Looks like Congress wants all to look the same.

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/article/20131212/NEWS/312120029?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

I agree with Congress on this one. We never should have went away from the BDU and DCU.

Despite proven advances in camouflage? Why not?

About 10 years ago the USMC decided to adopt the digital camo, and then all the other services decided to copy us and get their of camo too. Why 99% of the Navy or AF need to even wear camo is beyond me.

The Army alone spends $600MM per year in uniform costs because of multiple patterns. The USMC trademarked their camouflage pattern so that other services couldn't use it, despite offers of up to $150MM from the other services to use it as well.

The people who care what outfit we wear are part of the problem. Let go of the gold-plated inter service rivalry bull****. The next logical reason I hear for needing to spend millions per year supporting 6 different camouflage patterns will be the first logical reason I hear.

The army needs to stick with one pattern. I like the multi-cam pattern. Too bad I have to go back to ACUs in a few months. It seems like my entire career so far has been nothing but uniform changes. ACUs, no more berets, no more Class As and wear the ASUs. These things rack up money quick. At least I get the uniform allowance yearly. Even so, several years I've had to come out of pocket for things (ASUs and ruining several sets of ACUs and boots during my time in a Heavy Unit). I feel bad for the officers who pay all expenses out of pocket.
From what I heard, I think the Army will stay with a multi-cam pattern but a variation of the one worn in Afghanistan now. Don't see why this is so hard to figure out. Also I guess the winter PT set is changing too? A black and gold jacket is what I've heard.

Can we for the love of all things holy ditch the Velcro?

Need to go back to high uniform standards after we leave Afghanistan. This non-starch BS makes us look like crap.

Starched camo is perhaps the dumbest thing on earth.

Starching camouflage.

Starching camouflage.



[This message has been edited by Ulysses90 (edited 12/15/2013 9:26p).]

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The Army alone spends $600MM per year in uniform costs because of multiple patterns. The USMC trademarked their camouflage pattern so that other services couldn't use it, despite offers of up to $150MM from the other services to use it as well.

The people who care what outfit we wear are part of the problem. Let go of the gold-plated inter service rivalry bull****. The next logical reason I hear for needing to spend millions per year supporting 6 different camouflage patterns will be the first logical reason I hear.

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I dont know any of the details behind why MARPAT was trademarked, nor do I pretend to speak for the Marine Corps, but I'm with you that we only need one (MAYBE two, if you want to have a desert uniform) camoflauge uniform across all branches. I think the uniform the Marine Corps wears is the best looking one, but of course I am biased in that regard. I'm all for some inter-service rivalry, but when it comes to cammies...what's the point? We have different dress and service uniforms, and that's good enough for me.

I'm also curious why the air force and navy wear cammies to begin with.

I am not in the military but it makes sense to me. Cuts down on costs and waste.

OD green "pickle suit" for CONUS wear.

Issue cammo unis for deployments.

FYI...starched cammies light up like a Christmas tree on night vision and FLIR! As does spit shinned combat boots. Hence, the no starch and no shine uniforms/boots.
Once outside combat zone, there is (1) no reason to avoid starching and spit shining and (2) no reason to be wearing cammies 24/7. I can understand it if you are on work details (and have no other good option when expecting to get filthy) or on field training ops.
Bring back Class B / service uniforms for normal duties when in bivouac/rear areas.
Also, get rid of those funky looking berets that most army guys have a hard time wearing in a sharp manner. Go back to the puss cutter or wheel hats...especially when wearing Class A and above uniforms.

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Bring back Class B / service uniforms for normal duties when in bivouac/rear areas.

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I agree.

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Also, get rid of those funky looking berets that most army guys have a hard time wearing in a sharp manner. Go back to the puss cutter or wheel hats...especially when wearing Class A and above uniforms.

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I don't agree here. I can see getting rid of the beret or saving it for certain designations, but I hate the p!ss cutter and wheel hats.

