AROTC PT Uniforms

SKJ

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May 19, 2015
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New here... Our son received 4-year AROTC scholarship. At college registration, the Captain told him that they will provide PT uniforms, but they are the old ones. He said most of the new cadets purchased the new uniforms because they like them better. Where can we purchase these? Will my son get any paperwork that would allow him to shop on a base? Thanks!
 
My advice to all new Cadets...don't buy anything...you will be issued what you need. You should never be asked or required to buy any uniform items. If the Battalion switches over to the new PT uniform then the Battalion will issue the Cadets the new uniform. I can't imagine how your new Battalion is letting some Cadets buy a different uniform than what is issued.

Your Cadet will eventually get an ID card and have access to the Clothing Sales store on base. You can also pick up just about any uniform item online from a surplus store like Ranger Joe's or Bradleys or the US Cavalry, but there is no need.
 
I agree with Clarkson. There will be things as times goes by that your son will need to purchase, save the money for those things, a new PT uniform is surely not one of them. At 5:30 am nobody is going to really care which PT uniform they have on, it's what they do in the uniform that gets noticed. Just remember, battalion cadre cycle through a program, the next PMS may want them all in the same PT uniform, they won't make cadets buy anything so they will just tell the cadets that went out and spent the money on those new PT uniforms to leave them in the closet and wear what they issue. Save the money.
 
"My advice to all new Cadets...don't buy anything...you will be issued what you need. You should never be asked or required to buy any uniform items."

Not to sound dense but what about boots and socks for AROTC cadets?
Should new AROTC purchase approved boots to have ready by Fall?
If yes, another OP had Belleville 390DES meeting Army regulations, true? Or do ARTOC battalions have discretion on boots? Know WP provides a list for Beast approved.

Same question for socks, is there specific Army reg. sock that meets AROTC or discretion within battalion?

Quantico in the 80s good advice I was given by Lt., and took, was to break in a pair of boots (old black leather) and have extra socks. (Used extra pair from the Corps for dress boots). Made it through with no foot problems and points for always having nicely polished boots.
Thanks.
 
I say again...don't buy anything...you will be issued what you need.

Here is what I emailed to one of my 4 year winners when he asked about boots:

You will not need to buy any gear, so there is no checklist. You will be issued all the uniforms and equipment you need shortly after you get here in the fall. I would tell you that you will have plenty of time to break in the boots that are issued to you. If you still feel the need to buy your own boots then you can look at Army Regulation 670-1 or google army regulation boots to find out what is regulation. We don't do a lot of training at the beginning that requires broken in boots, so you should have plenty of time before we ask you to walk any distance in boots.

I'm sure Quantico in the 80's is a lot different walking across campus in the 2015s. The modern Army boot has come a long way since then. We issue our Cadets two pair of boots and six pair of issue socks. They do just fine without having to buy any extras
 
Not to be argumentative as I've never actually worn (or probably seen) the issued boots and they may have changed in the past few years. However, my daughter started AROTC in 2010 and within a month, decided that the issued boots weren't good for her feet and bought Danners. I was told by her that *everybody* ends up buying their own boots. As time went on, she transitioned to the Nike boots before that model was ruled out of regulation but everybody still wore them. Last I knew, she was wearing Rocky's at her current assignment but she changes into scrubs as soon as she gets to work so only has to wear them on the drive into work and on the way home.

My son started in 2012 and bought the "old" Nike's as well before somebody decided they were out of regulation but once again, at least 1/2 his unit was wearing them including the cadre. The Nike's have apparently since been modified and are now in regulation. He tried some other brand last year but for Ranger Challenge went back to the Nike's.

I guess the gist of my story was based on the experience of MY kids, your kid will most likely end up wanted to buy "better" boots than those issued unless things have changed for the better. As far as PT clothing, the only people in my son's unit that have them are the Ranger Challenge team who bought their own.
 
I guess the gist of my story was based on the experience of MY kids, your kid will most likely end up wanted to buy "better" boots than those issued unless things have changed for the better.

To me it seems the gist of the story was that everybody loves Nike :shake:

Going (sorta) back on topic, I'm just curious: You then keep everything that they issued you in ROTC for when you commission and serve? Or will you have to get/acquire new gear elsewhere?
 
I guess the gist of my story was based on the experience of MY kids, your kid will most likely end up wanted to buy "better" boots than those issued unless things have changed for the better.

