The multimillion-dollar military parade through the nation's capital requested by Presi

Pentagon did it -- they came in with a cost so high Trump had to agree to call off the parade. Great going in the Pentagon with a special recognition of the Joint Chiefs.

Try again next year. Or the year after next....


Trump's military parade in Washington now delayed until 2019

WASHINGTON — The multimillion-dollar military parade through the nation's capital requested by President Donald Trump has been delayed until 2019, a Defense Department spokesman said Thursday.

"The Department of Defense and White House have been planning a parade to honor America's military veterans and commemorate the centennial of World War I," said Col. Rob Manning. "We originally targeted November 10, 2018 for this event but have now agreed to explore opportunities in 2019."

Earlier Thursday, a defense official told NBC News that the upper estimate of the cost of the parade was $92 million, a figure first reported by CNBC.

The estimate had risen substantially since February, when White House budget director Mick Mulvaney told Congress the price could be $10 million to $30 million.

The cost was initially reported as $12 million, and was based on the cost of the victory parade held in the capital after the 1991 Gulf War, said the official. The Washington Post estimated the cost of the 1991 victory parade as $8 million.

The defense official told NBC News that the internal estimate of the cost of the parade rose to $25 million after adjusting for more than 25 years of inflation. But that estimate did not take into account expenses borne by other federal agencies and some nonmilitary line items.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/military/trump-s-military-parade-washington-may-cost-92-million-n901321



We did it. All of us. Nice going guys here and all over who opposed this monster overwhelmingly.

So can anyone tell me what the costs are of this parade broken down? I understand aircraft are expensive to fly, but does the estimate include military wages? This is a big question because people point to the benghazi investigation costing millions, I think the benghazi investigation was stupid howeer in that the cost estimates always seemed to include senator wages, which were paid no matter what they did, I wonder how many of these military estimates use wages already paid no matter what those soldiers do for their total.

Based on the quadrennial inaugural parade and ceremonies Trump's Parade would require 2000 to 2500 civilian police and civilian homeland security personnel and an additional 3500 military security and support personnel. For civilian security officers Trump's Parade is a special event so it would require special preparation, training, duties, all of which normally involve OT pay and compensation.

Except for OT pay, military security and support personnel would need to engage in the military's own processes and procedures in place of their normal duties and routines such as training. After all, armed services personnel get paid whether they're charging up a hill at a field training ground or whether they're gazing into a screen in their apartment off base.



Trump’s Big Military Parade Postponed


Potus and VPotus salute Army honor guard passing in review at inaugural Jan. 20, 2017 as Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley leads the civilian chiefs in their actions on the review platform. Looking down on it all is the First Child Barron Trump.


Put away your star-spangled pom-poms and Uncle Sam masks — the military parade extravaganza ordered by President Trump has been delayed until 2019.

President Trump's military parade has racked up quite the bill. A defense official told Reuters on Thursday that the event could cost about $92 million. CNBC reports that $40 million will come from the Pentagon, while $42 million will come from other agencies like the Department of Homeland Security.

Preliminary estimates pegged the cost around $12 million. That number has quickly risen, as White House budget director Mick Mulvaney first ticked it up to $30 million and internal Pentagon memos fretted about the expense of a "heavy air component at the end of the parade."

Other parade features include helicopters, fighter jets, and historical military equipment to be displayed alongside 5,000 troops wearing uniforms that represent the "past, present, and future forces."

https://theweek.com/speedreads/7908...phen-colbert-what-really-thinks-omarosas-book







Trump Bad Hair Day....


The news came the same day that CNBC reported the estimated cost of the parade had ballooned by $80 million to a whopping $92 million.

The proposed march would include approximately eight tanks [borne on heavy flatbed trucks] and other armored vehicles such as Bradley Fighting Vehicles, Strykers, and flyovers from a variety of military aircraft, all accompanying thousands of active-duty U.S. service members, per the report.

The CNBC report sparked frustration among veterans groups like the American Legion over the allocation of government money towards the procession through the streets of Washington, D.C. rather than other critical services for veterans.

