Weimer: Army to Redesign PT Uniform

Weimer: Army to Redesign PT Uniform

SMA Michael Weimer speaks at AUSA2024
Photo by: Rod Lamkey for AUSA

Among a host of initiatives to strengthen the NCO corps, the Army is redesigning its physical training uniform, the service’s senior enlisted leader announced Oct. 15 during the Association of the U.S. Army’s 2024 Annual Meeting and Exposition.

“It’s going to look a little different than what we’ve done in the past. We’re not going to get locked into the same T-shirt,” Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Weimer said, adding that the current uniform “doesn’t represent who we are as warfighters.”

The effort will be led by Program Executive Office Soldier and Sgt. Maj. Robert Haynie, senior enlisted leader in the office of the assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, Weimer said. The “new PT kit” will be rolled out in 2025 after beta testing, he said.

“If we’re going to be fit, we’re going to look good and represent the Army brand,” he said.

In the briefing focused on leading change, Weimer also released the Army’s new blue book and app, designed to reinforce standards and discipline across the service.

“Standards and discipline matter. There are certain things we need to stay relentless with,” Weimer said, calling the blue book “foundational” to the force. “You don’t get promoted, you don’t move to a different echelon … and outgrow this.”

The book will become “the one single location for knowing what the standard is,” he said. NCOs and soldiers must “know what right looks like,” Weimer said, asking for “candid, professional feedback” from the force.

“The blue book is not going to cure our standards and discipline problems overnight,” he said. “What’s going to get after the problem is the noncommissioned officer believing in what’s in that book, buying into what it means to be part of the profession of arms, and living the standard and enforcing the standard.”

Additionally, Weimer said, the Army Senior Enlisted Council voted unanimously to approve a mariner badge for Army mariners, the mountain badge for soldiers who attend or have attended the Army Mountain Warfare School, and a Master Combat Badge, which will identify soldiers who have been awarded both the Expert Infantry Badge and Combat Infantry Badge. 

“You’ll be hearing more about that when the policy comes out authorizing who can and cannot” wear the badges, Weimer said.

During the briefing, Weimer also rolled out “Muddy Boots” which will be a collection of articles written by the Army’s most experienced NCOs. Weimer wrote the first article, “Combat Doesn’t Care: How Ready Are You?” which was released Oct. 14.

The aim is to gather “story-based content, maybe a little bit edgy, and under 2,000 words,” Weimer said. The next few articles will come from senior enlisted leaders at major Army commands, and over the next 24 months, an article by nominative command sergeants major will be published every two weeks.

— Luc Dunn