RDML Patricia Wolfe, Combined Task Force 48, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, visits operations in Haiti. There she met with the Defense Logistics Agency team embedded in the 3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command and the Joint Logistics Command.If they took my advice and that of others - and years ago went to one camo pattern, Multi-Cam - then all would have been fine. Instead, we have this - where TFU's crown jewel is by itself, hidden in the back. The wearer in the greatest heat-sink in the bunch sweating more than anyone else.
Poster child for the results of happy-talk - and no one held to account.
TFU, AFU; Q.E.D.
UPDATE: Via takeforaction on twitter - here is another example of the chaos that is Navy uniform policy.
Hat tip CM.
Is that a redaction block over VADM McRaven's unit patch? Like it's a secret that he's Commander JSOC?
ReplyDeleteI hope none of them get dirty. It would be horrible to get a working uniform dirty.
ReplyDeleteCDR-
ReplyDeleteAn image gallery from the capture of a nasty little taliban creature. Guess what the sandy beret types are running around in.
Saw it and thought it'd warm your heart and now you post this... fortuitous.
http://www.defence.gov.au/op/afghanistan/gallery/2010/20100507/index.htm
If SECDEF Gates is looking to chop unnecessary bloat int he military bureaucracy, TFU should be high on the list.
ReplyDeleteOf course, the worthless Diversity Bullies should be number one.
Too bad they can't decide on whether sleeves are up or down....
ReplyDeletecant wear it off base, so better hide it in the pictures....
ReplyDeleteI think the Master Chief from Task Force Uniform got out, became the director as a GS-12 and is in charge of TFU... nice.... no one noticed that... and we have a uniform that no one can use in combat.. asshats
"A Pictures Worth a Thousand Uniforms"....good lord. This is ridiculous. Ask the Navy what they are wearing in AFG and you'll get 20 different answers.
ReplyDeleteGeez, they're gonna need a walk in closet to store all the uniforms. Hmmm. What shall I wear today? Does this make me look fat?
ReplyDeleteNice pics. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteSimple solution: Dungarees for the working uniform. Undress blues and dress blues for enlisted otherwise. Navy folks being deployed on land? Have them draw MarPat clothing and gear.
ReplyDeleteIf you think that one is bad, take a look at this one. Never tried to add a pic before, hope you can see it and appreciate it.
ReplyDelete@AW1 Tim...
ReplyDeleteWanna "draw" MARPAT clothing? Head to Parris Island, SC. Takes 13 weeks to process your request. Let's just keep that for our medical and religious warriors. Navy needs to come up with a working uniform and then a dress uniform. Marines have this down with their MARPAT uniform. You can write emails and kill sh*theads in the same uniform.
Truth. It makes absolutely no sense what so ever for two distinct groups that often deploy together, work together in amphib operations, are under the same Department, have the same afloat logistics chain and whatnot to have the same uniform. Otherwise they might have to endure the personal hell of looking like other people on the same team in situations where misidentification might get you killed. And as we know, it is better to die than to look bad.
ReplyDeleteSome companies make AR-15s in .222 for foreign markets like Spain. Perhaps the USMC can switch to M16s in that next so they can be all distinctive.
Greetings:
ReplyDeleteSorry, but I can't refrain, "What part of "uni" don't you understand."
You want air support? Fine. Build your own damned carriers to fly your planes and helos off of. You can also build your own LST's and other vessels to carry your butts around in. :-D
ReplyDeleteSee how that game works? So simple even a Marine can do it!
That Colonel on the right has more chins than a Hong Kong phone book.
ReplyDeleteA warrior through and through I am sure. Bet they don't do much by way of combat training in HER unit.
No, now, boys. Everyone knows the Marines love the Navy, and the Navy loves the Marine Corps. We just don't like each other. We DO have our own air support, but the floating around stuff would be a challenge.
ReplyDeleteWe're gonna need a sh*tload of LVTP-7s!
Heh... check out "Army Wrong" then...
ReplyDeletehttp://aw1tim.wordpress.com/2010/05/09/army-wrong/
Heh.... yessir. Everything's kewl. Colonel.
ReplyDeleteAW1,
ReplyDeleteTragically, that soldier died in a non-combat related accident. The investigation revealed he had suffocated himself while attempting to do a sit-up.
About a decade and a half ago some of the Bravo Navy family members began to intermarry with USMC families. Perpetual hilarity ensues. (Who knew a Marine is capable of altering a screen saver to say "Navy men love goats" 15 times an hour?) Yeah, the love is there. ;)
ReplyDeleteAnother one from Haiti (actually taken on GITMO).
ReplyDeleteJohn,
ReplyDeleteThat photo is truly a classic and the hands in the pockets just adds that special extra touch of class to a soup sandwich collection of uniforms.
MAC
Zany hijinks and madcap misadventures.
ReplyDeleteYeah, Rob Carroll. Been in DC since '86 without ever returning to the fleet.
ReplyDeleteAs a lowly tax payer, I have to say Fan Fing Tastic!!!! Good to see our money going to such worthy crap.
ReplyDeleteSorry, the previous comment belongs to me.