“The American Legion appreciates that our President wants to show in a dramatic fashion our nation’s support for our troops,” American Legion National Commander Denise Rohan said in a statement. “However, until such time as we can celebrate victory in the War on Terrorism and bring our military home, we think the parade money would be better spent fully funding the Department of Veteran Affairs and giving our troops and their families the best care possible.”

https://taskandpurpose.com/trumps-military-parade-postponed/



Trump's so tired of winning he can't win for losing.

Tangmo said:

We did it. All of us. Nice going guys here and all over who opposed this monster overwhelmingly.

Click to expand...

And the resistance nazis post their first win. You must be very proud. Its not quite Bastille Day, but maybe 8/17/18 can go down as Parade Day for you guys.

Fletch said:

And the resistance nazis post their first win. You must be very proud. Its not quite Bastille Day, but maybe 8/17/18 can go down as Parade Day for you guys.

Click to expand...

The 2016 election introduced a new mass phenomenon to American politics and government -- the sore winner. You guys over there can't find good or cheer in anything that Trump doesn't like or doesn't approve of. Fact is this is unprecedented. That is, a Potus / CinC calls a parade and gets a bucket of cold water in the face instead. He gets his Trump Jong Un parade notion stuck away in his caboose.

This is what Trumpolini likes and that he will never get from the Pentagon or the Congress each of which rained on Trump's Parade....


Pass In Review Goose Step begins at 4:34 of the clip.




Chinese President Xi Jinping held a ceremony to welcome U.S. President Donald Trump for his state visit to China outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

The military band played national anthems of the United States and China, along with a 21-gun salute to the visiting U.S. president.

The two heads of state inspected the guard of honor, greeted children from both countries, watched the performance of the military band and reviewed the march-past of the Chinese guard of honor.

It is the march of Xi Jinpingpong, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un and other authoritarian dictators who rule rather than govern. And of the wannabe ruler Donald Trump whose foreign parade notion is wholly rejected across America beginning with the Pentagon itself.

beerftw said:

So can anyone tell me what the costs are of this parade broken down? I understand aircraft are expensive to fly, but does the estimate include military wages? This is a big question because people point to the benghazi investigation costing millions, I think the benghazi investigation was stupid howeer in that the cost estimates always seemed to include senator wages, which were paid no matter what they did, I wonder how many of these military estimates use wages already paid no matter what those soldiers do for their total.

Click to expand...

Who takes over those soldiers' duties while they're at the parade (for likely up to a week in preparation, but even just a couple days)? Who sets up and guards the parade route? Are there bag checks (even my town does bag checks for our 4th of July celebration)? Security? What about duty sections that now have to cover, possibly using civilians? Or shore duty assignments that send Sailors to parades and now require civilians to man those particular jobs or posts? I can think of many things I did or my husband did while on active duty in the Navy that could have been a civilian worker getting overtime doing it if Sailors were not available. What about maintenance that needs to get done on ships, equipment, tanks, planes, etc? Putting that stuff on hold for a parade does cost money. As does transportation for getting all those military personnel out there. If reservists are included, that is additional costs as well, including per diem and travel expenses, as well as their pay (would likely be done with ADT or AT funding, meaning someone else might have to take their place somewhere else or they would be authorized extra money for the year to do it). There is cleanup and crowd control for the parade route.

roguenuke said:

Who takes over those soldiers' duties while they're at the parade (for likely up to a week in preparation, but even just a couple days)? Who sets up and guards the parade route? Are there bag checks (even my town does bag checks for our 4th of July celebration)? Security? What about duty sections that now have to cover, possibly using civilians? Or shore duty assignments that send Sailors to parades and now require civilians to man those particular jobs or posts? I can think of many things I did or my husband did while on active duty in the Navy that could have been a civilian worker getting overtime doing it if Sailors were not available. What about maintenance that needs to get done on ships, equipment, tanks, planes, etc? Putting that stuff on hold for a parade does cost money. As does transportation for getting all those military personnel out there. If reservists are included, that is additional costs as well, including per diem and travel expenses, as well as their pay (would likely be done with ADT or AT funding, meaning someone else might have to take their place somewhere else or they would be authorized extra money for the year to do it). There is cleanup and crowd control for the parade route.

