ALARACT 209/2014
DTG: 031313Z SEP 14
UNCLAS
SUBJ/ALARACT 209/2014 – THE NEW ARMY PHYSICAL FITNESS UNIFORM (APFU) AND THE NEW BLACK MICROFLEECE CAP

THIS ALARACT MESSAGE HAS BEEN TRANSMITTED BY USAITA ON BEHALF OF HQDA//DAMO-TRS//

SUBJECT: THE NEW ARMY PHYSICAL FITNESS UNIFORM (APFU) AND THE NEW BLACK MICROFLEECE CAP EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, REQUEST THE WIDEST POSSIBLE DISSEMINATION
(U) REFERENCES:
REF// A/ OPERATIONAL FORCES INTERFACE GROUP REPORT, DATED 3 MAY 12, SUBJECT: TOTAL ARMY SURVEY OF THE IMPROVED PHYSICAL FITNESS UNIFORM
(IPFU) TO ALL 50 STATES AND VARIOUS WORLDWIDE LOCATIONS.
REF//B/ OPERATIONAL FORCES INTERFACE GROUP REPORT, DATED 7 JAN 13, SUBJECT: IPFU PHASE II.
REF//C/ OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF G-4, MEMORANDUM DATED 26 AUG 13, SUBJECT: IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE ARMY
APPROVAL OF THE 144TH ARMY UNIFORM BOARD (AUB) RECOMMENDATIONS.

1. (U) THE PURPOSE OF THIS MESSAGE IS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE INTRODUCTION OF THE ARMY PHYSICAL FITNESS UNIFORM (APFU) AND THE NEW BLACK MICROFLEECE CAP.
2. (U) SOLDIERS’ FEEDBACK PROMPTED THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE APFU. TO GAUGE ACCURATELY THE SOLDIERS’ OPINIONS, THE ARMY CONDUCTED AN ONLINE SURVEY FROM 6 FEB – 7 MAR 12. THE SURVEY GENERATED MORE THAN 76,000 SOLDIER RESPONSES. THE SOLDIERS’ RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDED MODIFICATIONS TO THE APPEARANCE, THE ADDITION OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE FABRICS, AND MEASURES TO INCREASE COMFORT AND FIT. FROM 9- 29 OCT 12, A SECOND SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE SOLDIERS’ PREFERENCE FOR COLOR AND DESIGN OF THE FITNESS UNIFORM. MORE THAN 190,000 SOLDIERS VOTED ON 64 DESIGN AND COLOR COMBINATIONS. SOLDIERS ULTIMATELY RECOMMENDED THE BLACK-AND-GOLD ENSEMBLE.

3. (U) THE PROGRAM EXECUTIVE OFFICE (PEO) SOLDIER WORKED WITH NATICK SOLDIER RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT AND ENGINEERING CENTER TO REDESIGN THE CURRENT IPFU. THE GOAL WAS TO USE HIGH-PERFORMANCE FABRICS IN THE APFU WITHOUT INCREASING THE COST FROM THE IPFU. THE APFU FEATURES 32 IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDING IMPROVED IDENTIFICATION/KEY POCKETS, A REDESIGNED STRETCHABLE LINING IN THE TRUNKS, HEAT MITIGATION AND FEMALE SIZING (PANTS/JACKET). ALL OF THESE CHANGES WERE INCORPORATED BASED ON SOLDIERS’ INPUT. THE ARMY CONDUCTED EXTENSIVE TECHNICAL TESTING AS WELL AS USER ASSESSMENTS IN VARIOUS CLIMATIC REGIONS TO OBTAIN SOLDIERS’ FEEDBACK AND TO VALIDATE THE APFU FORM, FIT AND FUNCTION.

4. (U) THE APFU ENSEMBLE CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:
4.A. APFU JACKET: BLACK WITH GOLD CHEVRON AND ARMY STAR LOGO
4.B. APFU PANTS: BLACK WITH ARMY STAR LOGO
4.C. APFU LONG-SLEEVE SHIRT: BLACK WITH GOLD “ARMY” LETTERING
4.D. APFU SHORT-SLEEVE SHIRT: BLACK WITH GOLD “ARMY” LETTERING
4.E. APFU TRUNKS: BLACK WITH GOLD “ARMY” LETTERING

5. (U) THE APFU EMSEMBLE IS QUICK DRYING AND MOISTURE WICKING, AND USES LIGHTWEIGHT FABRICS. THE APFU ENSEMBLE IS NOT REFLECTIVE. THE T-SHIRTS AND TRUNK LINERS WILL NOT HAVE ANTIMICROBIAL CAPABILITIES AT THIS TIME. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH INTO THE EFFICACY OF ANTIMICROBIAL FABRICS, THE ARMY WILL CONSIDER ADDING THIS CAPABILITY INTO THE APFU.

