# Why is the U.S. Army changing the basic color of everyday service uniforms AGAIN? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 10, 2019, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-army-changing-the-basic-color-of-everyday-service-uniforms-again/833795 "2019-05-10T20:01:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-army-changing-the-basic-color-of-everyday-service-uniforms-again/833795/61 "2019-05-15T14:07:23Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Or maybe if you keep making pointless and arbitrary changes to uniforms, people will reject all changes as pointless and arbitrary, including those that aren’t. Troops need to feel confident that their superiors are making decisions based on logic and good sense. If they start rolling their eyes for uniform changes, they’ll also roll their for, say, new tactics, or new sexual harassment regulations - “Ugh, there they go again.” I know: I’ve been there. > > A good military organization finds a balance between evolution and continuity by changing what’s needed and not changing what isn’t. > On edit: I think we may be veering a bit from GQ. Well yeah, but you have to admit a lot of that stuff is because some butterbar just had the best idea EVAR! ---
**Author:** ![l0k1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@l0k1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/l0k1)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-army-changing-the-basic-color-of-everyday-service-uniforms-again/833795/62 "2019-05-15T14:31:56Z")
They should just switch to halberds, red frock-coats and white stocking. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-army-changing-the-basic-color-of-everyday-service-uniforms-again/833795/63 "2019-05-15T15:22:14Z")
I was in the Army when they switched to berets and thought they were absurdly pointless. It looks like they’re getting rid of them for the switch to the new uniforms? If so, I wholeheartedly support the change (Of course Rangers and Delta Force can keep theirs). Now let’s keep uniforms the same for more than a decade or two, okay? I agree with the others in this thread who say the whole point of the uniform is that it should look the same from generation to generation so everyone knows who’s a soldier at a glance. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-army-changing-the-basic-color-of-everyday-service-uniforms-again/833795/64 "2019-05-15T16:52:51Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > I was in the Army when they switched to berets and thought they were absurdly pointless. It looks like they’re getting rid of them for the switch to the new uniforms? If so, I wholeheartedly support the change (Of course Rangers and Delta Force can keep theirs). I’ve posted before about how the Army has ruined the beret. – Why has the U.S. Army ruined the beret? > **[Why has the U.S. Army ruined the beret?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=597566)** > > I’m putting this in Cafe Society, since it’s an aesthetic issue, but I don’t know which way the discussion will go. Berets have been around a long time, worn by both men and women. And they can look nice. Here are some nice looking berets – ... ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-army-changing-the-basic-color-of-everyday-service-uniforms-again/833795/65 "2019-05-15T16:53:00Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > Well yeah, but you have to admit a lot of that stuff is because some butterbar just had the best idea EVAR! My point exactly. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2019, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-army-changing-the-basic-color-of-everyday-service-uniforms-again/833795/66 "2019-05-17T18:59:55Z")
> [@l0k1](#): > > They should just switch to halberds, red frock-coats and white stocking. Sign me up! The Greek, Indian and Pakistani militaries have something to teach us, too: [![](https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/ceremonial-changing-guard-athens-greece-june-front-greek-parliament-81729399.jpg) ](https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/ceremonial-changing-guard-athens-greece-june-front-greek-parliament-81729399.jpg) [![](https://s3.india.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/wagah-pakistan-india-border1.jpg) ](https://s3.india.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/wagah-pakistan-india-border1.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-army-changing-the-basic-color-of-everyday-service-uniforms-again/833795/67 "2019-05-19T14:38:12Z")
