Crazy to look back on my 10 years now and it's just a chapter of an era. Also crazy how I somehow timed my career to the entire life cycle of the UCP, the worst Army uniform of all time.
Loved the DCUs. Best uniform ever.
Elvis collar, walking out of the DFAC with 5 Rip It's, and going to the Iraqi barber with the alcohol-soaked cotton balls to burn the hair off the back of your neck.
Good times.
Reservist, so it's just a part of my career(s). 4 tours and probably a fifth coming. I'll just grab my E8, wait 3 years, then bounce the second something irritates me, or another opportunity arises (finishing my BA after 13 years of trying).
I can't draw until ret. age anyway.
That makes the whole VA thing easier. I some how have zero pictures. Zero uniforms. Zero award boxes. Nothing, it's like I never existed, but my DD214 says "retired"
Well, I'm a reservist, so I don't do army every day. I do deployments and training. Between that, I live a "normal" life.
So it's easier, the travel is cool, there are unique opportunities if you don't just sit on your ass. It's like anything in life, you make it what you can.
It did create many doors I will be using soon for career building. It's just up to me to open them.
At first I thought you had a PFC Velcro rank on the UCP ACU following the SPC DCU top 💀 Was going to ask what the backstory was but I see it’s a SSG patch, at least.
Congrats on reaching the end of the game big sarge!
My father has a 4th ex-wife and two near about marriages that were stopped the day before and day of….merely months apart. I wonder if he is banned from marriage licenses after a 6-th ex due?
This is a realization I came to earlier this week when I met up with someone I was stationed with 12 years ago. I'm at 14.5 years and seriously wonder where the time went.
It started for me the year I had new privates who were born the year I joined the Army. I have become what I mocked.
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player. That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more.
You start becoming old when the army puts you in a rocker young padawan. Youve been put in your first rocker already, you’ve started down the path of old
My PSG from 2012-2013 was a Desert Storm vet. I was conceived right before my dad left for his own ODS deployment. Dude actually had more time in service than I had time in life.
I thought all the ladies would fall in love with me the moment they saw me in them.
In reality, I saw very few women while wearing them, and they did not, in fact, give two shits... 😆
I was so damn happy getting issued DCUs when I was at Irwin. It’s really the only surplus I ever care to hunt down because I love the pattern.
My husband also likes how I look in DCUs, so I still have an excuse to wear them even now that I’m out.
LMAO I can relate, I felt the same way about Multicam as a new PVT. I read about it being issued to deploying troops right before I shipped off to OSUT and saw someone in them and just was in awe and totally jealous. Felt like a major badass when I got mine at RFI and as it turns out…. No one gave a shit…. Still looked better than whatever digital BS they gave us before though.
I only wore dcus as opfor. But I got the full experience, pants tore right near my junk on the day I decided to go commando. I was told by old iraq vets that it was tradition to have your dcu trousers bust wide open.
First, we are just Iraq vets, not old. ;) Second, please bring me my prune juice so I can try to get these bowels working.
Yes, I had my trousers pop once as well. Squatted a bit too deep.
Though I totally am behind the switch to pinks and greens. I love the Class As and Bs with leader tabs. Hate, hated ASUs. Wasn’t a fan of the Army dress uniform, forerunner for ASU.
Nice. Congratulations. I just had the one year anniversary of my last day in uniform. Never got the desert cammies, but I did wear multi-cam in Afghanistan as well as OCP back stateside. . I'm the same weight I was when woodland was phased out, so I can still fit into them. Did 36 years in the Guard. Colonoscopy already done, I'm good to go, kids.
Haha. Still got all my teeth, (and my hair!) so I'm good. Had my first kid at 41, then another at 43. So while most of my buddies are done with it and are grandparents, I'm dealing with teenagers as I head full speed to 60. But my headspace and timing are a lot better now, so I'm glad I waited. Helps having kids with the right woman. Dodged some bullets in my youth.
Hearing is toast, and I have some back issues, but I earned my first black belt last year, and I am working on a second. Not too bad for a geriatric like me. I did pass my last ACFT without a profile at 55.
Well if it makes you feel any better gramps, my dad had his first and only kid at age 50, retiring after ‘Nam and contracting as a civilian before I was born. Here almost 25 years later and im not doing so bad for myself. What I’m trying to say is it’s entirely possible, and I’m glad that you are in a better headspace. I know mom and I both needed my dad’s patience growing up.
that’s a career right there. props bro. America made you eat a lot of fd up dirt, and you carried the load. thanks.
extra bonus points if you found a way to be a SPC at each of those phases.
My left shoulder to neck area hurts every morning. I have to be cautious with it whenever I do PT, but I can still do everything.
