The Army will not be transitioning to new physical training uniforms, despite an announcement last week by the service's top enlisted leader about new uniforms on the horizon.
Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Weimer criticized the current PT uniform during the Association of the United States Army conference in Washington, D.C., saying it fell short of the service's needs, as he pitched new training gear. But on Monday, a week later, Weimer walked that announcement back.
"The current PTs, they're not going anywhere," Weimer told reporters. "We're looking at options. We don't want everybody showing up to a company formation and everyone's wearing something that looks completely different. We have to make sure we maintain the standard."
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Weimer's initial statements announcing new uniforms were quickly picked up by media outlets and provoked a wave of online mockery from soldiers, along with quiet criticism from some senior Army officials behind the scenes. Many deemed the idea of introducing a new uniform unnecessary, especially given the relatively recent rollout of the current PT gear in 2017.
In his speech during that initial announcement at the AUSA conference, Weimer said that the current uniforms did not adequately represent soldiers as "warfighters."
"It's gonna look a little different than it did in the past," he said, referencing potential updates to the design. "If we're gonna be fit, we're also gonna look good at the same time and rep the Army brand."
The comments were seen as an announcement the Army was poised to introduce an altogether new PT uniform, a notion Weimer has now shot down. Speaking to reporters, he clarified that rather than replacing the existing PT uniform, the Army is exploring ways to offer soldiers a wider range of workout apparel that keeps the same design of the current uniform, but potentially with some differences and a better fit.
Task and Purpose first reported the news.
In a model similar to the Army's practice of issuing soldiers boots, socks and tan T-shirts as part of the camouflage uniform, while allowing them to purchase approved uniform components from other brands, the planned changes aim to provide more flexibility for PT attire. The Army won't be outright designing or distributing new uniforms itself; instead, it's opening the door for private-sector apparel companies to make their own gear.
Additional uniform options are expected to be available to soldiers to buy toward the end of next year. The service will continue to issue the current PT uniform.
Currently, soldiers have few additional options for PT uniforms beyond what is standard-issue.
Weimer said there would be space for minor adjustments such as adding pockets to the shorts, a widely disliked shortcoming of the standard-issue PT uniform, something Weimer says he hears a lot of complaints about.
"I get constant feedback. Actually, maybe one of the top feedbacks I get ... there's no pockets in the shorts," Weimer said. "I know it's crazy we're talking about shorts with no pockets right now and it's almost 2025. But that's where we are."
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