Improved Combat Uniform

[421_434_226]

I think that we should go back to this dress while in garrison, but only if I get to start wearing my smock again.  And being a short ass is a pain in the ass when it comes to sizes of clothing.

 

[Sigs Pig]

HA! Nice picture, a keeper for sure!

Easy to pick out the Cadets in the photo, but who are the ones that got to wear camo coats...? and was blousing an option in those Flintstones days? >

ME

 

[AmmoTech90]

Not sure what you mean about cadets, seeing at it's a QL5 cadet time would have no relevence...but the jump smocks were worn by the SSF, so if you were posted to Pet in the 80s there was a good chance you were wearing one.  The WO and Sgt in the centre front are wearing drill boots, therefore their trousers are not bloused.  Everyone else is wearing a high top boot and therefore have their trousers bloused.  Combat boots were usually highly shone at CFSEME in those days.

 

[Happy Guy]

My God this takes me back to the early to late 80s where we wore the work dress uniform (lagoon green long sleeve shirts, rifle green work dress pants and drill boots or combat boots, depending where you were working).  Despite orders from the Bde Comd everyone wore this work dress uniform except the infantry who always manged to wear combats all the time even in garrison.

The SSF (now 2 CMBG) used to wear the jump smocks although there was two camps of thought on base regarding who should wear them - those who jumped (should wear smocks) and those who didn't (should not wear smocks).  I remember many a "discussion" in the mess about this.

 

[OldSolduer]

I've been blinded......

 

[Good2Golf]

Ascots!  Don't forget ascots with work dress. The perfect accessory to go along with the big late-70s/early-80s porn moustache! ;D

 

[Tibbson]

Sadly I still have two of them buried away.  One from my old reserve unit and one from my first year in the regs.  A sad statement of the times.

 

[Happy Guy]

I had to buy the Engineer and Logistics ascots.  Thankfully the COs and RSMs of the units that I was posted to all hated ascots and I never really got to wear them. They eventually ended up in my children's dress up box as did my forage cap.  My children never played with the ascots but they loved the forage cap.

 

[421_434_226]

Ah the good old days, actually I am the one on the left, wasn't in Pet at that time I was with 1RCR in London, if I remember correctly we were part of the SSF via AMF (Allied Command Europe Mobile Force) although the only time I went to Europe was on exercise in Denmark. The garrison dress came about sometime later I remember the horrid "paint by numbers" jacket all too well, and the tan summer army uniform with the sewn on ranks and the green trim around them.

 

[a_majoor]

Now we need a pattern of red bricks on a uniform for "urban camoflage"...

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Don't forget the pseudo jump boots. The ones that made you feel like your lower leg was fused to your foot without an ankle in between.

 

[Dissident]

Not gonna lie, now that I have seen the ICU in the flesh, I am not a fan.

 

[OldSolduer]

Ascots!  Don't forget ascots with work dress. The perfect accessory to go along with the big late-70s/early-80s porn moustache! ;D

I still have the two Patricia ones plus the old Training Command one. I'm waiting to become a gentleman before I don them again. It may be a while.

 

[Lightguns]

Still got my VP one as well, along with a VP tie and blazer crest.

 

[dapaterson]

I still have the two Patricia ones plus the old Training Command one. I'm waiting to become a gentleman before I don them again. It may be a while.

You still have PPCLI Porn moustaches?

 

[Good2Golf]

You still have PPCLI Porn moustaches?

Bow-chicka-wow-wowwww!  ;D

 

[Bzzliteyr]

I have finally been issued one set of the ICU.

I will be picking up my second set today.

The arm velcro protectors are an interesting addition and very stiff. I don't understand their purpose as we will only be issued "one flag and rank tab per soldier, not per uniform" so I have no clue what to put on the empty velcro spot on my right sleeve. Morale patches are popular with RSMs, right?

The pockets don't have any pen holders in them so you are pretty much forced to use the ones built into the arm unless you enjoy feeling a pen horizontally across your chest.  I haven't tried to roll up my sleeves yet and I don't even know if it is possible.

The pants come with the knee pads in them and they were promptly removed by me as I unwrapped them. I thought blousing them would be a pain in the butt but it wasn't that complicated at all. I used the little green elastics I have for blousing as opposed to the elastic system in them.

We'll see how long they survive in the tough environment of a HQ. I hope the butt is reinforced well.

 

[OldSolduer]

You still have PPCLI Porn moustaches?

Kinda. Sort of.

 

[Loachman]

I haven't tried to roll up my sleeves yet and I don't even know if it is possible.

Try taking the pens out of the sleeve pocket first.

Then you can put them...

Oh...

Right.

 

[McG]

I have no clue what to put on the empty velcro spot on my right sleeve

I expect the velco Div patches will be along soon enough to fill the spot on the other sleeve.