Click to expand...

Those are the answers I want, but to be clear a soldier is paid the same whether they sit around all day and do nothing or work 18 hours a day, and I had enough 18 hour days in the army because mission dictates, and even 24 hour ops that would drag on past 24 hours.

Equipment maintenance should not be more because of a parade either, as that equipment goes through maintenance regardless of a parade, however the transport and fuel costs would definately be there, I know helicopters can cost a fortune alone in flight just due to fuel costs. There are also civilians hired as well, but the civilian side would be extra but military guards would not except for transport and accomodations.

Also to note mattis said he had never seen that rediculous estimate, meaning it was not done by the dod, and likely that estimate was done by a third party with no accountability towards their numbers, likely a media agency or a company hired by media.

beerftw said:

Those are the answers I want, but to be clear a soldier is paid the same whether they sit around all day and do nothing or work 18 hours a day, and I had enough 18 hour days in the army because mission dictates, and even 24 hour ops that would drag on past 24 hours.

Equipment maintenance should not be more because of a parade either, as that equipment goes through maintenance regardless of a parade, however the transport and fuel costs would definately be there, I know helicopters can cost a fortune alone in flight just due to fuel costs. There are also civilians hired as well, but the civilian side would be extra but military guards would not except for transport and accomodations.

Also to note mattis said he had never seen that rediculous estimate, meaning it was not done by the dod, and likely that estimate was done by a third party with no accountability towards their numbers, likely a media agency or a company hired by media.

Click to expand...

Soldiers, Sailors, etc can get per diem and travel expenses for going out of their normal assigned duty area for duty related events such as this. They have to get there somehow, they have to have somewhere to stay, they have to have food. And civilians work alongside a lot of military members who may have ended up having to participate in these parades, which could have meant giving those civilians overtime in order to cover the duties that the military member would miss. Especially expensive over a holiday weekend.

If certain people doing the maintenance must be gone (especially for more than a couple of days), putting off/rescheduling that maintenance can cost money. This also could go back to having to have more civilians to do the work, meaning more civilian overtime pay. Take some Sailors from ships in a yard period and see if those ships don't get further behind in maintenance than normal, which costs the Navy money. I've worked in the shipyard, both in the shops and as part of ship's crew. This is not at all an unreasonable assumption to make that they would want to take some Sailors from these ships' companies or from shipyard shore duty itself in order to provide support for this parade.

Additionally, most commands would feel obligated to give those Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines additional time off to make up for missing what for most of them would have been at least a 3 day weekend. That is even more time that has to be made up for by someone else.

Also, where do you think those period uniforms are going to come from? Those have to be paid for as well.

roguenuke said:

Soldiers, Sailors, etc can get per diem and travel expenses for going out of their normal assigned duty area for duty related events such as this. They have to get there somehow, they have to have somewhere to stay, they have to have food. And civilians work alongside a lot of military members who may have ended up having to participate in these parades, which could have meant giving those civilians overtime in order to cover the duties that the military member would miss. Especially expensive over a holiday weekend.

If certain people doing the maintenance must be gone (especially for more than a couple of days), putting off/rescheduling that maintenance can cost money. This also could go back to having to have more civilians to do the work, meaning more civilian overtime pay. Take some Sailors from ships in a yard period and see if those ships don't get further behind in maintenance than normal, which costs the Navy money. I've worked in the shipyard, both in the shops and as part of ship's crew. This is not at all an unreasonable assumption to make that they would want to take some Sailors from these ships' companies or from shipyard shore duty itself in order to provide support for this parade.

Additionally, most commands would feel obligated to give those Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines additional time off to make up for missing what for most of them would have been at least a 3 day weekend. That is even more time that has to be made up for by someone else.

Also, where do you think those period uniforms are going to come from? Those have to be paid for as well.

