Air Force uniform question?

Question

When are the dress blues uniform usually worn, and who wears it? Is it certain jobs that wear it? I know a mechanic wouldnt wear it at all. And I know that you wouldnt wear it in a war zone.

Answer 1

Dress Blues (Class A's) are worn typically only to ceremonial or formal functions.  However, Blues (some combination of the blue pants and either short sleeve blue shirt or long sleeve blue shirt (with or without tie) is often worn by folks performing administrative-type tasks in a non-combat area. Delpoyed positions typically wear BDU/DCUs exclusively, and BDUs, flight suits, and other utility uniform combinations are worn by those whose jobs require them to potentially get "physical" (i.e. network folks who have to crawl around laying cable and/or fixing computers under desks, flight line folks, Security Forces (who might have to chase someone down, or low-crawl in real or exercise situations), etc.)  Hospital/medical folks also have specialized uniforms (often BDU bottoms with scrub tops)...Alert Crew folks have a blue flight suit...there are a number of variations.

  Hope this helps!

In reference to your edit - in Intel, you may be required to wear the dress uniform for official briefings (usually of high-level superiors but, as pointed out below, it really depends on what your superiors decide is appropriate...) However, Intel is a broad field; there are those that brief every day, and those that (almost) never have to be front and center...

Answer 2

Gee, I was an Armament Systems tech.  

I wore my Dress blues more often than I wanted... Change of Command, PCS, TDY, NCO of the Qtr/ Year....

I wasn't supposed to wear it???

Then WHY IN SAM HILL was I required to maintain that damned expensive thing?

When I was with the IG, I wore it.

When I was wing safety, I wore it.

When I went to PME, I wore it. (and was QUITE sharp, to tell you the truth)

When I briefed Higher Headquarters on weapons mishaps, I wore  it.

When I went to joint service conferences, I wore it.

When I reported for schools and additional training, I wore it.

Your duty uniform will be dependent upon the exact DAILY requirements for your position.  

Unless you NEVER plan on giving a briefing to your commander  when at your home base, count on wearing those blues occasionally AT LEAST!  Intell is a staff agency function.

Heck, I worked for one Ring knocking GUNG-HO Zippy Pin Head (Eagle Selectee) that would do a daily inspection of me in my blues when I was a SSgt because he was afraid that 'his troops' (I was the Lowest NCO but also the Nuke Surety NCOIC) might embarass him and s***w up his d**n selectee status.

Answer 3

The Blue uniform is wool and is worn in the winter, the Khaki is the summer uniform, you will be told what to wear at the appropriate time.

Answer 4

When I served it was some of the day shift folks, admin folks, staff people, and supervisor, NCOIC and folks like that.  I only wore my blues when I had specific appointments.  

Answer 5

It really depends on the job you have.  If you have an admin job you may wear the Blues or ABU's daily.  I'm a flyer so I normally wear a flight suit unless there is a more formal occasion such as a promotion or change of command.  The style of blues also depends on the occasion.  A formal occasion, you'd wear the blues coat and tie.  On a sunny day at the office you may just wear the pants and short sleeve shirt with no tie.  Hope this helps

Answer 6

I've been a USAF Staff Weenie for 6 years, and put my dress blues on three times (each time was a court marshal).  Your mileage may vary.

Answer 7

It depends on your job like other people have said and it also depends on your base.  My base makes it mandatory that everyone wears blues on the last day of every month, and I have been at a base where they were all required to wear their blues every monday.

Answer 8

The jacket is worn only on certain "formal" occasions.  The blue uniform is an "office" uniform and is worn depending on where one works, the druthers of the commander, and the duties one performs.

In 24 years I wore my mine a grand total of eight times.  In flying jobs my primary duty uniform was a flight suit; when I worked ALO stuff it was BDUs.  Many operators consider wearing blues to be a sign of giving into the man, if you know what I mean.  i would use mandatory blues wear as a "punishment" for my guys if they were s******g up...

EDIT:  For the guy below me, the 1554s were Khaki though out of service for decades; also the blue flight suit hasn't been worn forever.

EDIT II:  As an intel guy it's going to depend on what unit you're in:  ops intel in a Fighter/Bomber/Tanker/Special Ops Wing-ABU; if you end up at a MAJCOM or the Pentagon-sentenced to blues.

Answer 9

Full dress blues, with the jacket is usually worn only for special occasions.  Such as promotion ceremonies.  Day to day uniform is normally the BDU or the new ABU.  Depends on the type of job you have too.

Answer 10

Generally, the Administrative airmen wear thier blues, finance, human resources, etc.

Maintence, CE , SF wear BDU's,ACU's or whatever they are called now.

You will wear your blues some during basic, maybe your last day in Tech School, although the admin tech schools may wear them.

When you go to your NCO school, airmen of the month boards, BTZ boards.

And any retreats or parades you may have to do.

I think I wore my blues just 6 times after I got out of basic training.