weapon? I think so, I vote for something either in 5.56mm or 7.62mm. I know there are those who want the 6.5mm or 6.8mm but the cost would be prohibitive. Patton once said, good operators remember logistics. Adding a new round would strain our logistics system—too much risk—IMHO.
Army has been directed in the National Defense Authorization Act (Congressional Money Bill for FY 10) to get a new pattern vice the current ACU—I think this is unnecessary congressional meddling—question what should the Army spend its money on New Combat Uniform and associated gear; or New Rifle. Thoughts?
