US Military uniforms question?

Question

Why does the US Military have so many different combat uniforms? I read that every service now has a different version. You cannot say each service has different uniform needs, because they are all fighting in the same enviroments. Other countries have universal service uniforms, and they work out just fine. So why so much variety in the US?

Answer 1

Honestly, each branch wants to feel their own pride in individuality. We all had the BDU's at one time or another, and that was fine. But each branch also performs their own missions, and has different needs. This led to each branch being able to pick and design their own uniforms.

Answer 2

The Navy is getting ready to adopt a completely new set of Uniforms next year. One of these new uniforms is a version of BDU, digital patterns but in Blues an Greys, vice Browns, Blacks and Greens. This is because the needs are different. They are designed not conceal people, but the dirty nature of being on board a ship or submarine, Grease, Rust, Verti-gree, Salt, Oil, and on.

So yes each service does have different needs. The Uniforms are not designed for one specific location, but a broad range of the same type of location (woodland, Desert, Snow, etc..) Now from there each branch has different needs. The USMC keeps in mind amphibious assault, USN the sea (when on land in a combat environ, will follow the uni's of the USMC for the most part) USAF the environment of an airbase, the USA the field.

So even though in the same place each service still requires different things to fit their needs.

Answer 3

That's an acceptable reason to wear a DRESS uniform. As you say, avoid traveling around in public in Europe in your uniform, but at the grave sites that would be fine. If you contact one of the Army's bases over there after your arrival, they can probably give you information about when the sites are open and may even be able to arrange groups tours (if that would interest you.) Europe is not enemy territory. I've talked to plenty of Germans who remember us fire-bombing Dresden and leveling several of their cities to the ground. They are not bitter towards us about this. The French still remember and honor our sacrifices on their soil in World War II. There are not Muslims wandering around with machine guns in Europe. Gun laws are very strict - you will see nobody with anything other than a hunting rifle in Europe, unless they are the police or gendarmerie. Don't go around acting all loud and like you are superior, as an American visiting overseas. But don't be afraid to visit and pay respects at these cemeteries openly as a U.S. servicemember, either.

Answer 4

each branch of the military have different missions or are train for different environments.

the army combat uniform ( ACU) is a neutral color uniform. it is something of a jack of all trades master of none type of uniform. the army is currently used in the desert environment and also in other places so they retired the Battle Dress Uniform ( BDU) and their Desert Camouflage Uniform ( DCU) for a single neutral uniform. the new uniform doesn't have black since black rarely is in nature

the marine corps have a mission of naval support troops and rapid reaction force. their regular uniforms are MARPAT (Marine Disruptive Pattern) and it comes in 2 versions: woodland and desert. It's a copy of the CADPAT (Canadian uniform).

the Air Force job is not much hands on like the Army and Marines but just in case they developed the Airman Battle Uniform. It's a modern version of the Tiger Stripes uniform used by special forces in Vietnam.

the Navy is still developing their new Navy Working Uniform ( NWU) and it's going to be designed more for duration than actual camouflage in combat. Of course that this may not apply to the SEALS since they have a certain degree of freedom in using different uniforms when it's necessary

Answer 5

I am not sure why you think that they are all fighting in the "same environments". In fact, they are not.

A Navy Seal in the water isn't going to wear desert fatigues, any more than a jungle soldier is going to wear snow camoflaug.

Uniforms are made for weather and terrain conditions. A desert fatigue uniform looks nothing like a jungle fatigue uniform. The fabrics are different as well, for climate, comfort and laundering.

There is variety because the various environments require it. Other countries don't always fight in the exact same locations as our soldiers all of the time.

Answer 6

The AF does have a universal uniform. The new ABU's are worn at home and in the desert instead of the BDU's and DCU's. The wear date for the ABU's is quite a few years away but many members are wearing them now. The branches have different versions so they can be told apart from one another! Variety is the spice of life you know :0)

Answer 7

Army and Marines have basically the same requirements, since they're both ground soldiers. Air Force doesn't fight the same way, has different needs. Same even more so for Navy. Different needs, different uniforms. But the Empire Builders are in there--this is MY Army, and I'll dress them MY way, so Joe the Marine guy can tell this guy is MINE.

Answer 8

because they are different branches. they do need different uniforms too because the jobs they do ARE different. But....the branches are separate for a reason and the uniforms make them noticeably different.

Answer 9

The number one reason for most decisions in any large organization is to make the person who made the decision look important, however no one gets points for deciding to keep something that has already been in use for a while or is identical to something another organization is using. They're only rewarded for "innovation". Please note that innovation does NOT necessarily mean improvement.

Answer 10

juust be we have the money to have as many as we want.

by the way marines rock =]