To me it seems the gist of the story was that everybody loves Nike :shake:

Going (sorta) back on topic, I'm just curious: You then keep everything that they issued you in ROTC for when you commission and serve? Or will you have to get/acquire new gear elsewhere?

No, you turn everything in and will be buying your own stuff right before and after you commission. Keep in mind that all units are not created equal either. My son had better equipment quality (i.e. newer) issued to him than my daughter and I'd say my son's unit was also able to experience more as well, probably due to easy access to "wilderness" in Boise vs Portland. For instance, my son's unit has gone shooting with the M4 rifles each year but my daughter never shot one until she arrived at LDAC to qualify with it.
 
I would defer to Clarksonarmy over me. however here is my 2 cents.

I cant imagine being allowed to wear miss matched gear. For each activity (pt etc) they are ALL told specifically what to wear. I've never see photos of them not matching.

between ranger challenge, ranger buddy, bataan march etc my son thought the issued boots were ok but his own boots were far better. (he is also a rucker) both my army and navy sons wear Rocky S2V. I bought their first pair. they get paid enough afterwards to buy what they want/need.

what they ask me for all the time is socks. socks. socks. green socks, black socks, white socks, short socks, tall socks, socks. socks. socks. I have a pile of green army socks that I cant decide if I should sew for them or toss


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I would also say that each son (USNA MID and AROTC) spends a couple hundred dollars of their pay on particular items they need for their summer training. They do draw a paycheck and as such they pay for these items on their own.....except when they wise up and order it though my credit card on amazon ;)
 
Thanks for all the information. Son definitely does not want to be “that guy” the newbie with all the shiny gear. But he has learned through my harping, and his own experience with miles of mountain backpacking to always take care of the feet. His call on getting boots pre-AROTC showup.

Vista123, the sock chart is hilarious!

Jcleppe, re: The food line, Holy Cow! Between DS and his two younger brothers we live like the old woman in the shoe. DS asked mother the other day “how goes the war as it I notice we are on food rations.” College will not be making money on him with their food plan.
 
.except when they wise up and order it though my credit card on amazon

Boy if that doesn't sound familiar.

It also didn't take them long to learn to be almost out of food just when we would show up at school for a Mom's or Dad's weekend.

Or be out of laundry detergent right before they showed back up at home....or so my kids told me!

I am curious. So for AROTC cadets they don't have the option to keep their uniforms? For AFROTC, at least for my DS, they had an option keep them, but no 1 time uniform allowance or hand them back and buy new using the allowance.
~ Many rated cadets keep the uniforms because they will wear their blues or ABUs so rarely it just was easier. Our DS handed back, but that was due to the fact we slowly purchased every birthday/Xmas uniforms. He than kept the money as a graduation gift from us.

The only things we purchased for our DS were sneakers and a shoe shining kit. He wore glasses so we also purchased him a pair of prescription Ray Ban sunglasses that were AF approved style.

Vista, you made me crack up. Christmas as a HS senior, socks would have been tossed back under the tree with Gee thanks Mom and Dad. Christmas freshmen year AFROTC, it was Thanks Mom and Dad while he tried them on. What a difference a year makes!
~ He is a pilot now and this years gifts were all AF gear....pilot pub bag... Mag light.. etc.

Vista, if I recall AROTC this year cut back on uniforms, so PT gear is probably included in that. I believe they now only offer it to scholarship recipients.

If that is the case, I def. would not buy any PT gear. Just from the he may now stick out even more aspect. Let's assume only scholarship recipients are given the PT uniform (old style), but you purchase the new one. He now is look at me. Just my opinion, but while you want to shine those first few weeks, the way to do it is not wearing the new PT gear, it is maxxing everything even in mismatched gear.

I would pay more attention to working out over the summer because come Aug/Sept this forum will be littered with many posters stating how many cadets busted the PFA. Please don't take that the wrong way. I am not inferring anything, just saying the big picture is not the gear, it is the test.
 
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We purchased extra PT clothes. The boys were only issued one set of PT gear. Ranger Challenge works out five times a week. We felt pretty confident that they would not be doing laundry daily.
 