Now, if they could make the p!ss cutter more like the WWII style garrison caps or like the Navy's khaki officers' and chiefs' hat, then I'd be all for it.

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Navy or AF need to even wear camo is beyond me.

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Water and Air envy from a ground pounder?

i guess i dont really care about the navy and AF wearing cammies around base (and in the store, airport, bar, or whatever makes them happy) if it makes them feel like they're in the military or whatever, but branch specific cammies for either of them is just flat stupid.

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Can we for the love of all things holy ditch the Velcro?

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Velcro is the real reason that the Army and the Marine Corps have different designs for their utility uniforms. Marines just have no idea what to do with 72 square inches of Velcro distributed among the pockets and sleeves. Our imaginations run dry after a couple of pieces of glint tape are applied.

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I'm also curious why the air force and navy wear cammies to begin with.

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Those blue polyester pants wrinkle when you throw them in a bag for several days. The cammies look better - and we need something to wear when our flightsuits are at the cleaners getting pressed.

At home base, it's usually not an issue. Some of the conditions we deal with when deployed are pretty tough, though. (See aforementioned cleaners comment. The turnaround time just isn't up to par sometimes.)

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Need to go back to high uniform standards after we leave Afghanistan. This non-starch BS makes us look like crap.

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Bring back the days of prepping your uniform, polishing your boots, and daily uniform inspections. I can guarantee you NJP's and office hours go down when the J.E.W.S.(junior enlisted warrior, because I can't call them boots anymore)have less time to screw off.

When you start looking like Marines you'll start feeling like Marines and then, damn it, you'll start acting like Marines.

I'm for protecting Marine MARPAT uniform but I'm a Marine. If you want to wear a Marine uniform then go earn it and join the Marines Corps. Its that simple

^

I think we can all agree that ACU teal was a bad idea.

There is no universal uniform, but MARPAT proves that 2 work well. All other gear can be coyote to match both.

If it is necessary to reduce uniform numbers, fine, but don't bring capabilities down to even it out. Bring everyone up with the best set, and bring back sleeve rolling.

I'm not deployed...so I still starch my stuff. Standards and regulation don't always jive.

I just want to roll my sleeves again.

We all do.

Loved the army's velcro at the bolc. We had extra patches that we'd try to toss on to them. Bonus points if the soldiers were awake at the time!

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I just want to roll my sleeves again.

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Couldn't agree more.

The article brings up some good points and a general standardization of uniforms would be cost effective for all branches of the military! It has become almost a competition to see who has the latest and greatest camo uniforms.

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It has become almost a competition to see who has the latest and greatest camo uniforms.

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When the Navy introduced the digital Boo Berries camo pattern it became more like a self handicapping than a competition. Not having been afloat in many years I can only picture in my mind what a man-overboard drill would look like if the sailor in the water was wearing the Boo Berries.

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It has become almost a competition to see who has the latest and greatest camo uniforms.

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When the Navy introduced the digital Boo Berries camo pattern it became more like a self handicapping than a competition. Not having been afloat in many years I can only picture in my mind what a man-overboard drill would look like if the sailor in the water was wearing the Boo Berries.

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Well according to the lance corporal underground they turn bright orange when they make contact with salt water.

DP

[This message has been edited by cookeag (edited 12/29/2013 12:35a).]

Forget the joint camo issue, the Marine Corps uniform board is going to consider dropping the black pixels from the green MARPAT. FWIW, in the original testing of variations of the green MARPAT pattern by PM ICE they found no advantage to including black in the camo pattern. Black is a natural result of shadow effects and doesn't need to be there. However, CMC (Gen J.L. Jones at the time) wanted black included in the pattern because it was one of the colors in the old woodland camouflage pattern so we got black pixels. Personally, I'm fine with dropping the black pixels as long as they don't make me throw away the cammies I already have. I promise not to mix & match black pixel MARPAT with the updated MARPAT.

http://kitup.military.com/2013/12/marines-removing-black-pixels.html?ESRC=marine-a.nl