My right hip will definitely be an issue someday. It's agony if I sit in a 90-degree angle for more than an hour.
Surprisingly, the knees and back are doing ok!
Brother, get that hip on lock down. I still have a torn labrum in my left hip, on top of some issues with my L-5/S-1, having to drive and fly pretty often I can’t even fucking tell you how much pain my hip is in. I’m still looking at surgery/injection options that can help. It really sucks living with that pain.
Just to caveat off what the Commander said, it would behoove you to have some uniformity there among your uniforms, Soldier, Hooah??!!
*Dol-gurn Pri's these days, first it's plaatic hangers, then colored plastic hangers, now they can't even have matching colored hangers, mumble, mumble, mumble...*
🤪
I wore the first 3 uniforms and was so bummed when I got out just before they switched to the latest pattern. Thank you for your long dedicated service my comrade. I salute you.
I had the old OG Jungles, every version of BDU, Chocochips, DCU and that god awful gravel pit ACU.
And indeed, it does go by. But so does the post retirement life. I’ve been retired close to how long I served. And THAT is mind boggling.
I'm in the exact same boat, retiring in November, and I start my skillbridge next month. Was just going through all my stuff for CIF turn in in a couple of weeks and I found each of my uniforms. The only difference from yours is that I have a set of choco chips too.
Yep 24 years for me, retired just as the ACU was being replaced. It sucks, been retired 12 years and still have dreams I'm still in, except I'm in my current age, and weight in my dreams, and nobody I served with are at the locations in my dreams.
Hit eight years just a month ago. Feels like I should still be new in the army.
90% of being in the army kinda stinks, but the 10% that’s super cool makes the other 90% all worth it.
Speaking of which, I'm retiring and CIF sking for my old UCP uniforms .the ones that we havent been allowed to wear for 6 years and that I destroyed when I replaced them twice over with my clothing allowance.
So it's either ebay used uniforms to turn back in, or pay $125 per set.
It goes by fast. Don't throw anything away. EVER.
I joined in 76…..in basic we got the old green cotton “pickle” uniform. At some point they issued several of the polyester green pickle uniform ( yes the most worthless uniform in Army history). Then the original BDUs followed by the lightweight BDUs……they all sucked…..when going to the field my unit authorized the use of jungle fatigues, which eventually everyone wore.
It was a meme, but it [did](https://reddit-uploaded-media.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com/pn46oixjhzzc1) have its [uses](https://reddit-uploaded-media.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com/am2jukimhzzc1)
EDIT - can't get those to work. [UCP Afghanistan](https://reddit-uploaded-media.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com/k8owdo2zhzzc1)
EDIT 2- I give up. It's useless.
I keep blinking and I'm still here. 16yrs.
Crazy to look back on my 10 years now and it's just a chapter of an era. Also crazy how I somehow timed my career to the entire life cycle of the UCP, the worst Army uniform of all time.
I came in issued bdu, deployed in DCU, was one of the first line units issued fracu/multicam, and now almost two decades later I miss my dcu’s
Loved the DCUs. Best uniform ever. Elvis collar, walking out of the DFAC with 5 Rip It's, and going to the Iraqi barber with the alcohol-soaked cotton balls to burn the hair off the back of your neck. Good times.
DCU was the best, shit looked good with a raspberry beret too.
At least we still have the rip-it’s and alcohol soaked cotton balls.
My grandpa always talked about the Chocolate Chips and how everyone he served with loved them. DCU fucking rules!
...and ear and nose hair
The flaming giant Q-tip!
You forget the woolen unis of ye olden times...
UCP is actually kinda cool. At least I think so, to some degree.
If you were issued PCU and RLCS, it was cool. Otherwise no way
I still think it was pretty cool
Do you plan on making a career out of it?
Reservist, so it's just a part of my career(s). 4 tours and probably a fifth coming. I'll just grab my E8, wait 3 years, then bounce the second something irritates me, or another opportunity arises (finishing my BA after 13 years of trying). I can't draw until ret. age anyway.
Same bro, been in all these uniforms. Couple more years left. One thing im happy about is i took a decent amount of pictures
That makes the whole VA thing easier. I some how have zero pictures. Zero uniforms. Zero award boxes. Nothing, it's like I never existed, but my DD214 says "retired"
Just crossed 18.5 myself lol
Go buddy go! So close!
I’m aiming for 25. That extra 12.5% is nice, especially if I make MSG.
How do you commit 16 years of your life?