Click to expand...

Period uniforms are not that expensive, the navy may have issues with maintenance but the army has a surplus of soldiers in that department who spend more time playing spades in the motor pool and the airfields than they do working, infact for most the only real time they do their job now is when they deploy, otherwise it is busy work, pt or pretend to work to put on a show even though there are no parts to fix anything.


Civilians are already hired on in every branch of the military, and to date I have yet to see any get overtime unless they were in a combat zone or working to get a unit to a combat zone.


What this amounts to is them claiming the daily cost of the army is the cost of the parade, it is nothing more than dishonest, as I know those paid to be there are paid no matter what, and any maintenace costing major money from a 3 day weekend being in the budget means that military unit is an epic failure and should have it's command removed and replaced.

Tangmo said:

Pentagon did it -- they came in with a cost so high Trump had to agree to call off the parade. Great going in the Pentagon with a special recognition of the Joint Chiefs.

Try again next year. Or the year after next....


Trump's military parade in Washington now delayed until 2019

WASHINGTON — The multimillion-dollar military parade through the nation's capital requested by President Donald Trump has been delayed until 2019, a Defense Department spokesman said Thursday.

"The Department of Defense and White House have been planning a parade to honor America's military veterans and commemorate the centennial of World War I," said Col. Rob Manning. "We originally targeted November 10, 2018 for this event but have now agreed to explore opportunities in 2019."

Earlier Thursday, a defense official told NBC News that the upper estimate of the cost of the parade was $92 million, a figure first reported by CNBC.

The estimate had risen substantially since February, when White House budget director Mick Mulvaney told Congress the price could be $10 million to $30 million.

The cost was initially reported as $12 million, and was based on the cost of the victory parade held in the capital after the 1991 Gulf War, said the official. The Washington Post estimated the cost of the 1991 victory parade as $8 million.

The defense official told NBC News that the internal estimate of the cost of the parade rose to $25 million after adjusting for more than 25 years of inflation. But that estimate did not take into account expenses borne by other federal agencies and some nonmilitary line items.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/military/trump-s-military-parade-washington-may-cost-92-million-n901321



We did it. All of us. Nice going guys here and all over who opposed this monster overwhelmingly.

Click to expand...

The whole boondoggle is so that trump can feed his ever-starving ego. I picture trump standing on a balcony watching the parade wearing a Saddam Hussein military uniform with fake medals on his chest. It's all part of cadet bone spurs being a wannabe military strongman - like the people he idolizes.

lurchadams said:

The whole boondoggle is so that trump can feed his ever-starving ego. I picture trump standing on a balcony watching the parade wearing a Saddam Hussein military uniform with fake medals on his chest. It's all part of cadet bone spurs being a wannabe military strongman - like the people he idolizes.

Click to expand...

Presidente & Generalissimo Trumpolini



The bad news is that we can expect some blowback now that the Trump Train got the parade tucked up and away in its caboose. The only lesson Trump will take from this disaster is that he needs Putin Plenipotentiary Powers. Cause if Trump's not more careful in pleasing Putin then Trump runs the risk of being tossed for a dip into the pool of Putin's Piranha.





Putin Puts On His Plenipotentiary Powers



Rumor has it Putin is writing a book on how to win elections -- in the United States. And how to hold a Generalissimo Parade.

Trump's in Paris again and it's Veterans Day 2018. So let's welcome our good fortune.

Indeed we ourselves can honor and thank our men and women who wore the uniform and their families.

Still, with all the hullaballoo about a Trump Jong Un parade since mid 2017 until only recently, when the Pentagon cost estimate thankfully blew up the whole thingy, I feel incomplete. After all, I love a parade .

Although many will wretch at the thought of parading, or even seeing one, let's go for it anyway. For old times sake. Yes, an old fashioned victory parade anyone can appreciate...


