{"id":33395,"date":"2018-10-29T13:21:28","date_gmt":"2018-10-29T13:21:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/10\/29\/pinks-and-greens-the-uniform-todays-army-needs\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T01:52:56","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T01:52:56","slug":"pinks-and-greens-the-uniform-todays-army-needs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/commentary\/2018\/10\/29\/pinks-and-greens-the-uniform-todays-army-needs\/","title":{"rendered":"Pinks and greens: The uniform today\u2019s Army needs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We support changing the Army uniform<\/a> to the iconic World War II-style green jacket and tan pants <\/a>that present distinctive Army identity and reflect an important period of Army history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And, frankly, the Army needs a little boost in visibility at a time when it is having difficulty recruiting <\/a>in an environment where only a small percent of service-aged youths <\/a>is both qualified and interested in military service<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Uniform changes are never easy, and critics abound, both in and outside the Army.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the proposed greens uniform \u2014 a name drawn from the pinks and greens<\/a> uniform that first appeared in the mid-1920s and was retired in the mid-1950s \u2014 provides a smart, stylish look for everyday wear that allows dress blues to become what they were always intended to be: the dress uniform that is a bit too formal to wear every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Limited soldier testing, like at the recent Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C., drew largely positive responses, particularly from younger soldiers and officers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a long phase-in to avoid out-of-pocket costs for enlisted soldiers and for senior NCOs and officers who are nearing retirement, the Army has stated it does not intend to seek any increase in appropriated funds to implement this change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Preliminary indications are that the Army will delay issuing the new uniform to troops until they actually complete initial entry training, thereby reducing the costs attached to issuing service uniforms to those who cannot successfully complete training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And, the new uniform is expected to have a 33 percent longer wear life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Sergeant Major of the Army Dan Dailey and four soldiers in “pinks and greens” prototypes show off the uniforms Feb. 1, 2018, on Capitol Hill (Photo credit: U.S. Army)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While cost is most certainly a factor in this decision, it is not the only or even the primary reason to change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

America\u2019s Army needs a uniform that is its own, that is readily identifiable by the citizens the Army serves. The uniform should create a positive, professional public image for the Army at a time when many Americans know little about their Army, and couldn\u2019t tell the difference between a soldier or a police officer. The greens uniform does all of that.<\/p>\n\n\n\t