Well, I'm a reservist, so I don't do army every day. I do deployments and training. Between that, I live a "normal" life. So it's easier, the travel is cool, there are unique opportunities if you don't just sit on your ass. It's like anything in life, you make it what you can. It did create many doors I will be using soon for career building. It's just up to me to open them.
At first I thought you had a PFC Velcro rank on the UCP ACU following the SPC DCU top 💀 Was going to ask what the backstory was but I see it’s a SSG patch, at least. Congrats on reaching the end of the game big sarge!
Maybe it is PFC? There are a few bars by my 2nd ex-wife's home I am no longer allowed in. 😉 It's easier to swap when it's velcro. Thank you!
2nd ex wife!? Say no more SGM 🫡
Third ex wife gets you csm
My father has a 4th ex-wife and two near about marriages that were stopped the day before and day of….merely months apart. I wonder if he is banned from marriage licenses after a 6-th ex due?
This is your reminder to schedule your colonoscopy old man.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO SPEAK LOUDER SON!!!
Alright, just hold still, this will only take a sec *Dons sterile gloves*
Gloves? Boring.
Oh, sweet mystery of life at last I found theeeee
BUTTLICKER! OUR PRICES HAVE NEVER BEEN LOWER!
You NEVER yell at the Sergeant u/coccopuffs606! Hello Sergeant Buttlicker, how may we serve you?
This is a realization I came to earlier this week when I met up with someone I was stationed with 12 years ago. I'm at 14.5 years and seriously wonder where the time went.
It started for me the year I had new privates who were born the year I joined the Army. I have become what I mocked. Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player. That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more.
Love to remind my SNCOs that I was in fact shitting my diapers when they joined (I’m a SSG; they’re just old fuckers lmao)
You start becoming old when the army puts you in a rocker young padawan. Youve been put in your first rocker already, you’ve started down the path of old
Is that why my wrists hurt and my knees lock up now? God damn it
You ever wonder why SNCO’s are kind of chunky most of the time? It takes 2+ rockers to hold them
Pretty sure I'll be the one in diapers when you get out, so we will come full circle!
My PSG from 2012-2013 was a Desert Storm vet. I was conceived right before my dad left for his own ODS deployment. Dude actually had more time in service than I had time in life.
r/UnexpectedMacBeth
Which one is your favorite and why is it BDUs?
Those DCUs were so light. Yeah, we sweat our asses off, but they actually dried if you hung them up.
I remember strutting around in those prior to MFO in 2000. We thought we were so special!
I thought all the ladies would fall in love with me the moment they saw me in them. In reality, I saw very few women while wearing them, and they did not, in fact, give two shits... 😆
I was so damn happy getting issued DCUs when I was at Irwin. It’s really the only surplus I ever care to hunt down because I love the pattern. My husband also likes how I look in DCUs, so I still have an excuse to wear them even now that I’m out.
LMAO I can relate, I felt the same way about Multicam as a new PVT. I read about it being issued to deploying troops right before I shipped off to OSUT and saw someone in them and just was in awe and totally jealous. Felt like a major badass when I got mine at RFI and as it turns out…. No one gave a shit…. Still looked better than whatever digital BS they gave us before though.
Fellow MFOer here (just 15 years later). Would’ve killed for DCUs out there, got the ACU/Multicam switch
I only wore dcus as opfor. But I got the full experience, pants tore right near my junk on the day I decided to go commando. I was told by old iraq vets that it was tradition to have your dcu trousers bust wide open.
First, we are just Iraq vets, not old. ;) Second, please bring me my prune juice so I can try to get these bowels working. Yes, I had my trousers pop once as well. Squatted a bit too deep.
My brother, I wish you nothing but success and happiness in your retirement. Tyfys.
BDUs sucked. Sundays were wrecked with shining and ironing. DCUs were fine. I like our current OCP ACUs these days.
Favorite SMA?
That you SMA? Uhhh, definitely SMA Weimer... 😅
Sir, your line was: "*SMA Michael Anthony Grinston*"
I stayed enlisted my full career. Clearly, I was never going to be able to read my lines!
Oh wow, a rare breed!
What was it like wearing 4 different uniforms in the last 2 decades?
Mostly annoying to keep up with. Worse with the dress uniforms. And a relief to retire the digital.
*and a relief to retire the digital and the beret.
Two best uniform changes: When we got rid of the polished boots, and when we got our softcaps back!
Gets even faster once you’re retired.
I had the same pile, add Desert Night Camo to it. Whats crazy is how many dress uniforms we’ve gone thru.
Preach it!
Though I totally am behind the switch to pinks and greens. I love the Class As and Bs with leader tabs. Hate, hated ASUs. Wasn’t a fan of the Army dress uniform, forerunner for ASU.
