How does US military handle socks?

[Hauldren Collider]

This thread is ****ing surreal.

QFT

[MichaeltheGreat]

Makes you wonder why we were ever worried about the Russkies, doesn't it?

[Hauldren Collider]

Is there a special laundry room in the barracks where the socks are left to dry? How does US military process their laundry in general?

Also, http://blog.uso.org/2010/05/16/socks...hn-university/

I don't know what you have in the Motherland, but here, I think clothesdryers and washing machines are the norm.

From what I've been told, it's like a college dorm. There's a laundry room.

[regexcellent]

Issue socks used to suck, don't know if they still do. Mine were always in pristine condition, since the ones I actually wore were self-provided, courtesy of REI.

Yeah, I never wear mine. They're alright but they aren't really proper hiking socks. Then again the issued boots aren't constructed properly either. For some reason they're 8 inches high even though it's all thin cloth and provides no support. They have zero ankle support whatsoever.

[Hauldren Collider]

Why doesn't the army just give you some money to buy your own damn boots?

[giblets]

MOSCOW (AP) — A Russian official says it's time for the nation's soldiers to switch from foot wraps to socks.

Since the late 17th century, Russian soldiers have been using wraps, rectangular strips of cloth that are carefully wrapped around their bare feet to prevent blisters from tall heavy boots with no laces.

But Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, who took the post two months ago, said he was surprised to learn that some soldiers are still using the wraps, called "portyanki" in Russian, and told them to use socks instead.

At a televised meeting with military officers Monday, he said, "In 2013, or at least by the end of 2013, we must forget the word portyanki."

Czar Peter the Great adopted the custom from the Dutch army in the late 17th century.

WTF did Russians wear on their feet before Peter the Great?

[MRT144]

Why doesn't the army just give you some money to buy your own damn boots?

Cause the nail that sticks up gets hammered.

[onodera]

WTF did Russians wear on their feet before Peter the Great?

There was no standard uniform footwear, but probably puttees. I think Pete introduced the jackboot, not the footwrap itself.

[MichaeltheGreat]

Why doesn't the army just give you some money to buy your own damn boots?

Because, my young friend, that would not create the sort of opportunities desired by the West Point Protective Association to have a few unnecessary officer slots, or SecArmy to have all-important staffing for ACA, or for our friends in Congress to steer pork money to the districts where the boot companies are located.

Also, not many MOS really spend most or all of their time dismounted in the field, and the knuckledragger community is not well represented in the procurement and equipment standards parts of the chairborne corps.

[regexcellent]

Was going to say that it would make too much sense but MtG's answer works too. You are actually allowed to buy your own boots though. It's not worth the money to me.

[onodera]

How much personal space is a soldier allowed in the barracks? In Russia it's a lot like in that FMJ movie: a cot and a locker/bedside table, the contents of which are strictly regulated. Almost all laundering is centralized, there are huge washing machines and driers so everything is depersonalized as much as possible. It will be hard to shoehorn socks into this system.

[MichaeltheGreat]

I think it depends base by base on the quality of facilities. I know at Bragg back in the day there were some facilities that were real **** - stuff hastily constructed for WW2 and never replaced. I think those are finally gone now. It's not much, but it's not like basic training platoons for the army or boot camp for the lesser services. Newer facilities where space permits are more like dorm rooms, I think. I've been out longer than some of the posters here have been alive, so I assume there has to have been some progress.

[SlowwHand]

"Lesser services". Spoken like a true representative of the service that requires the least.

[MichaeltheGreat]

As soon as you figure out how one takes and holds ground by flying over it, be sure and let me know.

[DaShi]

This is actually an unintended additional benefit of the standard boot size policy.

Unfortunately, the standard boot size was determined by a different office than the one that decided the standard sock size.