dumb flag questions

[ladywolf]

their velcro so that you can switch them between uniforms, and also for the reason of being in combat..if your lets say, shot down in a helicopter, you would want to remove all "personal" information about yourself..in the army our name tapes and rank are also velcro...

THe flag is flown backwards on your arm to give the look of it "flying" in the wind as you are advancing in combat..

heh doesnt matter if we sterilize our uniforms or not. they know we are US mil.

and with the flag being velcro, it is now for the new ACU's. the US flag used to be worn by US personnel serving overseas (germany, italy, korea, etc.. .) or if you deployed to a war zone. i believe the reason why they changed it is so that ALL us soldiers would wear the flag.

and yes, everyone is correct when the reason why the flag looks backwards is its supposed to look as if u are advancing.

 

[riverfever]

OK...another one now:

What is BDU and ACU?

 

[5-90]

OK...another one now:

What is BDU and ACU?

BDU = Battle Dress Uniform. The slightly 'baggy' camouflage clothing that has been general issue since 1982 or so. Replaced "fatigues" - a bit more fitted, not as much pocket space, and solid colour of OG507 (Olive Green shade #507.)

ACU = Army Combat Uniform. Currently in "test issue" or "limited issue," distinguished by the "pixel" or "digital" camouflage, relocated pockets, and the Mandarin collar. Set to replace BDUs as general issue, but I don't recall the turnover date for that.

The ACU has its plusses and minusses - the chief "minus" (for me, anyhow,) is that pocketing on the uniform is asymmetric - the sleeve utility pocket is found on the upper left arm, but is not duplicated on the upper right arm. I know that lefties are only 1/9 of the general population, but we're out there, and we aren't allowed to modify the uniforms. The BDU was very nearly symmetrical in pocketing - there was a single "pen slit" on the upper left chest pocket, but it could be reached easily with either hand. Upper sleeve pockets can not. Something to bring up with Natick, I think...

5-90

 

[riverfever]

Very interesting.

Thanks 5-90.

 

[5-90]

Very interesting.

Thanks 5-90.

You're welcome. Which bit?

5-90

 

[riverfever]

I'm sure your average civilian (me) wouldn't think there would be all of these considerations with regard to military clothing. I learned a ton in this thread. It's like a History Channel show over here.

 

[kunaji]

BDU = Battle Dress Uniform. The slightly 'baggy' camouflage clothing that has been general issue since 1982 or so. Replaced "fatigues" - a bit more fitted, not as much pocket space, and solid colour of OG507 (Olive Green shade #507.)

ACU = Army Combat Uniform. Currently in "test issue" or "limited issue," distinguished by the "pixel" or "digital" camouflage, relocated pockets, and the Mandarin collar. Set to replace BDUs as general issue, but I don't recall the turnover date for that.

The ACU has its plusses and minusses - the chief "minus" (for me, anyhow,) is that pocketing on the uniform is asymmetric - the sleeve utility pocket is found on the upper left arm, but is not duplicated on the upper right arm. I know that lefties are only 1/9 of the general population, but we're out there, and we aren't allowed to modify the uniforms. The BDU was very nearly symmetrical in pocketing - there was a single "pen slit" on the upper left chest pocket, but it could be reached easily with either hand. Upper sleeve pockets can not. Something to bring up with Natick, I think...

5-90

Well, everyone in the Army is required to own at least 2 sets of ACU's by this fall, so that should be the near-death of the BDU. A vast majority of Soldiers are wearing the ACU and have been for the last year or so.

The only pockets on the ACU that aren't symmetrical are the little pockets for pens on the left forearm. The pockets on the upper arm are both the same size and position on each side.

 

[5-90]

Well, everyone in the Army is required to own at least 2 sets of ACU's by this fall, so that should be the near-death of the BDU. A vast majority of Soldiers are wearing the ACU and have been for the last year or so.

The only pockets on the ACU that aren't symmetrical are the little pockets for pens on the left forearm. The pockets on the upper arm are both the same size and position on each side.

That's a good start - but I still consider it necessary (and not just because I'm left-handed!) to make pocketting of any utility uniform symmetrical WRT handedness. Especially when a pocket cannot be reached easily with both hands.

That's why most "high-speed, low-drag" gear makers offer "fully symmetrical" gear or have "mirror-image" versions of "handed" gear (like EOD vests that have an inbuilt sidearm holster...) The general distribution of left-handed people in humanity runs right about 1 in 9, or a shade over 11%

Through my own observations, tho, military personnel run somewhere around 1 in 5 (20%) to 1 in 4 (25%) - especially in situations where stuff like gear being "handed" is going to matter (out of 25 people in my old unit, our final composition settled down to 8 southpaws - including myself - or not quite 1 in 3.)

