PRESTIGE of the Soldier By MAJOR A. M. KAMP, JR. HE MAN was wearing the uniformofa soldier. He Mees cncarea about the bus terminal with no apparent objective but to mingle with the people coming and going, and to stand in front of the magazine and newsstand, ogling the pictures of half-nude females. Oceasionally, he would enter a room bearing a sign over the door marked ‘‘Gentlemen.’’? Each time he reappeared carrying a wire-net basket of soiled paper mistakenly picked up as improperly dressed soldiers, handtowels, which he dumpedinto a large canvas bag It is an awkwardsituation, and cannot be coped with in the rearof the terminal. unless there is a law passed to stop this business,’ A smartly dressed soldier standing at the ticket Tremendous stocks of surplus clothing and equip. counter asked the agent, ‘‘Who is that character in ment were dumpedontbe civilian market by the War the soiled OD’s, with no hat, wandering aroundhere? Assets Corporation for consumer, capital, and pro. He’s a disgrace to the uniform and should be picked ducer goods. The War Department announced in up by the MP’s.”’ Theticket agent looked up, laughed, February of 1946 that the Surplus Property Admin- andsaid, ‘‘He’s no soldier. He just cleans up around istration had directed some $40,000,000 worth of here, and empties the trash cans. He was never in clothing and materials, which had been declared sur- the Armyinhis life.’’ plus be turned over to the War Assets Corporation f Asearly as 1946, short months after millions of vet- disposal in this way. § erans returned to civilian life from fighting World Prisons and workhouses purchased great quantities War II, street cleaners, trashmen, garbage collectors, of shoes, trousers, shirts, sweaters, and dungarees for and tramps began to appear dressed in parts of uni- their inmates at great savings. Road gangs from these forms,the type still being worn byoursoldiers. Some institutions seen repairing the highways took on the of these individuals were veterans wearing out their appearance of Army fatigue details under armed Armyclothing on the job. In manyother cases the guard, which in many instances required explanation uniforms were discarded by veterans to be picked up to irate citizens who witnessed suchs by some tramp or derelict cenes. who at once adopted the Muchdiscredit has been new clothing as his Sunday-best. heaped upon the Army as a result of pictures of apprehended thugs or bandits Because Army clothing was inexpensive, easy to wearing some part of an Army uniform. The obtain, and most suitable for wear in the elements, imme: diate conclusion of the publie anyone who spent a great deal is that another ex of his time outdoors soldier has gone bad—the made it a point to visit fault of the Army. Insult is the local surplus-sales store Sometimes added for his to injury when a local “badboy,” clothing needs. Hunters, fishermen, construc- after being incarcerated for robbing somerich widow tion workers, and otherclasses of outside workers took , 1s pictured in an “‘Ike’? jacket and has onthe appearance of soldiers equipped for field duty. never been il) the Army, but is identified A farmer in Fairfax, Va., purchased complete uni- as an ex-GI. forms for his hired help so that Police teletype lookout reports, of which there are they would be com- * fortably and warmly dressed to do the pproximately 100 per day received by police h chores and quarters other labors about his farm. One in the Washington area, indicate of the farm hands of eve that one wasarrested ry eight descriptions of a male thug by the Armed Forces Police for not being to be pie in proper up deseribes him as wea uniform. He was released with an apology ring some item of an Arm) after it was uniform—an implication ascertained that he was not a member of that the individual was, the Army. 1s, a soldier, Lieutenant George F. Corrigan, Adjutant of the Armed Forces Police in the Military District of Wash- ington, says, ‘Our men have a tough job. They are often embarrassed andcriticized for Seemingly over- tempt show stepping their authority when civilians have been n the uniform, The uniform has taken on all 32 the aspects of THE QUARTER of “Tke» ls. Besides, the stock cts, and crimina ball. Modifications and changes have been kieked li be used up, as still plentiful and hadto a soldier develops jackets w rtment ad around so much andforso long that War began, the Depa 4 After the Korean mental anguish whenever he must decide whether ise the prestige of ¢ the Army concluded that to ra or not to purchase a newone. His problem—how o be done about nit