BDU/CUU/Camies tips and tricks?

[BlueJ1]

Need to spend the next week in BDU's (What our division calls them). Anyways I need a few tips and tricks from the experts on getting wrinkles and creases out of them. Last resort Im gona just iron them. I know this is a no-no, but considering I highly doubt we'll see combat I dont think it matters that much.

So..any takers?

[Scatcat]

I takem to the cleaners

[Sandman]

I'm just curious why anyone worries about wrinkles and creases in a BDU.

[tapakeg]

Why is the iron a no no?

I spent many enlisted hours manning an iron

[BlueJ1]

takapeg, might just be a huge rumor or myth. But has to do with anti heat  signature.

Im just gona iron them. Dosnt really matter.

[Scatcat]

Its the starch used while ironing.  Shouldn't be a problem if you don't starch. Besides, If you do starch and are concerned about the IR signature, just take no starched camies to war and starch your stateside camies.

[ASTAC]

hell at naval security we iron and starch em so we all look pretty on the gates

[Maverick]

I always took mine to the cleaners and had them add starch. You're still stateside and in a non combat theater so don't sweat it. You will be expected to look "strac" so make sure all the "ripcords" are clipped, your patches and insignia are properly placed and they BDU's are clean, pressed.

ripcords = loose threads very bad, source of many pushups.

[Blooz]

You have no choice but to iron them. Don't worry about it. Iron them, starch them, burn all the little hanging threads off the seams with a lighter. Burn just the hanging threads..don't burn the thread holding the seams together..lol.

Use a permanent black marker to make your name look better. Be careful not to change the size or style of the name just use the marker to make it a bit darker so it stands out.

Use that marker on the edges of your belt buckle and the tab too. It's brass underneath so make sure it stays black. Same thing with your subdued rank. If it's black..keep it black.

You can use the marker on your boots too if they are black. When I was in we used it on the edges of the boot sole and on the eyelets that the laces go through.

[Gunslinger]

Yup what Scat just said.  

Look, If you are going out to the field (IE you are gonna be away from all facilities) take a pair of ironed but not starched BDUs.


If they are brand spanking new wash them a few times first.  While back at garrison take them to the cleaners (open up all the pockets first) and ask.

BDUs are easy to maintain and look good in, I've been wearing them the last 10 years of my life.  You can look good in them or you can look like a slob real easily, it all depends on you.

Also if you've never worn them before goto your local uniform store and get you some good "boot bands" or "blousing straps".  as you are sitting down extend your legs and roll up the bottom hem of your pants until the cuff is just below the second eyelet of your boots.  Wrap the band around your boot between the first and second eyelet and then cuff them under the band.

This looks TEN TIMES better than just tucking them in your boots or using the green ties at the bottom of the pants.

Also, IPs/Strings grow over night.  Don't be one of those people that have repell cords all over your uniform.  

I think the pockets all suck so I tend to cut the buttons off and either sew them down or velcro them (check to see if this is authorized first)  Make sure you do not put an iron over any buttons underneith the pockets, they will burn through.  un-button thema nd put a peice of cardboard in there to prevent that.  Sometimes when I'm feeling crafty I will starch them right out of the washing machine and let them hang dry or even put them in the dryer.  Then steam iron them with more starch......but drycleaning is usually around $4.95 so why bother.

Sandy,

The BDU is not really a battle dress uniform anymore, it is an everyday garrison uniform.  If you want to set the standard and look good in it you have to starch and press it.  I dryclean ALL of mine as much as possible.  1. It saves time, and 2. drycleaning your uniforms makes them last longer compared to hand ironing them.

[Maverick]

IMHO they should have just left the garrison duty uniform at fatigues. The permanent press kind. The BATTLE uniform could and should be BDU's of whatever kind is appropriate. Forest cammo BDU's do not hide in the desert any better than do fatigues do. Same thing for the "ball cap" vs the beret. The ball cap was functional, the beret is useless.

Fatigues could be set up so they looked good and were very comfortable to wear. I missed them for quite a while when they transitioned. I held off until the very last month I could wear them before going to the BDU's. Using medium or cold weather BDU's in the desert heat sucked and that was all that was available. Besides, I had to pay for all of mine.

[BlueJ1]

Thanks guys. I have worn them before at staffing bootcaps and other exercises such as SeaBee school. But in those cases the least we were worried about was creases and wrinkles. But, now Im the highest ranking in my division and instead of showing off in trops I need to make my BDU's look smewhat nice. And we call strings Irish Pennants. Next step is to get the mud off my jungle boots.
I recently mastered how to roll the sleeves, not the lazy way.

I also have the blousing staps.

My recruiter says the Navy is completly switching over to grey and blue digis in October of next year.

[Gunslinger]

Originally posted by Maverick
IMHO they should have just left the garrison duty uniform at fatigues. The permanent press kind. The BATTLE uniform could and should be BDU's of whatever kind is appropriate. Forest cammo BDU's do not hide in the desert any better than do fatigues do. Same thing for the "ball cap" vs the beret. The ball cap was functional, the beret is useless.

Fatigues could be set up so they looked good and were very comfortable to wear. I missed them for quite a while when they transitioned. I held off until the very last month I could wear them before going to the BDU's. Using medium or cold weather BDU's in the desert heat sucked and that was all that was available. Besides, I had to pay for all of mine.

Mav,

I agree with you 100%.  While I haven't been around long enough for fatigues I can imagine how they are completly functional.  From what I hear you could even have them talored for a short sleeve version.

Anyhow this is irony at it's best.

I work flight line mait.  I am a mechanic by trade.  WTF do I need to be camoflaged for??????

To take it one step further we wear them at night on the flight line...>BUT in order for somone to be able to see us for safety sake we have to wear a reflective belt while working there at night.  If I have to wear something reflective WHATS THE POINT OF BEING CAMOED TO BEGIN WITH.  This isn't just a stateside thing either.  I know guys that have been in the AOR and have the same exact requirements for safety sake.  

The BDUs came about mostly to fight a war in Europe against a soviet attack.  That threat really doesn't exist anymore and I don't think our troops have had to fight anywhere recently where the Woodland BDUs have made a difference.  (haiti and bosnia come to mind though)

Either way when you through on Desert Utes or DCUs you then throw on all sorts of GREEN equipment thus negating any desert cammo properties you may have had.

I have to say though I like the new Marine and Army uniforms.  The USAF is switching though just to switch.  

Personally when working the flight line I'd rather have a uniform like the thunderbirds wear.

Somthing like this except the crome buckle

[x0847Marine]

Originally posted by BlueJ1
takapeg, might just be a huge rumor or myth. But has to do with anti heat  signature.

Im just gona iron them. Dosnt really matter.

Ironing too hot / often can make them "shine", try placing a bandana between the bottom of the iron and your cammies... with a liberal spary of "Magic sizing".

We were always expected to sport a wrinkle free set of cammies unless we were going to the feild.

[x0847Marine]

He was obviously trying to launch into the air and poke a suv sized hole in the ozone.

Its what all suv drivers strive for.