With all due respect, the SMA is a tanker and a leg, IIRC.

What the heck does he know about field uniforms for a grunt?

That is one HOT and uncomfortable looking uniform.

I sentence the SMA to don one with full infantry kit and move through the old Jungle Warfare School area in Panama (or on foot patrol in Iraq) hard and fast for several summer days.

Then let's see how he likes it.

TR

Reaper sir, you are correct the SMA is a tanker.....and I agree with you. The Mandarin collar just looks hot, zippers break, and velcro is noisy/gets clogged up.(as mentioned before) Seems like alot of time and expense went into this in order to justify someone's job in the DA.....it could be worse I suppose. It could be blue tiger stripe!:eek:

Sounds like a joke. What's hot, constrictive, noisy, expensive, and designed by a committee for the lowest common denominator? Actually, that's not too funny--it's Joe on the sharp end that's going to get the punchline. :rolleyes:



Here's to hoping for an OICW-like small fanfare and then quiet death? :rolleyes:

That's one miserable looking fellow there showing off the new uniform.

That fellow is miserable through his own fault. That's the Clothing and Individual Equipment NCOIC, or so sayeth the article. :D

More photos of the goofy-looking fellow here (scroll to the bottom of the page).

Back in the late 90's I worked for Arthur D. Little and they did a lot of work for Natick labs so I got to see all the odd things they were working on

They tried to get me to volunteer to test some new survival suit out in the desert for a week because I was "the right height"

I declined

Shouldn't the target on the sternum be bright orange or lime? It should also glow in the dark.:D

Well, the boots look OK....

I don't know if those are the Belleville 790 deserts or the Wellco version....but at least they are both good boots.....as for the rest of the new uniform, I guess we'll be finding out soon.:munchin

The collar is designed to keep track grease from running down the wearer's neck in warm weather. Zippers are less likely to foul the road wheels than buttons. Velcro cannot be heard over the gnashing sound of the monstrosity's engine - no matter how you grip it and rip it. Blue tiger stripe was considered and rejected - blue clashes with the pollutive exhaust fumes emitted from the machine that shall not be named and its too hard to tell whether the crew is cyanotic from breathing that crap that comes from the exhaust or if they just fell asleep reading Dune again.

All in all, not a bad tanker boy suit. Two thumbs up.

LMAO....that's classic NDD! Btw, crews usually don't fall asleep from reading Dune, they usually fall asleep waiting for everyone else to catch up with them....;)

Of course, crews in said unamed vehicle will probably still be wearing the NOMEX CVCUs anyway....unless they come out with it in the new pattern....

Kinda off topic... but I must insist that my liability does NOT include uncommanded de-pantzing from the employment of my gear. :D


egg

Wouldn't the mandarin collar help in some environments, such as in a sandstorm, etc.? I don't think it has to be worn up, but it's a nice alternative to the old bdus where you buttoned the top and hoped it held up...

The rest of the uniform, I'm not too keen on. I recall being gigged for wearing uniforms that light in the past...

Too many bad ideas with this uniform to comment on in this uniform, the worst of all is the price.

We'll now expect Joe to fork out 30 bucks more per set than the already overpriced uniform (anyone remember getting OD107s off the CIF truck at Bragg for 8 bucks a set?). Its supposed to save him money? how much will it cost to sew velcro on the back of all nametapes, rank, wings, ect. I'm sure most CSMs wont let Joe get away with only haveing one set of these and rotating from uniform to uniform.......

What is it with high priced uniforms that are supposed to be better for everyone? How about that APFT? Theres somone looking out for the little guy. I've now got a jacket and pants that are too warm to run in so they are used for an occasional formation, and then hung back in the locker to collect dust........

I sure hope I can make it to the wear out date on the current BDUs before I retire!

mp