ldier, something had t outfit before a infantry so much wearwill he get out of his new ing Realizing thai ng him alittle more outstand change requires him to purchase another one. i g 1 was out of the question, a field goal chdow1 After World WarII the Armyhad a problem. The tou ted. designedforfield wear, to be worn attemp > as : “Tke’? jacket was Another circular was distributed, announcing thaj beneath a field jacket. A blouse, similar in design to o he ame ld D uniform could be added a li ght was authorized but never was t t s o O those worn byofficers, blue seart, light-blue plastic dises as backingforeo] manufactured. Therefore it became necessary to con- ornaments and cap insignia, and light-blue brocadeq ways and means of making the present uniform sider shoulder cords. This attempt to improvethe appear. moreattractive for general service and dress wear. iastically re ance of the uniform was not very enthus A series of War Departmentcirculars directed that jackets be tailored to fit more snugly, and waist ceived. i . = ted d lines shortened to eliminate wrinkling. Chevrons, ‘A Korean veteran being confron with a sol s”’ collar ornaments, service stripes, and decorations were dressed in one of these new‘‘get-up said, ““Migawd an aldorf Asto; a added, completing the dress-up plan. he looks like the doorm at the W Although this program did tend to improve the dressed up in olive drab.”’ s While the Korean conflict was at its peak, another appearance of the uniform, an enlisted reservist who came back on active duty for a short period as a mili- attempt was made by the Armyto adopt a comple n tary escort for returning war dead remarked, ‘*This new uniform, this time of gray-gree color, is all very fine, but no matter what youdo to this out- trimmed in gold. The entire 3rd Infantry Regim fit, it’s still like trying to make a silk purse out of a was equipped with the new-look uniformsto test them: sow’s ear.”’ for a period of one year. ; The reservist was not the only one whorealized that Soldiers of the regiment apparently approvedof th more than just a little tailoring and trimming was uniform outside of the complaint that the mate ould t ithstand ormal ear. ne oldier id required to improve the appearance of the soldier. w no w n w O s sa In August of 1946 the Armystarted scrimmage again; “This outfit has that ‘Ike’ jacket beat a dozen diff this time to kick around the idea of adopting a blue ent ways. Outside of wrinklin’ up fast and baggin’ uniform for all troops, which would replace the olive- the knees, it feels comfortable and looks good. Weg, drab service uniform for general service and dress. lots of compliments on it.”’ The War Department began a survey throughout Althoughit appeared to be a stepinthe right dire the Army to learn what the individual soldier would tion, particularly because it was a complete cha nge like in the way of a blue uniform. Six teams, of six from the drab OD, plans to adopt it were cancel e men and two WAC’s each, were selected to model becaus the material did not wear well. However, G several combinations of the proposed uniforms before eral J. Lawton Collins, before he left the Departm large groupsof soldiers stationed at posts all over the of the Army as Chief of Staff, approved for world. A questionnaire was distributed during the after regular duty hours, a dress blue uniform ed modeling sessions, and the soldiers made their enlist men. aa selections. The blue uniform will not be issued, but ean Before the program could be completed, the models rchased pu at the option of the individual. Man: and their experimental uniforms were ordered home. isted d l menhave indicate approval of the new b Because of large appropriation cuts the adoption of but few if any will wantto purchase oneat a e new uniforms for the Armyhad to be shelved. ely Rela- approximat eighty dollars. tively few soldiers were given the opportunity to view osal A prop to adopt a uniform similar in ¢ the new blues. or col to the officer semi-dress uniform r In the meantime the soldier had to be content with fo Service wear by all personnel was studied re wearing his OD uniform, sharing it with bums, dere- The uniform ed if approv would have consist sorkereey use, y, blo and light-gra or ‘‘pink”’ the Proposal was disapproved and the foo! is ne n , e agai in progress 3 ‘ae eeae of en o m wh have e n! he Army since World War II and aee pe much of our uniform U.S. DEFENSE BONDS Brest on Re more uniforms will rabl Now Even Better conside y itee a soldi ne and alias el orm, Jo Inog,tkis suelnecitefd and m a place of the present drab OD’s.