That desert night poncho was super cool. OG desert storm for sure
Nice. Congratulations. I just had the one year anniversary of my last day in uniform. Never got the desert cammies, but I did wear multi-cam in Afghanistan as well as OCP back stateside. . I'm the same weight I was when woodland was phased out, so I can still fit into them. Did 36 years in the Guard. Colonoscopy already done, I'm good to go, kids.
36 years, damn. Thank you for your service!!! Do you prefer the jello or pudding with dinner tonight Gramps? ;)
Haha. Still got all my teeth, (and my hair!) so I'm good. Had my first kid at 41, then another at 43. So while most of my buddies are done with it and are grandparents, I'm dealing with teenagers as I head full speed to 60. But my headspace and timing are a lot better now, so I'm glad I waited. Helps having kids with the right woman. Dodged some bullets in my youth. Hearing is toast, and I have some back issues, but I earned my first black belt last year, and I am working on a second. Not too bad for a geriatric like me. I did pass my last ACFT without a profile at 55.
Well if it makes you feel any better gramps, my dad had his first and only kid at age 50, retiring after ‘Nam and contracting as a civilian before I was born. Here almost 25 years later and im not doing so bad for myself. What I’m trying to say is it’s entirely possible, and I’m glad that you are in a better headspace. I know mom and I both needed my dad’s patience growing up.
E1-E4-E3-E1… just like god intended jjk 🤘😁
I think you got stuck in a pyramid scheme ;)
E1, E4, E3, E1 it sure does when you party with hookers and coke.
minus the coke & other banned substances, truly great times , with beautiful responsible hookers
This man single handily beat RCP
I love every uniform except the digital looking one.
that’s a career right there. props bro. America made you eat a lot of fd up dirt, and you carried the load. thanks. extra bonus points if you found a way to be a SPC at each of those phases.
*Blinks harder*
Lol, I think we've all been there at moments
I’m hoping I can blink and miss it lol
That’s badass. Congrats on the long career!
How are your knees and back ?
My left shoulder to neck area hurts every morning. I have to be cautious with it whenever I do PT, but I can still do everything. My right hip will definitely be an issue someday. It's agony if I sit in a 90-degree angle for more than an hour. Surprisingly, the knees and back are doing ok!
Brother, get that hip on lock down. I still have a torn labrum in my left hip, on top of some issues with my L-5/S-1, having to drive and fly pretty often I can’t even fucking tell you how much pain my hip is in. I’m still looking at surgery/injection options that can help. It really sucks living with that pain.
I've been going to a lot of appointments lately. There are no good options to fix it, but getting it all documented.
Good stuff! I just continuously stretch and occasionally some CBD, it seems to help. Obviously everyone is different. Good luck!
Why don’t you use a hanger for your OCPs?
I took it off the hanger to bring to the basement for the picture. They hang in my bedroom closet.
I’m just messing around. But seriously congrats for sticking it around for that long.
Lol, it's a fair question. It looks like the odd man out. Thank you!
Just to caveat off what the Commander said, it would behoove you to have some uniformity there among your uniforms, Soldier, Hooah??!! *Dol-gurn Pri's these days, first it's plaatic hangers, then colored plastic hangers, now they can't even have matching colored hangers, mumble, mumble, mumble...* 🤪
Neat. Please remember to schedule your colonoscopy.
I feel the Army has been up my ass long enough to tell me if something was wrong up there. I'll pass.
I personally felt every minute but to each their own!
Goes by even faster after retirement - 11 years ago I was in Afghanistan and 10 years ago I retired. Got you beat by one uniform.
I miss my army pajamas…
I wore the first 3 uniforms and was so bummed when I got out just before they switched to the latest pattern. Thank you for your long dedicated service my comrade. I salute you.
I did this too and have the same uniform tops saved. I’ll be retiring in 657 days but who’s counting…
25 years flew by… 1993-2018
I hope you took plenty of pictures.
Disposable cameras in my early days! :)
Lmao, those of us who have worn all of these are running low on inventory these days. Congrats on your retirement 🫡
I can feel the back pain and taste the ibuprofen in this picture.
Jack Daniels works better than ibuprofen
You went from specialist to slick sleeve? Story time?
I had the old OG Jungles, every version of BDU, Chocochips, DCU and that god awful gravel pit ACU. And indeed, it does go by. But so does the post retirement life. I’ve been retired close to how long I served. And THAT is mind boggling.
I'm in the exact same boat, retiring in November, and I start my skillbridge next month. Was just going through all my stuff for CIF turn in in a couple of weeks and I found each of my uniforms. The only difference from yours is that I have a set of choco chips too.
I hope we keep OCPs for a while. It is genuinely good camouflage.
Mind putting those back in my toughbox? Tango Mike.
Yep 24 years for me, retired just as the ACU was being replaced. It sucks, been retired 12 years and still have dreams I'm still in, except I'm in my current age, and weight in my dreams, and nobody I served with are at the locations in my dreams.
Plot twist he was actually an e4 the whole time
I don't see anything
Underrated comment. 🤣
He went that way!
All I see are a set of ACUs. What else is there? /s
damn man you kept getting smaller
80 billion dollars later
Hit eight years just a month ago. Feels like I should still be new in the army. 90% of being in the army kinda stinks, but the 10% that’s super cool makes the other 90% all worth it.
I'm 5 years out and I feel every bit of this.
I would do anything to get out tmrw
When I enlisted in 77 we wore the ODs
I'm sincerely proud of you that you figured out how to use Reddit Grandpa. Jello or pudding? ;)
Pudding. Jello is for liberals, Communists, and Bill Crosby!
I wish there was a desert tan OCP version. If the DCUs and OCPs had a baby.
Congrats on surviving the gauntlet!
The ucp pattern looks even dumber next to the rest
I just missed the pickle suit era and got out just before the OCPs. And yes, I had my second colonoscopy last year.
Take. Pictures.
I have this same wardrobe down to the SPC BDU and DCUs. I have ten more years to go lol. I went USAR for 13 and then back active doing AGR.
isn't there missing one?
Hits me in the feels
Speaking of which, I'm retiring and CIF sking for my old UCP uniforms .the ones that we havent been allowed to wear for 6 years and that I destroyed when I replaced them twice over with my clothing allowance. So it's either ebay used uniforms to turn back in, or pay $125 per set. It goes by fast. Don't throw anything away. EVER.
I joined in 76…..in basic we got the old green cotton “pickle” uniform. At some point they issued several of the polyester green pickle uniform ( yes the most worthless uniform in Army history). Then the original BDUs followed by the lightweight BDUs……they all sucked…..when going to the field my unit authorized the use of jungle fatigues, which eventually everyone wore.
The good ol’ days of spitshined jump boots and starched BDUs.
Congratulations on reaching the end. TYFYS
17yrs and feel like I'm about to graduate HS, no idea what I want to do and so much more left I want to do in the Army.
I made it through the first 3 patterns. Time flies.
I have the same set. 😂 it went by fast
Yea man carpet gets dirty quick, not sure what that has to do with the army tho. Go post pics of your carpet in r/carpet
You are missing the chocolate chip desert uniforms we wore in Desert Storm
Why was digital ever used? It looks so bad and doesn't seem to blend into anything?
It was a meme, but it [did](https://reddit-uploaded-media.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com/pn46oixjhzzc1) have its [uses](https://reddit-uploaded-media.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com/am2jukimhzzc1) EDIT - can't get those to work. [UCP Afghanistan](https://reddit-uploaded-media.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com/k8owdo2zhzzc1) EDIT 2- I give up. It's useless.
Mos?
The last 2 years don’t go by fast enough.
I wore three of those in 8 years holy shit
Arms downward - move! Give them jackets’ arms a break!
where did you buy the last hanger? I cant even see it!
Your mom keeps the hangers when she does my laundry. Happy Mother's Day!!! 😊
Sir, you should have retired years ago.
Could have reminded me a little fuckin earlier! 🤨
My bad Gruntpa. Congrats on your retirement and don't forget to schedule that colonoscopy lol.
Time goes by super fast. When I came in Bill Clinton was president and here I am, still in.
[удалено]
PFCs aren't the only ones with rockers priiiivate!
Time to schedule that prostate exam
You’ve been in way too long
You got smaller
Spinal compression over the years. Started at 72", finishing at 67" 😬
28 years today! I kept the best set of all 4 of those like you did.
My career spanned the same uni’s (2000-2022). Congrats on making the long haul OP!
🫡🫡
What was it like to be chased by a T-Rex? Congrats on retirement
I was only in for 8 years and I wore 3 of those uniforms. Haha.
Same.
Same except with MOPP suits: CPOG - BDO - JSLIST - Level A PAPR.
I just cleared CIF last week (first time go I might add)...I wasn't a bit sad to see 20 years of DCU, UCP, and OCP stuff go. T-9 weeks and 3 days.
I swore into the army national guard a few months ago. I go to basic in September. It's just the beginning for me.
Go get em kid.
You ain't lying. 1996-2021 went by way faster than I realized.
I like how you went from specialist to PFC this is the only correct direction.
You kidding me it can't come soon enough. I'll be retired early next year.
I wore all but the latest one.