More expensive than one uniform you use for everything and as a consequence wear out or damage all the sooner…
It’s the same argument as asking why does the RAF need so many planes, surely a Typhoon is a Hercules is a Hawk is a Voyager… Couldn’t at all be that different uniforms have different purposes and that our understanding of this has evolved. You keep banging on about being from the 60s. I’m starting to think it’s the 1860s…
I’d rather cadets have different kits because then they run around, get sweaty and muddy in one and then can get changed into something that’s clean.
See, if the PCS way a medium grey, you could use it as a camouflage uniform…
I really like the idea of a PCS uniform for the ACO - it might not be fantastically smart, but I don’t know many cadets who join to look smart on parades - it’s intensely practical, you could do everything on a Sqn night in it, shooting on some windswept range, hanging around all day at a VGS (don’t laugh…), you could do AT in it, and if it were dark blue you could do every aspect of fieldcraft except not actually being seen by others.
Grey, a dull, middle grey, is a very low viz colour - it’s why military aircraft are overwhelmingly painted grey: it just kind of disappears at longer distances, in poorer visibility, in broken terrain, and particularly when the wearer isn’t moving much.
Both the German and Russian armies wore grey entirely effectively during WWII, and while camouflage uniforms are generally better at closer range, their comparative advantage over anything dull and grey/tan/light olive that uses normal concealment techniques peters out surprisingly quickly as distance increases or visibility decreases.
Not perfect, but without a huge clothing budget, everything involves compromise…
When a cadet leaves after just a couple of years they come in with 2 or even 3 bags of uniform, which they or more so mum, don’t want cluttering up cupboards and wardrobes.
If a good compromise could be reached in terms of footwear that can be used for everything, it would reduce the cost to parents, where currently it’s invariably shoes, boots for FMS and boots for walking.
@angus is probably correct youngsters who join aren’t overly bothered about a smart uniform. For the vast majority many it’s somewhere to go, see their mates and do some things while they are there. You’ll probably find this is across the board in youth groups of all ilks.