82nd Airborne Parade NYC 1946




2,500,000 turned out in New York City to see the 14,000 troops and vehicles of the 82nd Airborne Division march along 5th Avenue to the review platform at 82nd Street to celebrate victory in World War II. The Brooklyn native Maj.Gen. James Gavin, the youngest division commander of the Army led the procession with his division chiefs of staff and staff officers. The division said the 4.5 mile straight line march on good surfaces was a walk in the park. The 82nd had marched in victory parades throughout Europe. So they liked coming home to see buildings that were whole and had roofs. And the welcoming fellow Americans. This was their one and only parade in the USA before being separated out to go home at last.







Annual Veterans Reunion of Marine Infantry Ceremonial Honor Guard Companies, Marine Barracks Washington DC



A few members of the 8th & I Reunion had the privilege of observing the pre-parade warm-ups of the marching units on Friday evening, 17 May.

Sgt. Major Stockton gave a rousing, motivational tribute to those of us who have served at 8th & I [Sts.]. For those of us who served at the Barracks, it will give you goosebumps ! Semper Fi, Marines !!!
--- Richard Bollwerk, Ceremonial Guard Co. B, 1970-72


In the opening moments we see the original buildings on the quad from 1804. The quad is where the Marines form up and march. At our left out of the frame is the official residence CMC which is illuminated fully during night ceremonies. We see the Marines rehearse drill outside the barracks on the city street due to space limitations at the historic barracks. New residence billets (out of view) were built on the city block at the south side of the reservation, again, due to space limitations. Washington Navy Yard is two long city blocks south of the Barracks, on the Anacostia River and Potomac. The Barracks are in a most pleasant section of the city to include excellent restaurants.








Annual Reunion of Veterans of The Army Old Guard Association




At 0:25 we see the commander of The Old Guard Association conversing with Maj.Gen. Bradley A. Becker, commander of the Military District of Washington which includes 3 IR. TOGA is our own particular and special veterans organization in which we return to our permanent duty station where we are hosted in immense and absolute hospitality by TOG and MDW.


United States Army Military District of Washington shoulder sleeve insignia


Soldiers from the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment, "The Old Guard" and members of The Old Guard Association (TOGA) took part in the 15th annual TOGA reunion at Joint Base Myer -- Henderson Hall, VA. Formed in 1997 by the 3d U.S. Infantry Regimental Commander and a former Old Guard Soldier, The Old Guard Association is dedicated to the men and women who served with the Old Guard.

As part of the reunion, members of TOGA and the Old Guard participated in events such as a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a pass-in-review, and a barbeque. These events served to maintain an important link to our Nation's history, connecting the Soldiers of today with the honor and traditions of the past.

Tangmo said:

Trump's in Paris again and it's Veterans Day 2018. So let's welcome our good fortune.

Indeed we ourselves can honor and thank our men and women who wore the uniform and their families.

Still, with all the hullaballoo about a Trump Jong Un parade since mid 2017 until only recently, when the Pentagon cost estimate thankfully blew up the whole thingy, I feel incomplete. After all, I love a parade .

Although many will wretch at the thought of parading, or even seeing one, let's go for it anyway. For old times sake. Yes, an old fashioned victory parade anyone can appreciate...


82nd Airborne Parade NYC 1946




2,500,000 turned out in New York City to see the 14,000 troops and vehicles of the 82nd Airborne Division march along 5th Avenue to the review platform at 82nd Street to celebrate victory in World War II. The Brooklyn native Maj.Gen. James Gavin, the youngest division commander of the Army led the procession with his division chiefs of staff and staff officers. The division said the 4.5 mile straight line march on good surfaces was a walk in the park. The 82nd had marched in victory parades throughout Europe. So they liked coming home to see buildings that were whole and had roofs. And the welcoming fellow Americans. This was their one and only parade in the USA before being separated out to go home at last.







Annual Veterans Reunion of Marine Infantry Ceremonial Honor Guard Companies, Marine Barracks Washington DC



A few members of the 8th & I Reunion had the privilege of observing the pre-parade warm-ups of the marching units on Friday evening, 17 May.