I wasn't sure about the general issue "drop-dead" date - I just hope it doesn't kill off the BDU pattern entirely. I started wearing them (off the surplus market) in about 1984, mainly because they allowed me to buy pants near my waist size that I could pull up past my knees and would have room for my thighs - I've always had HUGE legs! In high school, I had a 29" waist - but had to buy pants with a 40" waist to fit my legs, and then take darts out of the back and side seams so that I could actually have them fit me all around (damned irritating...) Once BDU's hit the surplus market, they were a Godsend for me - pants that fit! Having the cargo pockets was a huge plus - I use a lot of pocket space...

So, I've been wearing BDU pants for about 23 years now, and when they hit the market in solid colours (black, blue, grey, khaki,) that was an improvement - I wear black for working around the house, blue for everyday, and grey for when I want to dress up just a touch (it's about as "dressy" as I get - I only own one suit, and it's also grey.) I'd like to see them stay around for a good couple of whiles - or at least see the ACU go with solid colours like the BDU did in short order...

river - you'd be amazed at the thought that can go into "field clothing and personal gear" - even for just working, making the clothes fit the job can be as important as using the right tool. Don't you spend a lot of your time up to your hips in cool to cold streams? Now, imagine doing that without hip waders and insulated socks - you're aware of the thinking involved, but I'm willing to bet you never applied conscious thought to the issue. How often have you modified your fishing gear? I'm willing to bet you've done it at least once, to fit a particular need (and that's got a lot to do with the emergence of BTS - BlackHawk Industries - and MOLLE over the old ALICE system that has been in use since Vietnam... Look 'em up - you'll learn a lot more about them than I could tell you in five minutes...)

5-90

 

[Glenn B]

....babble, babble, babble.

5-90

You sure do like to babble on. I am sure it does impress a few, but not too many. I bet you would cream your young pants if you had been in when we wore OD Green & BDU's.

Jon, you try to *talk the talk* and all of that. But for god sakes, just stop trying to be "all that." You just make yourself look silly.

 

[8Mud]

You sure do like to babble on. I am sure it does impress a few, but not too many. I bet you would cream your young pants if you had been in when we wore OD Green & BDU's.

Jon, you try to *talk the talk* and all of that. But for god sakes, just stop trying to be "all that." You just make yourself look silly.

I feel qualified to make my own choices and intelligent enough to seperate usefull info, from image.
IMO if your attempt to squash his ego, interfers with the often usefull info he shares, you have the image problem not him.
I've book marked and downloaded alot of his stuff, I don't have any of yours.
You'll have to define open forum for me, I guess here it means, whatever fits *your* expectations and preconceptions.

I see a Cavalry Penant in your profile. I earned the buckle, the hat and the right to fly the penant.
When I first joined the military, winter unifrom was woolen pants and shirt. It was BDU (both varieties) when I was finally off the recall list.

 

[Beej]

I feel qualified to make my own choices and intelligent enough to seperate usefull info, from image.
IMO if your attempt to squash his ego, interfers with the often usefull info he shares, you have the image problem not him.
I've book marked and downloaded alot of his stuff, I don't have any of yours.
You'll have to define open forum for me, I guess here it means, whatever fits *your* expectations and preconceptions.

 

[Cornflake]

all i can say is "wow". beej has the right idea...

 

[dizzymac]

"Babble " on Jon...Babble on. I'm not done learning yet. I still say he is a wealth of knowledge.

 

[XJ Dreamin']

If he made a mistake, post a correction.

 

[Glenn B]

If he made a mistake, post a correction.

no, I am not worried about it. I was just in a foul mood yestersday evening.

 

[red91]

Kettle Corn, or the artificial butter type?

YUMMY!

I like popcorn.

This would BTW, cover the military, not history channel.

 

[riverfever]

Kettle Corn, or the artificial butter type?

YUMMY!

I like popcorn.

This would BTW, cover the military, not history channel.

Trure, true. The Military show (what's it...Mail Call?) is really what I meant to say.

Regardless...the info and what I learned is still sound and I'll go on record as saying that 5-90 has educated me on more than one thing. :cheers:

 

[5-90]

Trure, true. The Military show (what's it...Mail Call?) is really what I meant to say.

Regardless...the info and what I learned is still sound and I'll go on record as saying that 5-90 has educated me on more than one thing. :cheers:

Thank you - I do try to teach.

I figure that's a good part of the reason I've had to deal with so much, been through so much, and had so much going on - it enables me to put things into various contexts when teaching, and therefore makes me a better teacher.

"Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach." Oddly enough, I can "teach" and "do" still - so where do I fit in there?

Anyhow, I'm honestly please that there seem to be quite a few of you who have been able to learn something from me - makes it all a bit easier to bear...

Perhaps, next time I go through your area, you can return the favour and show me what I'm doing wrong when I'm fishing?

5-90

 

[Blaine B.]

IF anybody remembes Band of Brothers, when Sgt. Bull got stuck in Holland he removed his flag....probably so nobody would know which army he was front.

That was like a slide on sleeve though, of course that was 1944.

 

[riverfever]

Perhaps, next time I go through your area, you can return the favour and show me what I'm doing wrong when I'm fishing?

5-90

Man....it's hard to do things WRONG when you go fishing. We could arrange some time on the water for sure. :cheers: