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The Democratization of the Army Uniform

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The Democratization of the Army Uniform The Democratization of the Army Uniform By Maj. J. Scot Davis me to write this article. Ironically, I drew inspiration from an even more Civilians may think it’s a little juve- unlikely source: Airman Magazine. Sev- nile to worry about ribbons, but a eral weeks ago, while sitting in the civilian has a house and a bankroll to barber shop at Headquarters, U.S. show for what he’s done for the past Strategic Command, I opened a recent four years. edition of the magazine to find a full- —Bill Mauldin page photo of the Air Force’s new Air- man battle uniform (ABU): think ACU e are an American Army whose with tiger stripes and blue boots. What Wproud history is captured in its caught my attention most was not the uniforms through a variety of devices. tiger stripes or the blue boots but the I fear that many of those devices are sew-on badges above the left pocket. being ushered out in the interest of In the muted colors of the ABU, the commonality, in which “every soldier sew-on pilot’s wings actually looked a rifleman” is not just a sound train- good. Pushing service parochialism ing or readiness principle but also an aside and embracing the Jointness I effort to apply the Army’s modular am here to absorb, I must admit that construct to every aspect of what it the U.S. Air Force has done it right means to be a soldier, including how a with respect to special skill badges, soldier is supposed to look. and I propose that the Army adopt This morning I helped my four- similar sew-on badges for the ACU. year-old son get dressed for school. The institutional argument for Vel- After accepting my selection of shorts, cro patches and pin-on combat and he allowed me to help him choose a special skill badges is that they save shirt. Opening the drawer to a rain- soldiers money in sewing costs. I ar- bow of Thomas the Tank Engine, gue that while the Velcro shoulder Lightning McQueen and Teenage Mu- sleeve insignia, U.S. Army tape, name tant Ninja Turtles shirts, I asked him, tape and rank insignia do this, the “What color?” “White” he replied. I subdued pin-on badges do not. Per- recommended one that I liked best: a haps it’s simply my short stature that white short-sleeved shirt with a blue causes the shoulder belt of my car to infantry tab and crossed rifles that I connect with my subdued badges purchased at Fort Benning, Ga., last during my daily commute. Maybe it’s year. “How about this?” I asked. He the result of friction from picking up beamed. I praised his choice, remark- my children or pushing through the ing that the “guns” were just like the turnstiles on the way to work. What- ones Daddy wears on his Army ever the cause, I pay to replace my Air clothes. Puzzled, he looked at my Assault Badge, Parachutist Badge and Army combat uniform (ACUs) and Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB)— asked, “Where?” frequently unavailable at this Air I didn’t have time to explain to a Force base’s military clothing sales four-year-old the Army’s abolishment store—at least once every two to three of branch distinction on the combat months because the enamel rubs off. uniform so, instead, I carried him to my Conventional solutions are inade- study where I produced a faded desert quate: touch-up paint leaves a raised camouflage uniform (DCUs) and un- surface; a black marker leaves a shiny zipped the garment bag protecting my patina. As one who takes pride in the “greens” to show him my crossed ri- uniform and the accoutrements I’ve fles. He was visibly impressed. earned, the only solution to tarnished But it wasn’t this early morning con- badges is to replace them. versation with my son that prompted Many would offer another solution. March 2008 I ARMY 17 There are some who would suggest known my share of hollow soldiers distinctive items for infantry person- that if they are that much of a prob- who hid behind their badges, and I’ve nel; I personally endorse the new lem, just don’t wear them. I know even encountered a few frauds who Combat Action Badge and believe it is many soldiers who have embraced mistakenly believed that the addition long overdue. Nor is it about the ACU this course of action, citing the fact of a few unearned badges would curry in particular. (I like the ACU, even that it’s simply too hard—not worth favor and respect among their peers though I think it is not appropriate for the extra time to prepare the uniform and subordinates. all occasions, but that is a separate ar- for wear, never mind the fact that ticle.) This is about esprit de corps, pride we’ve already saved time in morning in the uniform and one’s achieve- preparation by no longer having to ments, recognition of subcultures shine boots. Sometimes my pessimistic within the Army (including “elite” or- side leads me to wonder if this was the ganizations) and institutional accep- intent of uniform designers all along: tance that it’s OK to be different. to make the wear of distinctive items A Marine officer with whom I work so onerous that recipients would shun once quipped, “You guys sure do like them altogether, thereby achieving all those pins and patches.” Well, yes, some nefarious end state of making us we do. I personally like the unit patch- all look the same. The proliferation of es, tabs, oval backings, unit crests, the black beret supports this theory of fourragère, blue infantry cord, skill sartorial sameness as does the loss of badges, combat service stripes and branch insignia on the ACU. Certain branch insignia for all of the history measures considered for the new and achievement—both personal and Army service uniform (ASU) will collective—that they represent. We are complete the democratization of the not the Marine Corps with its sani- Army uniform. Soon we may lose tized cammies (and recently adopted combat service stripes, shoulder sleeve sew-on nametapes and “U.S. Marines” insignia, unit crests, oval backings and tape); nor are we a 1950s-era People’s jump boots for airborne and air assault Liberation Army with its simple green personnel, and full-size Special Forces, pajamas and red star-adorned cap. Ranger and Sapper tabs on our dress uniforms as well—this at a time when eterans are a wonderful source of our force is composed of combat veter- Vperspective. As I considered the ans who are proud of their multiple subject of today’s uniform transforma- combat tours and the units with which Soldier tion, I sought the experiences of others they served. The uniform should fully PEO in past wars to gauge the level of pride display the symbols of their sacrifice. they felt from the presentation and Army combat uniform (ACU) I have contemplated this topic for wear of distinctive combat and special some time. I debated writing anything The humble side of me eschews any skill badges on the Army uniform. Was at all since we are, in fact, an Army at discussion of awards and decorations their experience as meaningful to them war and there are larger issues at stake as self-aggrandizing behavior unbe- in their wars as it was for me in mine? than the wear of a few strips of cloth coming of an officer. This is not just In an effort to juxtapose my own expe- and metal on our uniforms. I have about pin-on badges or the wear of rience in Iraq, I asked four veterans of 18 ARMY I March 2008 the Korean and Vietnam wars to de- spite this inauspicious presentation, toon leader for the 3rd Brigade, 101st scribe the circumstances surrounding he could not be more proud of the sil- Airborne Division, in Vietnam. He re- the presentation and wear of badges in ver and blue badge he received in ceived his CIB in January 1968 in a their eras. I found their respect for the 1950. He wrote a poem about it, fash- platoon formation after 30 days of badges they wore to be just as signifi- ioned it into a wooden wall hanging combat. His company commander cant, just as memorable and just as for me and wore his CIB proudly on a presented the award, which he and worthy of display as my own. dark blue baseball cap the day he vis- his soldiers wore as a subdued patch My uncle was a technical sergeant ited my company in Hawaii, training sewn on by a local AAFES-contracted with the 187th Airborne Regimental for its deployment to Iraq. When I Vietnamese seamstress. Later he wore Combat Team in Korea. He joined the mailed him a picture of “his” com- the colored patch on his olive drab fa- regiment in Korea in August 1952 and pany receiving its CIBs in Iraq, he re- tigues until the BDUs were authorized was holding down one corner of sponded, “Scot, don’t ever let anyone in the early 1980s. My dad kept his the Iron Triangle when the firing tell you that you can’t wear it.” original pin-on CIB, and I carried it stopped at 2200 hours on July 27, 1953. My dad was a reconnaissance pla- with me to Iraq, where I received The regimental commander, then-Col.
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