PT uniform. Is this kosher?

[SnWnMe]

Hahaha! Let me summarize:

-Guy sees people in on-base gym wearing mixed PT uniform, thinks "that's weird, never seen that before".
-Guy comes to CG to ask if anyone knows if it's within regs
-Despite explaining that the question was out of curiosity and a desire to mind my own business, and having no interest in any of the parties involved, Guy gets various answers from Ok, not OK, to MYOB.

I don't know how it is with other services but Navy Chiefs AD and retired, have Chiefs only groups in FB where such things are answered quick. Heck we even once found the owner of an ID card found in a brick wall dating back to 1965 within 15 minutes of posting it.

Perhaps you can find such a group amongst your peer (I am assuming you're AD USA) who love reading ARs and welcome such inquiries.

[Killer Bee]

how long have you been active duty?

[AregularGuy]

how long have you been active duty?

Reserves for a few years, 15 months active, so, not very long.

ETA: To clarify, I am a reservist. I was deployed and on Active duty orders for the past 15 months. No time frame yet for when my orders will end. So, not "Active Duty" in terms of my "contract"/career.

[CrazyCobraManTim]

With 16 years of broken & mixed service (four+2 active Title 10 & 10 years @ Title 32) - in a variety of billets - I guess I've seen a few things since the 80's until bowing out finally in 2020.

Generally speaking - if you were the uniform - either PT, BDU, ACU, Alphas, Blueberries, Guacs, Charlies, Bravo or Service / Mess - just wear it correctly (as CW5 Murphy says - it's all right or it's alllll wrong). MCO, Navy 150X and AR670-1 are your friends typically.

If your in theater - your probably hanging with either your unit or a mixed crowd and you can mix it up - or at a large base - run a risk of someone having a bad day and wanting to dress you down. Laundry can be a chore or impossible sometimes OCONUS (I wouldn't know - but plenty of salty people tell me).

I'd agree with the others - leave it to the Post or Base CSM or Command Chief or SgtMaj to deal with.

Hell - this AM at zero dark thirty I took a stroll with the last gen Army PT jacket, khaki shorts and a bright red 5k wicking t-shirt at a brisk 60F. Thankfully the Kimber Desert Warrior kept me warm....

[AregularGuy]

With 16 years of broken & mixed service (four+2 active Title 10 & 10 years @ Title 32) - in a variety of billets - I guess I've seen a few things since the 80's until bowing out finally in 2020.

Generally speaking - if you were the uniform - either PT, BDU, ACU, Alphas, Blueberries, Guacs, Charlies, Bravo or Service / Mess - just wear it correctly (as CW5 Murphy says - it's all right or it's alllll wrong). MCO, Navy 150X and AR670-1 are your friends typically.

If your in theater - your probably hanging with either your unit or a mixed crowd and you can mix it up - or at a large base - run a risk of someone having a bad day and wanting to dress you down. Laundry can be a chore or impossible sometimes OCONUS (I wouldn't know - but plenty of salty people tell me).

I'd agree with the others - leave it to the Post or Base CSM or Command Chief or SgtMaj to deal with.

Hell - this AM at zero dark thirty I took a stroll with the last gen Army PT jacket, khaki shorts and a bright red 5k wicking t-shirt at a brisk 60F. Thankfully the Kimber Desert Warrior kept me warm....

Thanks for the insight. Let me just reiterate, I am not trying to "deal with anything", just curious.

This is not directed at anyone in particular:

It has been my experience that no matter how you approach any subject relating to anything remotely resembling a regulation question here on CG, whether out of curiosity, misunderstanding, or for your own personal knowledge and edification, someone will always, always, jump in to tell you it's not your lane and leave it be.

The general consensus seems to be to never ask any questions, regardless. And if you do ask questions it is assumed you are asking to prove a point. Some folks are ready to get their panties in a bunch over nothing at all, it seems. Some of us have sense enough to "myob" and "stay in our lane". Sweet baby Jesus, sometimes a question is just a question.

[Killer Bee]

I asked how long you've been in just to get a sense of your perspective.. being relatively new isn't anything to criticize, we all started there

I was in fleet, seabee battalions, and finally coastal warfare.. active little over 10 years and reserve the balance totalling 20 years.. several deployments during reserve time filled my career in nicely, hardly seemed like I was ever a reservist LoL

been stationed several places inconus and oconus, europe, sw asia, etc. in oversees us bases, foreign sovereign bases, etc. even a short tour in antalya in civies

everywhere you travel throughout your career you'll encounter different elements of every branch doing things differently.. best practice is follow your command's regs and sop and you should enjoy smooth sailing..

when you encounter unusual or seemingly out of reg activity, best to leave well enough alone unless your position requires intervention, such as your rank or collateral duties, shore patrol, mp duty, etc. if you see someone relatively new it may be helpful to discretely point out unintentional uniform discrepancies, but only to save someone the embarrassment, not to question their uniform selection..

