Info Req. USAF use ACU?

[MaverickCowboy]

are USAF personell authorized to use ACU?

also has any seen a pic of guys in ABU with ranger green vests? or have a pic?

[DnA]

The Air Force pers you've seen were most likely attached to an Army unit hence the wearing the the ACUs. Also TACP students wear ACU.

[MaverickCowboy]

The Air Force pers you've seen were most likely attached to an Army unit hence the wearing the the ACUs. Also TACP students wear ACU.

would one get in trouble tho? seeing how half the kit is ACU anyway?

[DnA]

would one get in trouble tho? seeing how half the kit is ACU anyway?

Well if the Air Force pers are in Army units than they wear the Army uniform.. so no they wouldn't get in trouble.


If an Airman who's in an Air Force unit just decides one day he wants to wear ACU well than he'd get a talking to...

[MaverickCowboy]

Well if the Air Force pers are in Army units than they wear the Army uniform.. so no they wouldn't get in trouble.


If an Airman who's in an Air Force unit just decides one day he wants to wear ACU well than he'd get a talking to...

lol sounds about right.

[tyovan]

My TACP buddies wear ACU - they even wore it in tech school.

Us regular Airmen aren't allowed to wear ACU uniform components. But there is some stuff that is a real PITA to find in ABU - so it's not uncommon to see Airmen wearing ACU-patterned backpacks, Camelbaks, briefcases, webbing, etc..




EDIT - show me a pic of one of these 'green ranger vests' and I'll tell you if I ever saw someone wearing it with ABU

[Hawkeye4077]

There were a few pics last year of USAF SF (Security Forces) wearing ACU helmet covers, vests, etc. with their ABU uniforms. IIRC someone said that it was authorized at the time of the post, I don't know if it still is a year later or not

[tyovan]

There were a few pics last year of USAF SF (Security Forces) wearing ACU helmet covers, vests, etc. with their ABU uniforms. IIRC someone said that it was authorized at the time of the post, I don't know if it still is a year later or not


My PASGT helmet in BMT had an ACU cover. Back in my Guard unit, I've still got Woodland and 3-color desert covers.

From what I know, USAF now issues the MICH helmet in theater - I imagine all those would have ACU covers, I haven't seen any ABU covers yet..

[MaverickCowboy]

[QUOTE=tyovan4;4286062]My PASGT helmet in BMT had an ACU cover. Back in my Guard unit, I've still got Woodland and 3-color desert covers.

From what I know, USAF now issues the MICH helmet in theater - I imagine all those would have ACU covers, I haven't seen any ABU covers yet..[/QUOThttp://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii23/TMP_2008/090421-A-6095H-351.jpg
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii23/TMP_2008/090421-A-6095H-351.jpg

[tyovan]

Maverick - I've never seen Security Forces wearing those vests at any base I've been to. Looked at my buddies TACP pictures and didn't see them wearing that either.

Maybe someone else from AFSOC community could give better info - I'm a paper-pusher ;)

[el borracho]

There was a huge snafu in getting ABU patterned accessories into the field, even goretex jackets took a lot longer than expected. The ABU has only been out for a couple of years, so I would guess that ABU accessories are just starting to see widespread use. The same thing happened with MARPAT and the ACU when those were released, you saw tons of guys mix and matching 3-color desert and woodland BDU gear to go along with it because nothing else was available.

[Heazy]

In A-stan i've seen a lot of Air Force wearing ACU's, especially at more remote FOB's. Theres also alot of Navy here who wear ACU's. I've also seen some air force guys at BAF wearing desert marpat or AOR2 camo.

[tyovan]

There was a huge snafu in getting ABU patterned accessories into the field, even goretex jackets took a lot longer than expected.

Those things are a piece of ****e..

The 'pockets' on the outside of the parka don't hold anything! There's nothing inside, they're just slots to warm your hands up in. Total junk - at least the old woodland parkas had pockets on the arms..

[Kap]

There were a few pics last year of USAF SF (Security Forces) wearing ACU helmet covers, vests, etc. with their ABU uniforms. IIRC someone said that it was authorized at the time of the post, I don't know if it still is a year later or not


When I was in theater all the USAF SF (Security Forces) wore ACU IBAs, and ACU helmet covers with ACU pouches as well. There are only a select few companies that make anything in ABU so far, but I can't remember which ones those are. Also saw reg AF guys wearing ACU uniforms too, as well as Naval personnel.

