Of course, you guys were forming it for your heads. We had it easier.
Speaking of digital camo, they have recently introduced a new camoflage pattern which looks an awful lot like the BDU woodland pattern… Some of my friends deployed downrange got issued them. Meanwhile, out in the far corner of the Air Force, I’m stuck dealing with the Airman Battle Uniform, a uniform that seems to be ideally suited to working in an air conditioned office, as the name would imply.
Nobody has been able to explain to me why troops working in the desert would want a uniform that is thicker and heavier than the old BDUs and DCUs, features permanent-press creases, and a shit ton of pockets for pens (none of which I use, instead just tucking a pen in the front of the uniform, behind the buttons, like we all did with the BDUs). I miss the BDUs. They were more comfortable, lighter, and I could wear unit insignia on them (on the ABUs, we’re only allowed to wear rank, occupational badge, and nametapes).
Yes. Here are Washington and Lafayette in winter capes: http://image.absoluteastronomy.com/images/encyclopediaimages/w/wa/washington_and_lafayette_at_valley_forge.jpg
US Army Civil War-era greatcoats, worn by all ranks, made a definite fashion statement: http://www.sutlers.co.uk/acatalog/CavGct2.jpg
I can think of one CINC who was partial to capes:
Even today, USMC Evening Dress includes the option of a cape: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/PlateV_Evening_Dress.jpg
So I guess David Letterman was right, we have Batman!
(Winning wars are easy with soldiers prepared and looking cool, but we suck on what to do right after) 
I’ll do ya one better than a cape…there used to be military uniform tiaras. Found in our military history collections: A Marine Corps tiara | National Museum of American History
I kinda wish they’d bring those back.
Awesome!
I found a copy of US Navy uniform regulations that had them authorized as late as 1998. http://timemilitary.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/unif-navy.pdf
I seriously want to wear a cape and a tiara with my mess dress, now.
A cadet in the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, 1886 - looks like a greatcoat variant: http://www.uscg.mil/history/gifs/RCS_1880_Cadet.jpg
Likewise the U.S. Army, c. 1890: http://i11.ebayimg.com/03/i/000/db/81/612d_2.JPG
West Point cadets still wear a similar garment: http://maiphoto.smugmug.com/West-Point-Sports/Football/Army-Navy-Game-2010/15059769_DaJD5/5/1125179150_5Mxh7#1125179150_5Mxh7
That’s a big document. Could you direct us to the particular section which authorized capes and tiaras? Thanks!
Here’s this from the Navy’s own uniform regs webpage:
Scroll down to click on Arts. 3501.12 and 3501.86
Alas, no picture of the cape.
It’s a Navy uniform reg, which does not authorize capes, only tiaras. Which are under section 3202, formal wear. I’m also led to believe that apparently the Navy still authorizes tiaras.
It’s the Army which authorizes capes for formal wear. The Air Force, which I’m in, authorizes neither, which is a damn shame.
Thanks. Actually, it authorized capes too.
Thanks to JRDelirious, too.
Anyone got a picture of a member of the U.S. Marine Corps wearing a tiara?
Maybe because, as the smallest and most hardass of the services, they get more autonomy in their public presentation.
If you scroll down there is a picture from 1966 of women wearing tiaras.
“Matching handbag, heels and Night Vision Tiara sold separately.” *
(Could not help remembering an old FedEx commercial, the toy makers had to use girly doll clothes on the combat ranger dolls because the bad shipping company made a mistake.)
You’re right, it does! I was so focused on finding the tiara, that I missed the cape thing. Well, that’s it, off to transfer to the Navy.
Although, worth noting, the Marines DID recently switch to new camo uniforms, which are their day-to-day working uniforms in most places, similarly to the Air Force and Army. Unlike the Army or Air Force, the Marines saw the possibility of fighting in green places as well, thus their having desert (more red) and woodland (more green) versions of their MARPAT camo.
Of course, since no military service can do things in a manner which makes logical sense, they use these different uniforms as seasonal uniforms. Desert camo in the spring and summer, woodland camo in the fall and winter (at least in Garrison).
In fact, it was only recently that they were allowed to roll the sleeves of the desert uniform down in cold weather (or maybe they were required to roll them down even in hot weather… that one seems more like the military…:D)