Military uniforms have gone through many changes during the 224 year history of the US Army. Revolutionary War uniforms for example were very fancy and colorful by today’s standards, but by the time of the Civil War in the 1860’s uniforms had become more utilitarian. And by the Spanish-American War it was noted that Teddy Roosevelt’s “Rough Riders” looked more like cowboys than soldiers.
By the beginning of the 20th Century duller natural tones had become the new standard for uniforms and when the US Army entered WWI, it was in uniforms in a brownish-green color called “Olive Drab”.
Hollywood stars Jimmy Stewart and Clark Gable wearing two versions of the 1940-Pattern Officers Service Uniform while serving as Captains in the Army Air Force during WWII. (Source: US Army, Public Domain)
By WWII, the US Army service uniform featured the subdued colors of Olive Green and Taupe. Nonetheless, the 1940-Pattern Officers’ Service Uniform possessed an easy-going elegance. It evoked the refined shooting jackets and safari suits frequently seen in Hollywood movies, and was also frequently seen being worn by movie star soldiers like James Stewart and Clark Gable. This uniform also acquired the famous “Pinks-and-Greens” nickname due to the contrasting hues of the jacket and trousers.
One of the original Tuskegee Airmen, Colonel Lloyd McKeethen pictured in his WWII “Pinks-and-Greens” uniform. (Source: goarmywestpoint.com/custompages/army/granddaughter)
By the end of the 1940’s however the wartime uniform had lost a great deal of its prestige, so a new look was introduced in 1954 with the “Class A”, or Dress Green Uniform. The Dress Green Uniform soldiered on through the Cold War, the Gulf Wars, and into the Global War on Terror.
Finally in 2008, the Class A Dress Greens Uniform was replaced by the blue Army Service Uniform (ASU). The ASU has however been very unpopular and it will be replaced by the new Army Service Green Uniform (AGSU) starting next year. The AGSU closely follows the style of the 1940-pattern Officers Dress Uniform – the famous WWII “Pinks-and-Greens”.
Fechheimer Brothers Company catalog from November 1941 showing fabric options and prices for private-purchase M1940-Pattern Officers’ Service Uniforms.
Flying Cross®, based in Cincinnati, Ohio was one of the original producers of the “Pinks and Greens”, and has been a leading manufacturer of uniforms for US military and law enforcement personnel for the past 175 years. Based on this long history of expertise, the Army approached the company in the spring of 2017 and has been working closely with Flying Cross ever since to roll-out the AGSU on time.
Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, Gen. Mark A. Milley in Sainte Mere Eglise, France June 6, 2019. (U.S. Navy photos by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Michael McNabb)
AGSUs are now being issued to a cross-section of Army personnel for wear-testing and user feedback. Earlier this month, Flying Cross also delivered 500 sets of the AGSU for Officers and NCOs participating in the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
Maj. Gen. Brian Winski, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Carentan, France June 5, 2019. (US Army photos by Sgt. Steven Lopez, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade)
The Army Green Service Uniform capitalizes on the current retro style trend, includes a touch of old school Hollywood glamor, has a distinctly “American” look, and strongly connects the next generation of Soldiers with the heritage of the Greatest Generation of Soldiers.
For further information about Flying Cross and the Army Green Service Uniform, please visit www.goAGSU.com and follow Flying Cross on Instagram and Facebook.
Good shots of garrison cap and non-crushed service cap here. Hopefully that non-crush is what they end up going with. Overall seems like a good uniform with a solid Army feel to it.
Absolutely agree on the non crush, but a proper individually applied crush, as with a shaped and shaved beret, might be best. However, if the garrison cap may be worn at a right angle to the the marching surface, as was far more prevalent in that era than crushed service cap, I’d be all on board. Liked my highly refined maroon beret, but I hated my garrison cap worn correctly. Plus of course brown jump boots, XVIII Airborne needs them if nobody else does. Overall, I think it repairs the institutionally ruined Dress Blues, which should now be the only place you see the black beret, another plus. OCP 2.0/waylesshalfassthanucp-pat and now this…
Are the E4s and 1st LTs of my era (during-9/11 vets) finally putting right what once went wrong? 20-25 years of rank progression seems about right…
Fair enough, not against the crush itself at all, just wasnt a fan of the factory made crush on some of those prototypes. A self made crush is the way to go, much like the berets like you said, some individual effort and pride into appearance goes a long way.
It’s unfortunate that the Army had to go through the assed-up UCP and ASU/beret mess before coming around to OCP and this new throwback service uniform, but with any luck and a little common sense hopefully this can finally be settled.
And those brown jump boots do look a lot better than the ASU attempt at them….
Bottom picture shows the brown jump boots. Excellent!
Oh hell yes.
Upload WWII vintage jokes about Hershey bars and Shinola here. “Brown-Shoe Army” 2.0 Maybe we will also get back into the Unconditional Victory business as well! 🙂
Love the brown jump boots
I wonder what the guidance will be for beret wear (other than black) with the uniform?
Same as now
Will the black beret finally die?
Berets should have no place with the Dress Blues, once the “ASU” dies.
“The Army Green Service Uniform capitalizes on the current retro style trend, includes a touch of old school Hollywood glamor…”
Well this sentence isn’t doing the uniform any favors.
Clark Gable, Jimmy Stewart, Henry Fonda, Paul Newman, Charlton Heston, Charles Bronson, and Audie Murphy would disagree I think. 😉
Non-crusher looks the best!!! Good pair of jump boots can’t be beat!!!!
Oh, and where’s the Ike Jacket?
I think wearing all the the bling looks misplaced on these new uniforms making them look cluttered. I’d like to see a switch to just wearing your top six ribbons. I think the two star wearing the jump boots looks better then General Milley who is wearing all of his awards. I’d keep everything on the blues, but just tone down the new Army greens.
Agreed.
I’d even go so far as just 3 ribbons, no unit awards and no regimental crest.
As a service uniform, it should have a name plate and the name plate should be eliminated from the Blues.
Agreed, I was surprised what a difference it makes. Looks much cleaner.
I personally don’t believe the beret has a place regular soldier, let them wear the garrison cap or the service cap. I personally liked the old dress greens and the dress blues, and the khaki uniforms.
The non-crush cap looks so much better than the pre-crushed Rommel/MacArthur abortion they have been pushing. Glad to see officer braid on the garrison cap and a return of the glider patch. However, they should retain the shiny buttons and cap/branch insignia as it is more accurate and looks 10x better. The black beret needs to die with the wear out date of the ASU.
This new uniform is still a waste of money
Texas A&M Corps of Cadets has been wearing these uniforms for decades. That is why they are called Old Army!
Looks sharp as hell. I wish the AF would go to something like this, perhaps with blue and white accents for insignia and service stripes in a nod to our aerial focus.