Sometimes a Uniform is More than That

I was thinking about the switch in the uniforms when Kurt Schlichter mentioned the generals needed to wear “throwback” jerseys to feel like winners. I remembered I wrote something about that in October 2017. Took me a while to find it. Here it is.

To me, this is about more than aesthetics. This is about more than fashion or looking like a bus driver. I like the way the uniform looks, but we also have to understand the uniform as a symbol. The pinks and greens are a symbol of an Army that fought wars and won. The Army Service Uniform is a uniform that symbolizes an army at war for 16 years without a declared victory. Those are the respective periods, eras, and moods those uniforms represent.

The pinks and greens represent a time when America collectively decided to fight a towering menace in a foreign land to defeat. A time when it is perceived America was united behind that uniform. A time when there was no question about the existential threat posed to the free world by the people we fought. The notion that the conscripted fighting man was, brave, courageous, and doing the world a favor. A time when 20% of men served in the military, most not by choice but by conscription.

The ASU is representative of an era of constant war, to fight an enemy we can’t agree on, for terms that we can’t meet. Representing an era of constant political chaos, where sides become more factionalized and the two sides can’t agree on whether the people fighting are heroes or victims of the military-industrial complex. An era where 1% of the population serves and less than .5% actually deploys. An era where the volunteer is not altruistic or patriotic but just needs college money, or had no other options.

Heritage is important but at what point do we sacrifice the history we're creating now to cling to the glories of the past. What is so wrong with our uniform? Is it so imbued with the stench of GWOT failure that nobody is proud to wear it? Do we, as an Army, need to reach back 70 years to find pride and glory? I think if the only way we can be proud of ourselves is to try and recreate the past, where history judged us benevolent. Instead of standing proud and firm on the history we are creating for ourselves and creating the uniform the next generation will want to wear.

I think what we’re reaching for is not the look but the feeling. A feeling for a time when 20% of men shared a common set of values and goals. When it seemed the country was united behind a common enemy that wasn’t their lefty neighbor or the President. That’s why it feels so good when we see that uniform. Or maybe it’s just the calming effect of brown. Don’t get me wrong I’ll wear an “Ike” coat every day because they look awesome but I don’t think we should ride on the shoulders of the “Greatest Generation” any longer. They did their bit. They’re almost all dead. It’s time for us to create our own history and our own legacy for others to stand on in the future. Hopefully, someday they will want to wear a blue uniform that makes them look like an American Airlines pilot.