Army designs program for better uniform fit


Army scientists are working a plan to take the guess work out of sizing soldier uniforms.

The new Uniform System for Improved Tariffs program at the Army’s Soldier Systems Center in Natick, Mass., is being designed to eliminate the outdated sizing system of trying to fit all soldiers into small, medium, large or extra-large uniforms, according to an Army press release.

The USFIT program uses 3-D, “whole-body” scanners to record the shape of soldiers' bodies.

“Previously, there was a large opportunity for a sizing error,” Joseph Cooper, a USFIT project officer, said in the release. “Using the scanner will give us data to provide the best fit.”

The sizing data is archived in the Integrated Database for Engineering Anthropometry of Soldiers to provide a better overall description of the user population, the release states.

“The IDEAS database will also assist developers in the design of current and next-generation clothing and equipment,” Cooper said.

The information may eventually be loaded onto common access cards so soldiers and supply sergeants can simply scan the card when ordering uniforms and equipment from around the world.

Program officials have tested special size-prediction algorithms for selected uniforms and equipment at Fort Bliss, Texas, where more than 3,000 deploying soldiers were scanned and fit-tested, the release states.

The Army plans to eventually distribute scanners to 24 Army installations and mobilization centers once funding for the program has been approved, the release states.

That is cool! I had a big problem with how my AUCs and PTs fit me, still do rather.
They were always giving me sleaves that are to long, pant legs to long... PT short XL...I'm 5'2 and 130lbs! I don't need XL pt shorts!

The PT shorts suck. Whoever designed them must have been a woman, because my stuff simply does not fit properlly into those damn things. I probably look like I have crabs the way I constantly have to adjust them.

Are these uniforms supposed to help all the fat Soldiers look slim or what?

We had the NATICK testing at Ft. Hood. Everyone in the unit eventually went in groups. They gave you your scan on a thumbdrive.

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The Army plans to eventually distribute scanners to 24 Army installations and mobilization centers once funding for the program has been approved, the release states.

As a taxpayer and a soldier, I have to wonder if this is "needed". How many millions of dollars will it cost just to make a better fitting pair of pants?

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Originally posted by SSGGunbunny:

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The Army plans to eventually distribute scanners to 24 Army installations and mobilization centers once funding for the program has been approved, the release states.

As a taxpayer and a soldier, I have to wonder if this is "needed". How many millions of dollars will it cost just to make a better fitting pair of pants?

Same amount it probably costs Army-wide when you try to order a light bulb and get an entire truckload of them.

alot of people dont like the pt shorts. Just cut the liner out and wear tights underneath them. Make sure you wear tights because you dont want your junk flopping around when your doing the flutter kick LOL

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The information may eventually be loaded onto common access cards so soldiers and supply sergeants can simply scan the card when ordering uniforms and equipment from around the world.

I sure hope they finally get the bright idea to record boot sizes in ALL the brands they issue.

When I was down range, I was in desperate need of new boots. Our supply gave us a pair every 6 months, and each time, they were a different brand. Although the actual size # was the same in all the brands, NONE of them fit. To this day, I wear my initial issue boots because I cannot justify buying pair that they issue me.

It wouldn't have been such a big deal for me to exchange them in a retail store, but they didn't come with a box!

I was actually one of the guinea pigs for this thing when I went through CIF at Bliss before I went down range. Its a pretty high speed set up. You strip down to your underwear and stand in a dark room while rings of lasers go up and down your body, which help the computer make a 3D image. The sizes were pretty dead on. It would be pretty time consuming, though, to send through 100's of recruits at a time during processing, since it took me about 45 mins.

45 minutes?!? Holy Hell!!

I spent about that much time just standing in line to get my uniforms that DON'T fit.