Pink & Green

rjb

5-Year Member
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Feb 15, 2014
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506
I recently attended a multi service military gala and there was someone in attendance sporting the new Army Pink & Green. It was a very sharp looking uniform!
 
Yes. Very classy look. Son said West Point firsties we’re fitted for them.
 
Agree there is something timeless about this particular uniform.

Here is Colonel Jimmy Stewart during World War II sporting the Pinks and Greens as a member of the Eighth Air Force. The three bars on his sleeve signify eighteen months of overseas deployment (one bar for each six months).

Many people are unaware that he flew 20 combat missions (probably more) over Germany and was a squadron commander, eventually retiring as a USAF Brigadier General.

37a506e4b798c853525eebf57d4de5fe.jpg
 
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Agree there is something timeless about this particular uniform.
Here is Colonel Jimmy Stewart during World War II sporting the Pinks and Greens as a member of the Eighth Air Force. The three bars on his sleeve signify eighteen months of overseas deployment (one bar for each six months).

Many people are unaware that he flew 20 combat missions (probably more) over Germany and was a squadron commander, eventually retiring as a USAF Brigadier General.

37a506e4b798c853525eebf57d4de5fe.jpg

Check out this recruiting film he did:

 
That is the same uniform Texas A&M Corps of Cadets wear in the wintertime - for decades. We Aggies love our traditions.

I was not in the Corps but that is what I remember and what it looks like.aggie winter corps uniform.jpg
 
The Jimmy Stewart film was a hoot. More than half of that wouldn't be PC anymore.
He also flew the B-36, B-47, and the B-52 for SAC. He was quite the pilot. I would have liked to have met him, but all I would probably ask was "what was it like to kiss Grace Kelly"?
 
Agree there is something timeless about this particular uniform.

Here is Colonel Jimmy Stewart during World War II sporting the Pinks and Greens as a member of the Eighth Air Force. The three bars on his sleeve signify eighteen months of overseas deployment (one bar for each six months).

Many people are unaware that he flew 20 combat missions (probably more) over Germany and was a squadron commander, eventually retiring as a USAF Brigadier General.

37a506e4b798c853525eebf57d4de5fe.jpg
He was still suffering from what is now known as PTSD during filming of “It’s a Wonderful Life”.

 
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He was still suffering from what is now known as PTSD during filming of “It’s a Wonderful Life”.

Yes. Not only did he narrowly miss being killed by an 88 flak shell, near the cockpit of his B-24, but he had to write many letters to families of airmen under his command who died in combat.
 
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I'm going to be the unpopular voice in this thread and say that I would prefer the pink and greens not have made a come back. I think they look fine, but I don't want another uniform. I only graduated a couple years ago and I've already had to deal with two uniform transitions (PTs, ACUs). I know its just another rite of passage of serving in the military, but it would be nice to actually wear things out to the wear out date. I already don't wear my ASUs that often as it is.
 
I'm going to be the unpopular voice in this thread and say that I would prefer the pink and greens not have made a come back. I think they look fine, but I don't want another uniform. I only graduated a couple years ago and I've already had to deal with two uniform transitions (PTs, ACUs). I know its just another rite of passage of serving in the military, but it would be nice to actually wear things out to the wear out date. I already don't wear my ASUs that often as it is.

Question: when uniforms are changed, are you responsible for purchasing the new ones? How does that work? And I assume it’s only for active duty?
 
You hit the nail on the head. When uniforms change, there is usually a "grace period" in which you may wear the old uniforms, but you are required to buy the new uniforms and begin wearing them by the end of that grace period. The problem is that the old uniforms aren't worn out by then, and they are just useless to anyone. It often tends to put a real financial bite on the enlisted ranks, especially.
 
With a financial boon to the contractors who are authorized to produce them.
 
My DS was exceedingly glad to be in the first USNA class not issued the Blueberry NWUs (AKA: "Aquaflage" ).
 
Question: when uniforms are changed, are you responsible for purchasing the new ones? How does that work? And I assume it’s only for active duty?

The uniform will be required for all, not just active duty. Officers will purchase their new uniforms by the wear-out date for the old version. Enlisted service members receive a uniform allowance at set intervals throughout their years of service.

Uniform transitions are simply a part of serving.
 
I'm going to be the unpopular voice in this thread and say that I would prefer the pink and greens not have made a come back. I think they look fine, but I don't want another uniform. I only graduated a couple years ago and I've already had to deal with two uniform transitions (PTs, ACUs). I know its just another rite of passage of serving in the military, but it would be nice to actually wear things out to the wear out date. I already don't wear my ASUs that often as it is.
Actually, thank you for your candor. It's actually very good to get a "real world" opinion on such topics. Easy for us to sit around and say how wonderful this is or that is without thinking about how some of this stuff affects the individuals involved (and their wallets).

Personally, I have thousands of dollars of uniforms packed up in our attic that I don't have the heart to throw away...some were issued, but MOST were purchased. And most of the dress uniforms were hardly ever worn.
 
I'm going to be the unpopular voice in this thread and say that I would prefer the pink and greens not have made a come back. I think they look fine, but I don't want another uniform. I only graduated a couple years ago and I've already had to deal with two uniform transitions (PTs, ACUs). I know its just another rite of passage of serving in the military, but it would be nice to actually wear things out to the wear out date. I already don't wear my ASUs that often as it is.
I understand the concern.
The “dress blue” uniform (as people of my generation knew it) was not designed for day to day use since since probably the late 1800’s. The problem has been what to otherwise wear when “fatigues” (or whatever the latest iteration is called) are too informal and blues are too formal. When I first enlisted we still had khakis for “business casual” but they were phasing out. We then had “fatigues” (or BDUs as we called them then), greens (which were never very popular), and blues, either dress or mess. Yeah, there were other uniforms but these were the main ones.
The greens were then phased out a few years ago which left two main uniforms. The idea was to save money.
I (and many others) never liked the idea of blues being normal dress. As I pointed out for over a century they were considered more formal wear.
So really this is getting more aligned with what has been traditional and with what is seen in most militaries, three basic levels of uniforms. Fatigues (casual wear) every day uniform (business to business casual), and formal.
 
We wore those polyester "greens" in the USAF before they phased in the BDU's. I think we called them "Lizard Skins"...they were the absolute worst. Though they did look pretty snappy with shiny black combat boots however. I remember thinking that the BDU's, although infinitely more comfortable and functional than the greens, looked kind of baggy and sloppy. My Father was in the Army and came home from SE Asia in 1968 in the cotton rip-stop jungle fatigues...those were the BEST.
 
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