ReplyDeleteI have another pic which I can't get to from here of a Marine Captain grinning as they take a pic of him w/ a fat soldier behind him w/ his tray piled HIGH w/ grubbage. Army Strong :)
ReplyDeleteWhat, he didn't color in crayon on the screen? Must be a well groomed Marine. :)
ReplyDeleteLooking for this.. I believe this was taken at the Ramadi chow hall in 2008.
ReplyDeleteThose aren't hands in pockets, those are official issue Air Force gloves.
ReplyDeleteIf I had to wear those stupid blue things I'd be standing in the back row too.
ReplyDeleteSo, was the Army guy carrying a low-cal diet plate?
ReplyDeleteMARINE = My Ass Rides In Navy Equipment
ReplyDeleteI thought it was Marines Always Run Instead Navy Eats.... Gawd I slay me.
ReplyDeleteFrom Mrs. Salamander, "He's got Moobs!"
ReplyDeleteThey really are trying to push it from above that they must be worn. Oh yeah, then they forbid their wear in NCR. I go w/ the SDB is a uniform that can be worn on any occassion. I HATE the combat smurfs.
ReplyDeleteYou know, when I saw this in the comments pane, I went, "Huh?". So I had to look. Please tell the Mrs. that I will steal her wonderful noun(?).
ReplyDeleteYou shoulda been an airdale..... ;)
ReplyDeleteI think we've seen that one around these parts before.
ReplyDeleteThe real irony is that as far as I can tell, the "TEC" on the organizational ballcaps is for the Air National Guard Training and Evaluation Center:
http://www.angtec.ang.af.mil/index.asp
The First AF patch on the 3-star's bag would tend to confirm that.
OBTW, not a single one of those O-6's and above are wearing their flight caps correctly, at least by USAF standards...by fighter pilot standards, I guess they're OK (except for the one guy with a hat two sizes too big).
*hanging head in shame, slinking away...*
Read somewhere a while back that the big guy had been out of the active Army for a couple years and had been called back up and shipped to Iraq.
ReplyDeleteWhich is less funny than 'lol Army fat', of course.
Oddly enough, on some days they actually look pretty good in the DC metro urban areas. As in "Oh, that guy kinda faded into the background a bit on this cloudy slightly foggy day with grey buildings around" but less so than the "holy fuck it's dusk and I almost hit a Marine with my car AGAIN".
ReplyDeleteOf course, DC Metro is probably the only place many of the people who decided to buy it will ever see it.
Has anyone ever escaped the blogosphere to find that E-6 and below actually appreciate the TFU? It even gave pride to some over auto mechanic utilities. It doesn't hurt to step off our perches and find out how our Sailor's feel about it. =-O
ReplyDeleteMy Sailors HATE the NWU. Not only is it expensive, but it is not conducive to working in the engineroom. As for TFU, the idea was to reduce the number of uniforms in the Seabag. Now we have the NWU, PTU(had to come up with two new versions as the original didn't hold up to shipboard use), E6 and below SU (another one that my Sailors loathe) and the Service Dress Khakis(love the look but have absolutely no reason to buy one. Don't have room in my locker on ship for it anyway). I think that somebody on TFU's brother owns a textile factory. Why else would we have so many uniforms that Sailors don't need or like?
ReplyDeleteThat's quite odd to hear. I'm all over the waterfront and the base and I'm getting quite the opposite vibe. As for engineers and others concerned, aboard ship coveralls should be worn if you're going to get dirty.
ReplyDelete1. TFU eliminated two uniforms, working blues and summer whites and replaced them with the Service Uniform.
2. PTU like it or not, brings us in line with every other service with respect to uniformity rather than the hodge podge of ghetto fabulous and whatever you feel like wearing Navy style PT. As leaders we can't deny this.
3. NWU's replaced the god awful utility uniform that was embarrassing and unprofessional to say the least.
Everyone I know is pretty satisfied with the NWU uniform, I've seen a few fellow CPO's acting weird after they purchased their first pair and that was usually the result of an individual not having worn a BDU type uniform before. The main complaint I get from anyone is the damn buttons falling off. Other complainers, are the old farts, who won't let go and talk nothing b but trash, my thoughts - retire already. Hell, west coast Sailors who found themselves TAD to Norfolk last year were running to the NEX to purchase NWU's ahead of their west coast brethren.
I'm not going to waste my time typing away some b.s. based on my personal feelings, what I am reporting here is what I've seen and witnessed with Sailors from the East Coast to San Diego.
So am I. And since I'm not Navy, they tell me what they REALLY think, and they are certain that they suck.
ReplyDeleteNot denying the need for a PTU. I just would've liked to see a "quality" PTU the first time. As the addage goes, if you have time to do it twice, you have time to do it right the first time. Have you ever PT'd in the mid-south in the summertime in that thing? Even at 0600, it feels like you are wearing a sweater! We also need a female version of it as well. Find me any single female who likes it and I will find you 1000 that despise it.
ReplyDeleteAs for the NWU, there is no doubt that it is comfy, but that is not my sole criteria for a uniform. I would like a working uniform that I can wear to and from work without restrictions. There are still some regions where the NWU isn't allowed on a day-to-day basis. What is the point of that?
Agree with your last statement about personal feelings, but my Sailors really don't like it. Really.