I thought the Army's black berets were pointless too

[edlmann]

. . . the Elvis style coffeecan . . .

More (slightly) formally known as the Ridgeway cap.



Click here for more information than any human being needs.

[Art]

marine corps is behind the times, i guess. we ain't changed nothing except our warfighting clothes for a long time.
uniform of the day:
"dress blues, tenis shoes and a light coat of oil"

http://usmcshop.grunt.com/prodimg/BS57.jpg

(233 years, unmarred by progress)

Hey Goo, they may have changed some of the warfighting clothes but the hat is still the same. Not low maintanance but I still think the best looking cover of any service. I sure liked them a lot better than those baseball caps I wore.

[CTMC(ret)]

Couple of thoughts - even the USMC had a clunker of a uniform - familiar with the "peanut butter suit"? Couldn't even travel from home to base and arrive clean - almost as bad as the Navy whites! (P.S. And what about the newest Navy abortion for a work uniform - black p...cutter, khaki shirt, black pants)?

And - do I recall correctly that the Army black berets are made in China?!!

[Art]

They were made in China for a while and there was a HUGE stink about it. I understand they are made here now. If it wasn't for the Military there wouldn't be a textile industry in this country at all.

[Bob S]

(P.S. And what about the newest Navy abortion for a work uniform - black p...cutter, khaki shirt, black pants)?

Chief:

I saw this my last trip to the clinic at Quantico. My first thought was it was a variant of USMC uniform that used to be authorized for Corpsmen when assigned to an FMF command ... except that Quantico is not an FMF command, and the clinic, while a tenant activity of a USMC command, is still a Navy command with a Navy CO.

Conclusion: The Uniform Board is on drugs again.

Resp'y,
Bob S.

[wd0bcx]

Ever think about the $$$$ part of uniform change????

SOMEONE gets to make all those clothes.

LOTS of $$$$ to be made by someone.

Maybe that is the reason for changing everything all the time !

[smle-man]

More (slightly) formally known as the Ridgeway cap.



Click here for more information than any human being needs.

I had a set of kid size fatigues with the Ridgeway cap when I was a kid. My dad set the shirt up with E6 chevrons, it had my name and U.S. Army in the proper places. Don't remember the shoulder patch. I wore them out and outgrew them in about a year but I was a hit until they were gone. We kids of the late 50s/early 60s used to stage all day battles through the neighborhood with our realistic looking toy guns and some kids had their dad's WW2 souvenier helmets, belts ,etc. My dad said he dumped all of his stuff in the trash can when he got home except for the M43 field jacket that he kept. When he passed away recently I found it in the basement of the house, tattered and greasy so it went into the trash.

[Louis of PA]

I hope they come to their senses about the beret. I think it would look even worse with the Army blue uniform that's due out.

And, does anyone know when that might be?
Regards

[phil441]

Slightly OT, but does anyone remember the USAF 505's? Early '60's issue summer Dress Uniform.
Very light khaki uniform fashioned after the WWII British look of Monty's forces. Head dress stayed the same.
Looked sharp until you sat in them for a few hours. Wrinkle city! A twelve hour bus trip and you looked like a street person at best.
I don't remember when they went away but it was way too late. I was only issued them at Lowery when I was there in '61 but by the time I got to my next station in 1962 they weren't on the equipment list.

[Art]

The Army had a similar summer uniform when I was in. It had the same problem. I think the Air Force called their version "skeleton blues" or something like that.