I am curious. So for AROTC cadets they don't have the option to keep their uniforms? For AFROTC, at least for my DS, they had an option keep them, but no 1 time uniform allowance or hand them back and buy new using the allowance.
~ Many rated cadets keep the uniforms because they will wear their blues or ABUs so rarely it just was easier. Our DS handed back, but that was due to the fact we slowly purchased every birthday/Xmas uniforms. He than kept the money as a graduation gift from us.
.

It is my understanding AROTC cadets get to keep their ABU uniforms and return all equipment. As for the Army dress uniforms, Army cadets use enlisted dress uniforms during their time as cadets so I guess those get returned as well and the newly minted LT. gets to go shopping.
 
Keep in mind that all units are not created equal either. My son had better equipment quality (i.e. newer) issued to him than my daughter and I'd say my son's unit was also able to experience more as well, probably due to easy access to "wilderness" in Boise vs Portland. For instance, my son's unit has gone shooting with the M4 rifles each year but my daughter never shot one until she arrived at LDAC to qualify with it.

This is so true... DS showed up at CULP last year with 4 brand new ,unworn sets of ABU's with the tags still on. One of the guys in his unit had only one set ( the set he was issued once he contracted). As for training, DS unit is close to FT. Carson so they have lots of oppurtunities to train. Probably more often than most units.
 
[QUOTE="while you want to shine those first few weeks, the way to do it is not wearing the new PT gear, it is maxxing everything even in mismatched gear.

I would pay more attention to working out over the summer because come Aug/Sept this forum will be littered with many posters stating how many cadets busted the PFA. Please don't take that the wrong way. I am not inferring anything, just saying the big picture is not the gear, it is the test.[/QUOTE]


+1,000,000
 
It is my understanding AROTC cadets get to keep their ABU uniforms and return all equipment. As for the Army dress uniforms, Army cadets use enlisted dress uniforms during their time as cadets so I guess those get returned as well and the newly minted LT. gets to go shopping.

My son turned in everything a week before commissioning, the only items he was allowed to keep were anything that touched the skin, T-shirts, socks, ect., everything else went back including his ACU's. He did purchase 2 sets of new ACU's (A bit cheaper through his battalion) he was able to keep his boots.

Make sure he keeps a good record of what he has been issued and don't lose anything, he will go through the check list with the supply person when he is close to commissioning, if he is missing anything that is required to be turned in, he will have to pay for it. Son could not find his fleece jacket anywhere, had to pay $50.00.

Each battalion may have different rules, that's just how it was done at my son's.
 
I am curious. So for AROTC cadets they don't have the option to keep their uniforms? For AFROTC, at least for my DS, they had an option keep them, but no 1 time uniform allowance or hand them back and buy new using the allowance.
~ Many rated cadets keep the uniforms because they will wear their blues or ABUs so rarely it just was easier. Our DS handed back, but that was due to the fact we slowly purchased every birthday/Xmas uniforms. He than kept the money as a graduation gift from us.

The only things we purchased for our DS were sneakers and a shoe shining kit. He wore glasses so we also purchased him a pair of prescription Ray Ban sunglasses that were AF approved style.

Vista, you made me crack up. Christmas as a HS senior, socks would have been tossed back under the tree with Gee thanks Mom and Dad. Christmas freshmen year AFROTC, it was Thanks Mom and Dad while he tried them on. What a difference a year makes!
~ He is a pilot now and this years gifts were all AF gear....pilot pub bag... Mag light.. etc.

Vista, if I recall AROTC this year cut back on uniforms, so PT gear is probably included in that. I believe they now only offer it to scholarship recipients.

If that is the case, I def. would not buy any PT gear. Just from the he may now stick out even more aspect. Let's assume only scholarship recipients are given the PT uniform (old style), but you purchase the new one. He now is look at me. Just my opinion, but while you want to shine those first few weeks, the way to do it is not wearing the new PT gear, it is maxxing everything even in mismatched gear.

I would pay more attention to working out over the summer because come Aug/Sept this forum will be littered with many posters stating how many cadets busted the PFA. Please don't take that the wrong way. I am not inferring anything, just saying the big picture is not the gear, it is the test.
Pima,

AFROTC allows you to BUY your issued uniform items from the detatchment. They don't let you keep anything for free, except the PTUs and undergarments, the AF doesn't want those back lol. It's a discounted price, but most people opt to buy everything new b/c of all the wear and tear they get over the years. I know I'll be buying new, FT destroyed my ABU's and my det only issued heavy-weights.
 
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