I am an avid reader of the Stars and Stripes. I know this seems like a throwback to another era, but I have found it to be one of the best ways to keep up with trends across all of the services. For example, several things of interest popped up today. In my book, I point out the flaw of having each service design its own camouflage uniform, and now today, I have learned that the Army is scrapping, or at the very least, putting on hold the search to find yet a new “camo” pattern for issue to the troops. This was a multi-year, multi-million dollar effort, which is now a much lower priority for the Army. I hit on this in the book, so I won’t kill it again here, but after spending 2.9 million dollars, you’d think someone would realize that the KISS principle should apply. (KISS, by the way, is Keep It Simple Stupid!) Oddly enough, we got through a World War, Korea, and several other wars like Vietnam, without looking like a computer screen. It amazes me that we just don’t go back to what we know works. Still, how could one justify another “Legion of Merit” if one didn’t suggest that we complicate the obvious. Which is why we are putting sailors in blue camouflage, which I’m sure helps when they fall overboard into a blue ocean. Then there are the separate patterns used for the Air Force, the Marine Corps, and by hunters everywhere. Do you think that maybe this getting just a little out of hand? I am just sayin’! ~ Michael S. Pauley
CAMOUFLAGE AND THE KISS PRINCIPLE
I am an avid reader of the Stars and Stripes. I know this seems like a throwback to another era, but I have found it to be one of the best ways to keep up with trends across all of the services. For example, several things of interest popped up today. In my book, I point out the flaw of having each service design its own camouflage uniform, and now today, I have learned that the Army is scrapping, or at the very least, putting on hold the search to find yet a new “camo” pattern for issue to the troops. This was a multi-year, multi-million dollar effort, which is now a much lower priority for the Army. I hit on this in the book, so I won’t kill it again here, but after spending 2.9 million dollars, you’d think someone would realize that the KISS principle should apply. (KISS, by the way, is Keep It Simple Stupid!) Oddly enough, we got through a World War, Korea, and several other wars like Vietnam, without looking like a computer screen. It amazes me that we just don’t go back to what we know works. Still, how could one justify another “Legion of Merit” if one didn’t suggest that we complicate the obvious. Which is why we are putting sailors in blue camouflage, which I’m sure helps when they fall overboard into a blue ocean. Then there are the separate patterns used for the Air Force, the Marine Corps, and by hunters everywhere. Do you think that maybe this getting just a little out of hand? I am just sayin’! ~ Michael S. Pauley
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AuthorMichael S. Pauley is a Navy brat and an old soldier who served in all three components of the United States Army. Living in Lexington, South Carolina, Michael is now a practicing attorney and member of the United States Naval Institute and the American Legion, Post 154, Tybee Island, Georgia. Archives
June 2021
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