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The Army and Air Force are running out of summer uniform pants due to a contract issue with Golden Manufacturing, the vendor. While other manufacturers make other uniform bits on dual source contracts, Golden is the sole source for the pants and it seems someone has filed a challenge to its award. One gathers Golden is concerned that they will not be paid for what they are delivering and so have shut production down. Other contracts with Golden are not affected.<\/p>\n
Some female service members have resorted to purchasing male editions of the hot weather uniform and then paying to have them tailored to meet the professional presentation standards required for all soldiers.<\/p>\n
Women in the military have long struggled with ill-fitting equipment and the shortage of hot-weather gear \u2014 and forced reliance on male clothes \u2014 is creating another burden.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not only a safety issue,\u201d the soldier said. \u201cIt\u2019s unprofessional, and it doesn\u2019t allow them to do their jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n
A spokesperson with the Army and Air Force Exchange Service said it was unclear when the stores would be able to restock shelves for women.<\/p>\n
Several companies make uniforms for the Army and Air Force, but Golden Manufacturing is the only one that makes trousers for women. Other companies also make male uniforms, so there is no widespread shortage for men.<\/p>\n
The hot weather uniform was introduced in 2019 and is a much lighter version of the standard-issue camouflage uniform. It is largely seen by the rank and file as a much-needed quality-of-life improvement. The new uniform dries more quickly, and its thinner design keeps soldiers cooler. Being thinner, it\u2019s also more compact and packs easier in a rucksack.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n