[off topic] > [@bump](#): > > … Then they sort of switched to that janky airline pilot uniform… I’ve never heard the word “janky.” AF slang? Regional? [/off topic] ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-army-changing-the-basic-color-of-everyday-service-uniforms-again/833795/68 "2019-05-19T15:34:14Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I’ve posted before about how the Army has ruined the beret. – Why has the U.S. Army ruined the beret? > [Why has the U.S. Army ruined the beret? - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=597566) I disagree. It’s like comparing a sloppy, ill fitting shirt to one that is fitted and tailored. The US Army’s current method of wear looks much sharper. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-army-changing-the-basic-color-of-everyday-service-uniforms-again/833795/69 "2019-05-19T15:42:54Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > I disagree. It’s like comparing a sloppy, ill fitting shirt to one that is fitted and tailored. The US Army’s current method of wear looks much sharper. Certainly better than the idea that was being floated when I first on active. Each branch would have its own colored beret. Baby blue for infantry, yellow/armor, red/engineers etc. That sounds like a nightmare. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-army-changing-the-basic-color-of-everyday-service-uniforms-again/833795/70 "2019-05-19T15:44:37Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Certainly better than the idea that was being floated when I first on active. Each branch would have its own colored beret. Baby blue for infantry, yellow/armor, red/engineers etc. That sounds like a nightmare. Doesn’t the Air Force do something like that? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-army-changing-the-basic-color-of-everyday-service-uniforms-again/833795/71 "2019-05-19T15:47:03Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > I disagree. It’s like comparing a sloppy, ill fitting shirt to one that is fitted and tailored. The US Army’s current method of wear looks much sharper. I reject the idea that a proper beret is comparable to an ill-fitting and “sloppy” shirt. It kind of makes me angry to see that comparison. The Army beret as currently worn just looks stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-army-changing-the-basic-color-of-everyday-service-uniforms-again/833795/72 "2019-05-19T15:51:38Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I reject the idea that a proper beret is comparable to an ill-fitting and “sloppy” shirt. It kind of makes me angry to see that comparison. > > The Army beret as currently worn just looks stupid. That’s the beauty of opinions. I reject your idea as well. Though, I’m not sure why it makes you angry. Of the two of us, I’m the one who wears a beret every day and you’re the one saying the way I wear it looks stupid. It doesn’t make me angry, though. You’re entitled to your opinion. I just think a floppy, pancake chef beret looks terrible–both from a fashion standpoint and a military one. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-army-changing-the-basic-color-of-everyday-service-uniforms-again/833795/73 "2019-05-19T16:47:27Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > That’s the beauty of opinions. I reject your idea as well. Though, I’m not sure why it makes you angry. Of the two of us, I’m the one who wears a beret every day and you’re the one saying the way I wear it looks stupid. It doesn’t make me angry, though. You’re entitled to your opinion. I just think a floppy, pancake chef beret looks terrible–both from a fashion standpoint and a military one. I don’t wear a beret every day but I wear one quite often. With a fitted business suit and tailored shirt. It’s not like I’m expressing a completely idle opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-army-changing-the-basic-color-of-everyday-service-uniforms-again/833795/74 "2019-05-19T17:05:51Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Certainly better than the idea that was being floated when I first on active. Each branch would have its own colored beret. Baby blue for infantry, yellow/armor, red/engineers etc. That sounds like a nightmare. The Israeli military does exactly that (albeit with a different color scheme). It works just fine. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-army-changing-the-basic-color-of-everyday-service-uniforms-again/833795/75 "2019-05-19T17:16:49Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > The Israeli military does exactly that (albeit with a different color scheme). It works just fine. It wouldn’t work in the US Army simply because we use berets to distinguish certain types of units. Regardless of branch or specific job, all personnel in those units wear the distinctive color. So, having each branch wear a different color would interfere with that system. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-army-changing-the-basic-color-of-everyday-service-uniforms-again/833795/76 "2019-05-19T17:27:08Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > It wouldn’t work in the US Army simply because we use berets to distinguish certain types of units. Regardless of branch or specific job, all personnel in those units wear the distinctive color. So, having each branch wear a different color would interfere with that system. Ah, I see. We don’t have permanently mixed units under the division level. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2019, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-army-changing-the-basic-color-of-everyday-service-uniforms-again/833795/77 "2019-05-21T14:26:34Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > [off topic] > > I’ve never heard the word “janky.” AF slang? Regional? > > [/off topic] Dunno how regional, but it was [popularized in the 90s](https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/janky). ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2019, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-army-changing-the-basic-color-of-everyday-service-uniforms-again/833795/78 "2019-05-21T19:37:18Z")
