Thoughts on the new ADUs?

[kerrykmk]

Boy oh boy.. the ADUs. What can I say? I mean.. I know they were instilled as the regulation uniform for a reason, but geesh-- at least pick a better design! Personally, I strongly dislike the whole digitized camouflague look purely because I'm partial to the good old woodland BDUs of the yesteryears. Over the past few months, however, I've started to at least try to see the positive aspects in the ADUs. For one thing, they seem much more comfortable, and the color of them.. well.. I'm slowly getting used to.

The real beef I have with them are two things: the digitization and the velcro. The Marine Corp moved over to a digitized format for their uniforms in the mid to early ninties, I believe. The look of theirs is very nice, I mean it's noticably digitized but not so much so that the soldiers look like walking JPGs that have somehow morphed into living beings out of a Windows 95/AOL -3.0 era computer (which is EXACTLY how I feel about the new Army ADUs). I guess I'm just partial to the old Army BDU cammies because of the nice memories I associate with it.

Secondly-- about the velcro. I mean, come on! Velcro? From my standpoint, being in Army JROTC-- therefore never having the opportunity to wear the ADUs, the logic of using velcro to keep unit/rank/etc insignia onto the uniform is absolutely rediculous. I mean.. it reminds me of those old ColorForm sets that we used to use in kindergarden. Some would argue that "Oh, well -- the ADUs are much better because instead of painstakingly sewing the insignia on, you can simply rip it off, which serves a variety of purposes-- especially in war zones." Which is very true. However, even if one were to rip off all recognizable armed forces insignia off of one's ADUs, then proceed to turn it inside-out for extra un-noticability, I highly doubt that would create much safety. I mean, come on! If you're in/around enemy territory you're most likely going to stick out like a sore thumb anyway-- whether it's due to ethnicity, appearance, voice, language, etc. I don't know.. but personally, from my point of view-- the velcro seems to diminish the prestige and accomplishment one gets from earning his/her insignia.

In short-- I want the good old BDUs back! I doubt that'll happen though. But one can alway dream, now can't they? Besides- the hope of such a thing can only bring solice to a doubtful mind such as mine.

Oh well. I'd love to hear others' opinions on this topic, seeing how I haven't noticed any similar discussions on the forums.

[Grimmy]

The purpose for BDUs of any sort is rather uni-deminsional. It's about combat needs and combat needs alone. Civvie wear, coolness, the neato factor, all that is nonrelevant.

The old cammies, the woodlands ect..were almost totally single theater specific and therefore of lesser usefulness.

The digies are an attempt to have one pattern that works where ever our troops are deployed.

Velcro, well, try getting into a pocket secured by buttons with a busted finger, missing finger nail or heavy gloves on. Or with a lifetime's worth of adrinaline pumping thru all at once.

As far as velcro for all the flash and doodads...well, I dont believe any of that should be on a combat uniform anyway. Not even name tages. Nothing that can identify the specific unit or the person. All that just aids and assists the enemy, in my opinion.

There's part of me that doesnt even believe rank insignia should be on a combat uniform. If you are fighting, you know damn well who's beside you and what their rank is.

[kerrykmk]

There's part of me that doesnt even believe rank insignia should be on a combat uniform. If you are fighting, you know damn well who's beside you and what their rank is.

I've never really intensely analyzed the combat aspect of the ADUs, and you make a very good point. =)