...if I didn't mention this (from the Usual USAF Source):
Army Gen. David H. Petraeus reviews troops at his retirement ceremony and official farewell on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va., Aug. 31, 2011. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley Petraeus Retires: Army Gen. David Petraeus, one of the most well known faces of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, retired Wednesday after 37 years of uniformed service. "You've run the race well, swifter and surer than the rest, and you now stand among the giants, not just in our time, but of all time, joining the likes of Grant and Pershing and Marshall and Eisenhower as one of the great battle captains of American history," said Adm. Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, during the retirement ceremony at Fort Myer, Va. The Army four-star was instrumental in developing the US counterinsurgency strategy that turned the tide of the war in Iraq. He led the Multinational Security Transition Command-Iraq, Multinational Forces-Iraq, US Central Command, and NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. Now a civilian, Petraeus will be taking over at the CIA, having received the Senate's nod in June to lead the intelligence organization. (AFPS release by Jim Garamone)
Well, Gen. Petraeus retired from the Army, so we won't go into the Happy Trails bits. He begins his new gig as DCI next week... and I think The Agency will be in the best of hands.
Buck,
ReplyDeleteAgree on the badges, especially the Army. The Marines are fairly low keyed about them.
To me only the serious ones matter.
Jim Baker
USAF/Systems Command
62-66
Apropos o' not much, the general most certainly wins the award for most ribbons, medals, badges, braid, gold leaf, and assorted other gewgaws on the uniform. M'gawd Maude, that thing must weigh 100 pounds! Good thing he doesn't have to run in it.
ReplyDeleteThat's a lot o' flair on those uniforms. How do they keep their backs so straight with all that weight on the front?
ReplyDeleteYes, the Army IS the worst, but all three have in the last couple decades sadly adopted the SU/Russian "washboard" method of mounting ribbons only 3 abreast across the pocket in order to produce a higher, more "prominent" washboard-like row effect, rather than the previous practice of going 4 abreast for the first 3 rows until the lapel starts to seriously hide the ribbons. The visual effect is REALLY different.
ReplyDeleteBut don't get me started--I'm a heraldry freak. If *I* were Maximum/Fearless Leader I'd get the Army out of the Forest Ranger "Green Machine" greens and back into WWII "pinks & greens"--the greatest looking uniform EVER! And do away with the Div patch on the right shoulder from the "previously" assigned Div. And I'd put rank insignia on Class A shirt collars like they did in WWII and the Marines do now.I like the Navy's return to the tans as an additional "Class A" uniform. I'd also put the Div patch back on the left shoulder of the Marines. I know why they eschew the Div patch--they want all Marines to think as one, but the Div insignia comes out in combat bases in the form of HUGE signage anyway, and I think it would add to the esprit d'corps as well as dress up the uniform.
We "Bus-drivers?" FIRST, I'd put the numbered AF patch back on the left shoulder of the "Class As" so we look like an actual military branch rather than bus-drivers. Next, I'd go back to the "brushed silver" viz the plain shiny stuff they now sport aping the Army. Next I'd get rid of the pocket-less "smock" look of the Class As as well--or have they already done that? And widen the lapels back to WWII width. Finally, I'd go back to the 50s/60s summer tan for Class A's as well as the old 1505 "suntans" for daily summer wear. Finally: We aren't the RAF. Good as the darker shade looks, I'd go back to "Air Force Blue," but a bit intensely brighter hue so it won't so closely correlates with the bus-driver look.
There, see? Fixed all that..
And if You're by here, SJS, yes, I know, I've already spouted the same rant last year over at your place, lol.
ReplyDeleteGosh, Virgil, are you sure?
ReplyDeleteSomething about leggings and duty belts with the Navy uniform really bugs me... but not as much as the "other" Navy uniform.
ReplyDeleteDislike. Everyone wore medals but him. The General trooping the line with him wore the general officer belt and sword. That's THE uniform. He declined to wear medals, belt or sword. He could have bothered.
ReplyDeleteFunny, that picture reminds me of the basic training instruction, that enlisted walk to the left of officers.
ReplyDeleteRecruit: WTF Over??
Drill Sgt: So when he draws his sword he doesn't hit you in the head with his fist (Sgt demonstrates, and recruit falls to the ground in severe pain).
Jim: Thanks for droppin' by. I agree with ya about only the serious ones matter.
ReplyDeleteM'gawd Maude, that thing must weigh 100 pounds!
A blouse with all that hardware on it DOES weigh a considerable amount, Deb.
Red: "Flair"... Heh! Pretty good, Sweetie!
Virgil: I agree with everything you said EXCEPT for the 1505s. I hated those damned things, but they were better than the 505s they replaced. Which ain't sayin' much.
As for the washboard thang? You need to take a closer look, coz Petraeus is wearin' four across on at least his lower three rows.
Skip: Which "other" uni are ya talkin' about? The Navy has a LOT o' uniforms...
Curtis: I wondered about Petraeus' uniform choice. It did seem odd to me.
Anon: That's a pretty good story.
The one that looks like what a Jarhead wears
ReplyDeleteI think maybe the only other uniforms he has are BDUs.
ReplyDeleteArmy is finally doing away with that sissy green Class B. I'm with y'all on the jewelry, too. There are a couple of medallions on ribbons that Pepper stopped wearing bcause he'd have to go to the chiropractor for his neck every time he wore them with dress blues.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to see Petraeus at Langley, but I'm still kinda iffy about Panetta at the Pentagon.
Skip: Thanks for the clarification.
ReplyDeleteIT: You could be right!
Moogie: Yeah, I hear ya about Panetta. The acid test will be when the budget knives come out...