[Soldat_Américain]

Buddy in Afghanistan...the only part of his kit that is Air Force is the actual fatigues...lemme check to see if he's wearing sage boots...no. That I didn't catch I thought tan boots were no longer authorized. So his OTV, LBV, and helmet cover is in ACUPAT.

[Kap]

Buddy in Afghanistan...the only part of his kit that is Air Force is the actual fatigues...lemme check to see if he's wearing sage boots...no. That I didn't catch I thought tan boots were no longer authorized. So his OTV, LBV, and helmet cover is in ACUPAT.

At least 90% of the Airmen I saw in Iraq still wore tan boots. ;) I think they have a longer transition time with their uniform change.

[Soldat_Américain]

At least 90% of the Airmen I saw in Iraq still wore tan boots. ;) I think they have a longer transition time with their uniform change.
Yeah buddy was issued BDUs at AF Boot...and that was just a year and a half ago...but all the zoomies I saw stateside weren't wearing tan boots and the ones that were, were going to put on sage boots soon.

[Roaming East]

I almost never see the sage green boots being worn. The vast majority of other airmen in ABU i see just wear the desert boots theyve had for years and can get for cheap. almost all kit outside of basic uniform is in ACU since they dont seem to make ABU pouches plate carriers, LBV canteen covers etc.

Havent seen any airmen NOT in ground support wearing ACU gortex though. not stateside anyway.

[Trouble]

I almost never see the sage green boots being worn. The vast majority of other airmen in ABU i see just wear the desert boots theyve had for years and can get for cheap. almost all kit outside of basic uniform is in ACU since they dont seem to make ABU pouches plate carriers, LBV canteen covers etc.

Havent seen any airmen NOT in ground support wearing ACU gortex though. not stateside anyway.

Yep. This goes to show the brilliance of our AF leadership.

Policy is or last I saw was, basic uniform would be the ABU, but all other personal equipment (i.e. OTV, pouches, camelbaks, etc) would be in ACU pattern, because there was no plan or provision to officially produce or issue anything other than the new utility uniform in ABU pattern.

Now logic (I know USAF + Logic = oxymoron or paradox) would state that if you are going to cover up your new service specific uniform with gear in a totally different pattern then it would make sense to just use that other pattern in the first place. But then again that would be logical.

[MaverickCowboy]

Can some one ID these vests? is that Ranger Green?

http://www.osan.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/090122-F-6044B-006.JPG
http://www.osan.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/090122-F-6044B-006.JPG
http://www.osan.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/090122-F-6044B-007.JPG
http://www.osan.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/090122-F-6044B-007.JPG

[Soldat_Américain]

Blackhawk plate carrier I think...might be ranger green, not my familiar shade of OD.

[haze99]

Due to the thick material that the ABU's are made of a number of airmen were opting to wear the ACU instead. The USAF is now fielding an updated ABU, that is made of lighter material for wear in warmer climates.
As for additional field-gear, I am would guess private companies will produce the MOLLE in ABU at some point? Most airmen now just use the ACU-patterned MOLLE items. (all blends-in at a distance. You have to look real close to see the pattern difference.)

[MaverickCowboy]

Due to the thick material that the ABU's are made of a number of airmen were opting to wear the ACU instead. The USAF is now fielding an updated ABU, that is made of lighter material for wear in warmer climates.
As for additional field-gear, I am would guess private companies will produce the MOLLE in ABU at some point? Most airmen now just use the ACU-patterned MOLLE items. (all blends-in at a distance. You have to look real close to see the pattern difference.)

i would really like an ACU cut ABU pattern. love that setup.

you have a pic of that new ABU pattern?

[Hawkeye4077]

Check the Today's Pix thread. There are quite a few pics of Airmen wearing ACU accessories with their ABU's.

[Dominique]

AF & Navy Personnel assigned to work with the Army usually wear ACU's (the Navy guys even have little ACU rank insignia with their Navy rank on them).

[Zoomie]

At least 90% of the Airmen I saw in Iraq still wore tan boots. ;) I think they have a longer transition time with their uniform change.
Nope, ironically it's what we're actually issued when we deploy overseas. The sage boots don't handle wear and tear all that well, so we're issuing the tan for deployments, and then mandating sage for stateside. :cantbeli: