FORT SILL, Oklahoma (Sept. 11, 2020) -- Fort Sill is in the second wave of installations to receive the new Army Green Service Uniform modeled after the natty dress uniform GIs wore during World War II.
It’s also one of the first training centers to get them, and drill sergeants from 434th Field Artillery Brigade were fitted with the uniforms over the course of three evenings, Sept. 1-3. Army recruiters were also among the 194 Soldiers here to get the uniforms. It will go to general sales Oct. 1, and be issued to all basic combat trainees after Oct. 15, according to Mary Campbell, facility manager for Fort Sill Military Clothing and Sales.
“Fort Sill is excited to start seeing our drill sergeants and trainees in the Army Greens and looks forward to our entire Fort Sill formation donning the new uniform in the near future,” said Maj. Gen. Ken Kamper, commanding general of the Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill.
Initial release of the uniform is in four waves. Fort Knox, Kentucky, and Fort Benning, Georgia, were the first wave. Fort Sill is in the second wave along with Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.
Campbell said her store in the newly refurbished PXtra did a mass order for general sizes, but Military Clothing and Sales can also accommodate drill sergeants and recruiters who require special sizes.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic the store limited the number each night to 63. Some had to wait in the food court until others cleared out, the manager said.
“We want to think of our customers’ safety first,” she said.
The Army Green Service Uniform is the same type and material as that worn by Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower during World War II, and the Army wanted to bring it back because it makes the Soldiers look so smart and neat, Campbell said. It will replace the “dress blues,” which are still good until Oct. 2027.
After that, it will be the Army standard for formal occasions and Soldiers who work in business settings. It does not replace the Operational Camouflage Pattern fatigues in daily use. Those will be the norm when Soldiers are in the field or on deployment.
The WWII generation dubbed the gabardine polyester uniform “pinks and greens” because in bright light the pants have a pink sheen to them and the jackets are an olive drab.
Female Soldiers have their choice of wearing either skirts or pants, but Campbell said right now the store can only issue them the pants. Skirts will be available at the beginning of January.
Campbell said the store received close to 60 pallets of the new uniform over the past month. That represents nearly $500,000 worth of clothing. She praised her crew for being up to the challenge of getting ready for the push. It was all hands on board for the three-night fitting sessions that ran from 6-10 p.m.
When Soldiers purchase the new uniform Military Clothing and Sales will do alterations onsite at the PXtra. Starting Sept. 8 CIIP (Clothing Initial Issue Point) will be doing alterations for the uniforms that are issued to Soldiers. They’re issued the jacket, the pants, the dress shirt, brown oxfords, matching socks, their rank, two T-shirts (one long-sleeve and the other short-sleeve), ties, gloves, and the garrison cap. They do not get issued the service cap or the all-weather coat, and will have to pay for those.
“I love the uniform, and actually, I’ve talked to all the drill sergeants, and they love the uniform because it actually fits them nicer,” Campbell said. “The jacket is not as heavy as you think it is. It’s very light.”
The shirt is wash and wear. The pants and the jacket will have to be dry-cleaned.
Staff Sgt. José Vallé, a drill sergeant with D Battery, 1st Battalion, 19th Field Artillery, said he loves the new Army dress uniform.
“It fits very well. It’s a different feel than the current armed services one. I like the look of them. The overall look of them just looks very professional, in my opinion,” Vallé said.
What he likes best about the new uniform is that the pants sit lower on the hips, more like normal jeans or pants. He also likes the belt because it adds a little flare to the uniform.
“It was nice to try it on. I’ve been waiting on them to come out for a while,” he added. “It was good to know that the drill sergeants were the first ones to come get them here at Fort Sill.”
Vallé said the first place he’ll probably wear it will be at his battery’s graduation ceremony in December. These take place either indoors at Cache Creek Chapel or outdoors on Destroyer Field.
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