IANA soldier, but I liked the dress blues. They look sharp, and professional, and, at least to me, iconographically distinct from Navy dress blues. I was however very confused several years ago to walk into an Annie Leibowitz exhibition to see a large photograph of Gen. Norman Schwartzkopf in a [_white_](IANA soldier, but I liked the dress blues. They look sharp, and professional, and, at least to me, iconographically distinct from Navy dress blues. I was however very confused several years ago to walk into an Annie Leibowitz exhibition to see a large photograph of Gen. Norman Schwartzkopf in a [URL="[https://www.pinterest.com/pin/858006166480043952/](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/858006166480043952/)) dress uniform… ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2019, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-army-changing-the-basic-color-of-everyday-service-uniforms-again/833795/79 "2019-05-21T22:01:20Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > I was however very confused several years ago to walk into an Annie Leibowitz exhibition to see a large photograph of Gen. Norman Schwartzkopf in a [_white_](IANA soldier, but I liked the dress blues. They look sharp, and professional, and, at least to me, iconographically distinct from Navy dress blues. I was however very confused several years ago to walk into an Annie Leibowitz exhibition to see a large photograph of Gen. Norman Schwartzkopf in a [URL="[https://www.pinterest.com/pin/858006166480043952/](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/858006166480043952/)) dress uniform… Never seen that one before! [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniforms_of_the_United_States_Army#Army_White_Uniform): > [@](#): > > One of the Army’s Dress Uniforms, the Army White Uniform,[20] was the army’s equivalent to the dress white uniform worn by officers in the U.S. Navy. However, unlike the navy, which mandates the owning and wearing of the white uniform throughout the summer months (year round in tropical locations) by all ranks (E-1 to O-10), the Army white uniform was an optional uniform, and was only required to be purchased by officers and sergeants major assigned to posts in the tropics and the southern United States. The Army white service uniform was phased out in 2014. > > Introduced in 1902 as a summer undress uniform, its wearing, along with the dress and undress blue, was suspended during World War I and was reintroduced in its present form, along with the modern-day dress blue uniform, in 1938.[21] In its original (1902) form the white uniform included a standing collar and white flat braid trimming the coat edges.[22] The 1938 model substituted a white coat without braid and with an open-fronted peak lapel worn with a white shirt and black tie. > > With the impending hostilities of World War II, production of both the blue and white dress uniforms were suspended, but the Army white uniform itself served as a model for the Army winter service uniform, which was introduced in 1942 (replacing a belted version designed around the Sam Browne Belt) and discontinued in 1968. The shirt and trousers “class B” uniform was replaced with the Army green class “B” uniform in 1985. The post-war belt-less Army Blue Uniform, and the Army green uniform, had earlier replaced the World War II “Pinks & Greens” and pattern 1942 service coat or “Eisenhower jacket” uniforms in 1956. > > Like the Army green uniform, the Army white uniform featured a main jacket with four buttons, worn with matching white trousers and service cap, but unlike the Army green uniform, no unit patches, specialty tabs, or the black beret were worn. Officers wore their silver or gold-colored rank insignia pinned onto the shoulder epaulets, while enlisted personnel wore gold-on-white rank insignia and service stripes on both sleeves as that on the Army Blue Uniform. A white dress shirt and either a black bow tie or four-in-hand necktie, for formal and semi-formal functions, were worn. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2019, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-army-changing-the-basic-color-of-everyday-service-uniforms-again/833795/80 "2019-05-21T22:07:01Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Certainly better than the idea that was being floated when I first on active. Each branch would have its own colored beret. Baby blue for infantry, yellow/armor, red/engineers etc. That sounds like a nightmare. > [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > Doesn’t the Air Force do something like that? Air Force berets: Black - Tactical Air Control Party (TACP), Air Liaison Officers (ALO), and Air Mobility Liaison Officers (AMLO) Maroon - Combat Rescue Officers and Pararescuemen (PJs) Red (scarlet) - Combat Controllers & Special Tactics Officers Royal Blue - Security Forces and United States Air Force Academy First-Class Cadets & Basic Cadet Training cadre Grey - Special Operations Weather Technician Green - Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) Specialists [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-army-changing-the-basic-color-of-everyday-service-uniforms-again/833795.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-army-changing-the-basic-color-of-everyday-service-uniforms-again/833795.md?page=5)