during my last deployment in knb, a small group of seals made a clown out of the mess sgt at the dfac.. they rolled in head of the line with loaded weapons, soiled clothes, etc. and simply ignored questioning - they were there to eat a meal and didn't have time for fob games the rest of us completely understood and had no beef with it but that sgt had a fit ultimately just embarrassing himself.. I knew who they were because we launch our patrol boats nearby their beach camp, and they're actually really helpful and friendly when approached.. they just weren't in the mood to play on empty stomachs LoL

you may encounter individuals or small groups that are just bugs that don't care or don't know any better or small unit members with different command policies.. I've worn a myriad of modified uniforms, everything from civies to shorts n tshirts, various foul weather modifications, etc. all authorized by my command but different from other local elements..

pt gear is usually less regulated since it may be worn for evolutions on and off duty where regs may be different or less often enforced..

now that I've been retired over 11 years, I pay very little attention but I'm sure my cutoff bdus and random branch tshirts are pissing off someone LoL

good luck in your career!

[AregularGuy]

I asked how long you've been in just to get a sense of your perspective.. being relatively new isn't anything to criticize, we all started there

I was in fleet, seabee battalions, and finally coastal warfare.. active little over 10 years and reserve the balance totalling 20 years.. several deployments during reserve time filled my career in nicely, hardly seemed like I was ever a reservist LoL

been stationed several places inconus and oconus, europe, sw asia, etc. in oversees us bases, foreign sovereign bases, etc. even a short tour in antalya in civies

everywhere you travel throughout your career you'll encounter different elements of every branch doing things differently.. best practice is follow your command's regs and sop and you should enjoy smooth sailing..

when you encounter unusual or seemingly out of reg activity, best to leave well enough alone unless your position requires intervention, such as your rank or collateral duties, shore patrol, mp duty, etc. if you see someone relatively new it may be helpful to discretely point out unintentional uniform discrepancies, but only to save someone the embarrassment, not to question their uniform selection..

during my last deployment in knb, a small group of seals made a clown out of the mess sgt at the dfac.. they rolled in head of the line with loaded weapons, soiled clothes, etc. and simply ignored questioning - they were there to eat a meal and didn't have time for fob games the rest of us completely understood and had no beef with it but that sgt had a fit ultimately just embarrassing himself.. I knew who they were because we launch our patrol boats nearby their beach camp, and they're actually really helpful and friendly when approached.. they just weren't in the mood to play on empty stomachs LoL

you may encounter individuals or small groups that are just bugs that don't care or don't know any better or small unit members with different command policies.. I've worn a myriad of modified uniforms, everything from civies to shorts n tshirts, various foul weather modifications, etc. all authorized by my command but different from other local elements..

pt gear is usually less regulated since it may be worn for evolutions on and off duty where regs may be different or less often enforced..

now that I've been retired over 11 years, I pay very little attention but I'm sure my cutoff bdus and random branch tshirts are pissing off someone LoL

good luck in your career!

Thank you for the advice and well wishes. As weird as it sounds, I am here relatively alone. While I am attached to a unit, it is not my home unit and we don't really function as a unit. So day-to-day I keep to myself and go about my business. I have no Soldiers under me and I only check in with my Squad Leader by text.

The only social interaction is chit chat with a couple of folks at the gym or with folks at the staff duty desk. We don't have formations and PT is on our own due to Covid. So when I say I'm not trying to get into anyone's business I really do mean it. What anyone else does here literally has nothing to do with me.

While I was deployed I worked with SM's from all 4 branches. Interesting talking to them and getting various perspectives. I have a general understanding that there are nuances of SOP and Command discretion for various things. I also have enough sense to know that there's a lot I don't know and would rather not embarrass myself. There's also the common sense and compassion for fellow SM's, as you mentioned for example, SM's in the DFAC with soiled uniforms trying to get their first meal in many hours after various duties.

[golfrj]

Went thru Wake Island once (in the 60's) the uniform of the day was Shorts & Shower Clogs on base!

[anthonyca]

I know this: if reported by a civilian, the upper echelons will over react. Please leave it alone. Take it from a guy who once got in trouble for doing PT in the wrong area of Haiti International Airport as a PFC in 1995, Operation Uphold Democracy. Total **** storm. I was looking at an article 15 because an Airforce Colonel didn't like me running the full ring around the perimeter of the airport which took me across an unused portion of th tarmac where left over plane scrap was stored after the coup. My SFC saved my ***** by asking my Army Colonel, "are we really gonna bust a guy for doing PT?" At once it was dropped. Anyway, I hope you catch my drift.

The airforce guy was probably out of uniform with his hands in his pockets sitting on his fat rear and just wanted to ***** because the Army was putting in work.

[Levi123]

From everything I've ever heard, it's a no-no to mix APFU's and civilians...only thing I've seen that's close is when Company Commanders or 1SG's will allow you to wear civilians and a company shirt (Alpha A-holes and such)

Off-post sure I guess

[five.five-six]

Mostly just a curiosity.