6. (U) THE ARMY PLANS TO INTRODUCE THE APFU OVER SEVERAL YEARS.
THE APFU WILL BE AVAILABLE:
6.A. FOR ARMY MILITARY CLOTHING STORES (AMCS) IN 1ST QUARTER FISCAL YEAR 2015 (1QFY15). DURING THE APFU INTRODUCTION, DRILL SERGEANTS AT CLOTHING INITIAL ISSUE POINT (CIIP) LOCATIONS ARE AUTHORIZED TO OBTAIN THEIR SUPPLEMENTAL ISSUE OF APFU ITEMS FROM THEIR LOCAL AMCS IN 2QFY15.
6.B. FOR CIIP INITIAL ENTRY TRAINING (IET) SOLDIERS IN 3QFY15.
6.C. FOR THE ARMY-DIRECT ORDERING (ADO), ARMY NATIONAL GUARD, ARMY RESERVE AND SENIOR RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS (SROTC) SOLDIERS IN 4QFY15.

7. (U) THE WEAR-OUT DATE FOR THE IPFU IS 30 SEP 17. THE MANDATORY POSSESSION DATE FOR THE APFU IS 1 OCT 17 (1QFY18).

8. (U) FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE ARMY IS INTRODUCING TWO PHYSICAL FITNESS UNIFORMS: THE ISSUE AND OPTIONAL APFU. THE OPTIONAL APFU WILL ALSO BE SOLD AT AMCS AND WILL COST SLIGHTLY MORE THAN THE ISSUED APFU. SOLDIERS MAY PURCHASE THE OPTIONAL APFU WITH PERSONAL FUNDS. THE OPTIONAL AND ISSUED APFU ARE VERY SIMILAR IN APPEARANCE AND FEATURES. HOWEVER, THE OPTIONAL APFU IS MADE FROM DIFFERENT FABRICS, HAS A PANT LINER AND A BRIEF-STYLE TRUNK LINER, AND INCLUDES UNISEX AND FEMALE SIZES FOR THE JACKET AND PANTS. THE OPTIONAL APFU WILL BE AVAILABLE IN AMCS STARTING 1QFY15 (DEC 14). THIS WILL ALLOW SOLDIERS AN OPTION TO PROCURE AN APFU IN ANOTHER FABRIC.

9. (U) SOLDIERS ARE AUTHORIZED TO WEAR A MIXTURE OF ISSUE AND OPTIONAL APFU COMPONENTS AT THE SAME TIME. FOR EXAMPLE, THEY CAN WEAR OPTIONAL APFU TRUNKS WITH THE ISSUE APFU T-SHIRT. SOLDIERS ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO MIX THE WEAR OF APFU COMPONENTS WITH THE IPFU COMPONENTS AT THE SAME TIME. FOR EXAMPLE, SOLDIERS MAY NOT WEAR THE APFU T-SHIRT WITH THE IPFU TRUNKS. THE APFU IS AUTHORIZED FOR WEAR AS PRESECRIBED FOR THE IPFU IN ARMY REGULATION 670-1 AND DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY PAMPHLET 670-1 (UNTIL REVISIONS OF THESE PUBLICATIONS ARE RELEASED).

10. (U) THE ARMY IS CHANGING THE COLOR OF THE MICROFLEECE CAP FROM GREEN TO BLACK FOR WEAR WITH THE APFU. THE BLACK MICROFLEECE CAP WILL BE AVAILABLE:
10.A. AT AMCS IN 1QFY15. DURING THE BLACK MICROFLEECE CAP INTRODUCTION, DRILL SERGEANTS AT CIIP LOCATIONS ARE AUTHORIZED TO OBTAIN THEIR SUPPLEMENTAL ISSUE OF THE BLACK MICROFLEECE CAP FROM
THEIR LOCAL AMCS IN 2QFY15.
10.B. AT THE CIIP FOR IET SOLDIERS IN 3QFY15.
10.C. THE ADO, THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD, ARMY RESERVE AND SROTC IN 4QFY15.

11. (U) THE WEAR-OUT DATE FOR THE GREEN MICROFLEECE CAP IS 30 SEP 17. THE MANDATORY POSSESSION DATE FOR THE BLACK MICROFLEECE CAP IS 1 OCT 17, (1QFY18).

12. (U) HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY (HQDA) POINT OF CONTACT ARE MAJ DANNY P OR MS. SHIRLEY B.

13. (U) THIS MESSAGE WILL EXPIRE ON 22 AUG 15, UNLESS SUPERSEDED BY OFFICIAL GUIDANCE FROM HQDA.