Sgt. Major Stockton gave a rousing, motivational tribute to those of us who have served at 8th & I [Sts.]. For those of us who served at the Barracks, it will give you goosebumps ! Semper Fi, Marines !!!
--- Richard Bollwerk, Ceremonial Guard Co. B, 1970-72


In the opening moments we see the original buildings on the quad from 1804. The quad is where the Marines form up and march. At our left out of the frame is the official residence CMC which is illuminated fully during night ceremonies. We see the Marines rehearse drill outside the barracks on the city street due to space limitations at the historic barracks. New residence billets (out of view) were built on the city block at the south side of the reservation, again, due to space limitations. Washington Navy Yard is two long city blocks south of the Barracks, on the Anacostia River and Potomac. The Barracks are in a most pleasant section of the city to include excellent restaurants.








Annual Reunion of Veterans of The Army Old Guard Association




At 0:25 we see the commander of The Old Guard Association conversing with Maj.Gen. Bradley A. Becker, commander of the Military District of Washington which includes 3 IR. TOGA is our own particular and special veterans organization in which we return to our permanent duty station where we are hosted in immense and absolute hospitality by TOG and MDW.

United States Army Military District of Washington shoulder sleeve insignia


Soldiers from the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment, "The Old Guard" and members of The Old Guard Association (TOGA) took part in the 15th annual TOGA reunion at Joint Base Myer -- Henderson Hall, VA. Formed in 1997 by the 3d U.S. Infantry Regimental Commander and a former Old Guard Soldier, The Old Guard Association is dedicated to the men and women who served with the Old Guard.

As part of the reunion, members of TOGA and the Old Guard participated in events such as a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a pass-in-review, and a barbeque. These events served to maintain an important link to our Nation's history, connecting the Soldiers of today with the honor and traditions of the past.

Click to expand...

I agree... Let us celebrate real veterans.

There's a parade or two in each video -- of course -- but not only.

This Marine Corps video tells a story, opening with a view inside the Marine Barracks at 8th and I Streets in Washington DC to include the Quad where we view the official gray residence of the commandant.

Two companies of Marine Infantry are stationed at the Barracks. The two companies form up and parade on the (closet) Quad with the Marine Band to include the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps. Eighth Street means the Barracks are 8 blocks from the Capitol Building, in this instance, south of it. Since 1802 making the Barracks the oldest in the Corps. The Barracks are two blocks north of the Washington Navy Yard. The Yard is across the river from Bolling-Anacostia AFB.

The Army video of 3rd Infantry Regiment The Old Guard features Bravo Company of 1st Battalion and its adventure from Ft. Myer (next to Pentagon) to Kuwait to represent the USA armed forces at the Liberation Days Festivities and Ceremonies.


Fierce Pride in Country & Corps



Learn about the behind the scenes work at the Corps' oldest post, Marine Barracks, 8th & I Streets, Washington, DC in this DVD. Learn about the Marine Band, The Marine Drum & Bugle Corps, The Silent Drill Platoon, and much more. Also includes a bonus feature special tribute to the late maestro, Colonel Truman W. Crawford.







Kuwait Liberation Celebration Bravo Company The Old Guard of the Army



Bravo Company from the Old Guard ( Honor Guard ) 1st Battalion, 3rd Regiment, U.S. Army Infantry, March in Kuwait's Liberation Celebration Parade Feb. 2011. In the opening minutes of the video Bravo gets its equipment together outside its billets at Ft. Myer, Va. Bravo boards chartered planes at Andrews AFB to their encampment in Kuwait. Bravo members share public duties with French Foreign Legionnaires. Bravo members in the parade include carrying the flag of each US regiment that fought in Desert Storm; white flag with green border and seal is US Central Command colors. Bravo represented the US armed forces in the Kuwait Liberation Anniversary Celebration.

In 2003, The Old Guard deployed for the first time since the Vietnam War. Bravo Company was dispatched to the Horn of Africa, where it established a forward base in rural Ethiopia.[10][11] The base and missions, intended primarily to train Ethiopian military personnel, were part of the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa, a Global War on Terrorism operation.[10] In 2007, the regiment's Delta company was deployed to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti as part of CJTF-HOA, supporting humanitarian missions and local military training in the region.[12] Charlie Company deployed to Camp Taji, Iraq, in 2009 to execute its theater reinforcement mission.[13]

Stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington, the 2nd Battalion, 3rd US Infantry Regiment, serves as one of three infantry battalions of the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team of the 2nd Infantry Division ('Indian Head'). After a 31-year hiatus from service, the 2nd Battalion was reactivated on March 15, 2001 as part of the US Army's first Stryker brigade combat team. It served as part of the first deployment of a Stryker brigade combat team in 2003. It then served a 15 month deployment in 2006–2007. It deployed to Iraq again in 2009 and Afghanistan in 2011. From 1966 to 1970, the 2nd Battalion was part of the 199th Light Infantry Brigade in Vietnam.

3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) | Military Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia

Veterans Day we got a double bonus.

No Trump Jong Un Parade plus the Army approved a new uniform.

It's the World War II era uniform with only some slight adaptations which are mainly pants for women soldiers (optional). This replaces the basically civil war uniform Army adopted early in this decade, which until then had been the Army dress blue uniform for special occasions only.

An Army Times direct poll shows 72% of soldiers approve of the change and the new uniform which will begin to appear early in 2020. I myself approve of almost any new Army standard wear class A uniform over the blue uniform. I mean, who ever heard of or saw an army dressed in a blue uniform as its standard wear!

This is indeed a Veterans Day to remember on two significant counts, although I don't care much for the ancient belt on the newly approved job. No modern standard military uniform should have a belt.






Your Army

It’s official: Army approves ‘pinks and greens’ uniform on Veterans Day



A poll finds 72 percent of respondents support the return of the "pinks and greens" service uniform. (Apester)

The Army has been considering a move away from the ASU for several years, both in an attempt to give soldiers a midway point between the very casual Army Combat Uniform and the very decorated ASU, while fielding something that both soldiers and the American public could clearly and emotionally identify as an Army uniform.

“That was the uniform of the ‘Greatest Generation.’ There was a lot of prestige and honor associated with that. The American public identified with that uniform,” Sergeant Major of the Army Dan Dailey said last year. “We think that is more appropriate than trying to create something new.

https://www.armytimes.com/news/your...waited-new-service-uniform/?utm_source=clavis




Sergeant-Major of the Army Dan Daily salutes the flag during anthem pre-kickoff at the Army-Navy game, Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia Dec. 9, 2017, wearing the so-called Pink & Green newly approved Army standard wear class A uniform.





SGM of the Army Dan Daily.



Thought the greens that were cancelled early this decade were just perfect. In high school jrotc many moons ago we wore the pinks and greens. In uni senior rotc we wore the greens and in the Army we wore the summer tans and wool winter greens before changing over to the year-round new material greens that were the standard till several years ago. My view of the standard greens now gone forever is that if it ain't broke don't fix it.

Speaking of parades here's a clip of the Japan Self Defense Force on parade in Tokyo reviewed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Pentagon considers Japan to be the eastern world equivalent of Britain to the US. That is, just as UK is the island nation strong ally of the US in the Atlantic-Europe-Eurasia, Japan has become the strong island nation ally of US in the Pacific-Asia through the South China Sea to India. India several years ago signed on to become a US military strategic partner.

Self Defense March of Japan Self Defense Force Tokyo October 2018



This clip shows only the Army which is wise given these JSDF parades in the city go for more than 90 minutes to include vehicles tracked, wheeled, and flyovers of choppers and jet aircraft. [12:18] In Japan they call these city public parades "Runway Fun," whereas in USA they can be called "Runway Crash" because they get cancelled if Trump orders one. (Sorry 'bout that.)

Given there isn't any narration to include zero subtitles, it can be helpful to know what's going on to include who's what. What follows is too much information but so what cause nobody has to read it.

Parade commander is the three-star commander of Home Ground Defense Force, as we see from the 3 stars on his red rank plate of the lead jeep. However, JSDF generals and admirals wear cherry blossoms to indicate rank rather than stars, this being the Japan the world has come to know in more recent times. Three stars remains the highest rank in most armed forces throughout the world. US is a rarity to have four star rank mostly because of the highly specialized roles and complexity of its armed forces.

First unit in the white cross straps are the cadets of the National Defense University (Academies) which traditionally lead parades in Japan (and elsewhere in the region). We see the "chief cadet" as he's called -- rank equivalent cadet colonel -- with his brigade staff of cadet ltc/re, to include the first young woman to bust her way into the brigade level of rank and position. Bde colors march with the chief cadet and bear the unicorn horse in gold on the field of blue.

The NDU brigade has four battalions each commanded by a cadet ltc, with the first marching rank of each btn being cadet lieutenants of each btn's four companies, bearing the traditional sword also. The marching bde we see represents less than half the total army brigade number of 1000-1100. NDU has three cadet brigades in one huge location on a peninsula in Tokyo Bay: Army, Navy, Air Force. (Cadet captain company commanders and cadet major btn staff officers do not march in these city parades as there's no place to put 'em, so they stand in formation with the rest of the bde alongside the grandstand seating.)

Next up is the cadet corps of the NDU College of Medicine and Surgery with the same bde command structure. Cadet officers bear a medical baton rather than a weapon, the bde colors show the international medical symbol, and the marching cadets representing the whole of the medical college corps wear a symbolic medical pouch/kit.

The next bde representatives marching under the red flag are the government's only official high school military academy, red being the army color. Three btn of three companies each represent the total corps of 600 cadets so the cadets we see are half the total, or 300. Two rifle btn and one administrative btn. The front marching rank of each of the two rifle btn has cadet company nco at sling arms; the admin btn has 3 functional companies of technical cyber and EW types so they carry a laptop case. Ninety percent of all cadets will graduate to the NDU and put in a career as army officers. The high school academy cadets are ages 15-19 and have won entry in a fierce competition as 4500 students apply annually, making this government academy one of the most competitive schools in the world.

Regular Ground SDF troops appear the remainder of the video. In the red scarves are regular light infantry. In the body vests both hands on rifles are Special Operations forces. In the white scarves with wings on the helmets are light infantry airborne rangers. Much to the relief of the rest of the SDF, units that parade in the city do it as regulars and in addition to their scheduled training which makes the parades and rehearsals more efficient ha.

There are lots of videos of this stuff but only some are one of the four: very good, excellent, outstanding, superior. This video is one of those. It was made professionally by some parents over 18 months.

It's an active video with only some excellently insightful statements by the Marine Corps Lt.Col. ret. Wade who is in charge of the program and the active duty MSG who is the senior MC instructor and drillmaster. It goes from close order drill competition following rapid fire commands to rappelling from the state firefighters training tower which is nearby (and very high). Sports shots, carry weights, lots of field training action at the school.


Marine Corps Junior ROTC: A Documentary of Cadets Fallbrook High School California




The Marine MSG is a riot with the cadets who appreciate him and it fully. Cadets have a hard time keeping a straight face in the ranks. I think his name is Sgt. "See Ya!" He works 'em over pretty good and I'm still chuckling over the many good natured razzings of cadet after cadet.

Rotc has all kind of medals and ribbons awards for a vast variety of happy stuff. We see some of the competitive activities being practiced (without any ceremony or presentations). Medals range from Annual Field Day competition in close order drill, manual of arms and the like to awards for performance in academics, sports, leadership, best platoon, rifle team etc. Some cadets get a chest full of fruit salad (not seen in the video).

We don't see it here but there is a Superior Cadet overall award given annually to one cadet in year 1 frosh and one cadet of year 2 soph, only. It serves to help identify the potential cadet commander for his/her class senior year 4; cadet xo of btn also. Any single cadet who goes two for two is it pretty much for sure. In these kind of programs even a frosh kid who was shy and retiring can suddenly come out roaring and taking names. The adventure begins the moment you're put in charge of something no matter how small at the time.