Getting Acquainted with Military Clothing

To distinguish themselves from civilians, military men and women on active duty are required to wear uniforms which usually consist of a jacket, headgear, trousers, and dress shoes or boots. Female soldiers have a choice to wear either pants or below-the-knee skirts. During physical training, military men and women have the liberty to dress down and are only required to don their designated physical training uniforms that consist of a T-shirt indicating the branch's logo or name.

For special operations duty, however, military personnel are required to wear camouflage uniforms. These uniforms were first deployed during the World War II era to provide a more practical and lighter attire for soldiers in battle, although found limited use during the Vietnam War. Camouflage uniforms are sometimes referred to as “fatigues,” and they usually come in four patterns, namely: temperate, lowland, highland, and delta.

Over the years, army fatigue uniforms have undergone a few changes. Today, the camouflage patterns are designed according to the military branch of service. For instance, Marines wear uniforms in camouflage patterns of lighter shades, Army personnel sport dark greens and browns, while the Air Force has settled on lighter fatigue patterns consisting of mostly grays and blues.

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Where Military Surplus Items Come From

Fans of genuine military surplus items might be curious to know where the products sold by reputable physical and online retailers come from. The source of many of these products are local army bases, who usually inform retailers of an upcoming bid, and send them catalogs of the items for bidding. Retailers also get information on available surplus items from the Department of Defense Surplus Sales office.

Military surplus products are often sold in auctions on an “as is, where is” basis. This means that buyers cannot complain about a defective product once they have purchased it. However, bidders are given the chance to inspect all the items available at the auction before the bidding begins.

While product defects may not be acceptable with other commodities, such flaws could totally be preferable for military surplus buyers. Unless the defective goods are deemed totally worthless, product defects could lend to a military surplus item's authenticity, which many end customers look for. A product without utilitarian value may be sold as memorabilia, something which collectors and true military product fans might want to have.

End customers who prefer to receive non-defective products will be glad to know that military surplus retailers do perform some repair work on selected products to make them usable again. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that military products are made with the highest quality standards and specifications. As such, even used, repaired items remain of high quality.

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Combat Boots for Fashionable Civilians

Combat boots are originally designed to be used by soldiers during combat or combat training. Each boot is made to provide adequate foot protection, ankle stability, and a firm grip, which are necessary for traversing rugged terrains and maneuvering through obstacles. Boots also provide maximum comfort and ensures that no matter where a solder is stationed, no matter how harsh the climate is, and no matter what kind of environment he is in, his feet will always be safe and comfortable.

Recently, combat boots have become a fashion trend in the world of civilians. The “military look” is now in style, and even celebrities are into it. At first, wearing combat boots were only popular in the goth, punk, and grunge scene, but eventually became mainstream. These days, most people prefer to wear combat boots because of their durability, convenience, and versatility.


Combat boots come in different colors and can be worn in different styles. Black patent leather boots can be paired with pants, while desert boots would look good with long and loose skirts. Combat boots are commonly worn with jeans, leggings, shorts, and dresses. Wearing combat boots can give your outfit a touch of grunge or even a rock and roll vibe. 

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Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse

From the revived corpses in Michael Jackson's Thriller music video, to the living dead running wild and crazy in World War Z, zombies have become a huge hype in recent years. Of course, zombies only exist in books, graphic novels, TV shows, and the like. However, if shows and movies like The Walking Dead, Resident Evil, and even the game Plants vs. Zombies have taught people anything, it's that a zombie attack can happen anytime.

The first thing you must remember to survive a zombie outbreak, or any type of apocalyptic incident for that matter, is to be prepared. Read different kinds of books on survival, and find the right types of survival gear that you'll need. Prepare a backpack with supplies, such as canned food, bottled water, knives, clothes, blankets, and anything you think would be useful.

Everyone will be too busy running for their lives, so don't expect the Internet, electricity, and water to be running for long. Identify spots you think would be great for camping out. Isolated places such as forests and farms would be best since less people means less zombies. You should also learn the basics of farming, so you won't rely on scavenging for food all the time.


The zombie apocalypse may never really happen, but learning survival skills now can help you get through any kind of disaster. As long as you're prepared, you don't have to be threatened by anything, be it an impending storm or the rise of the undead.

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Armed Forces: Kinds of Military Uniforms

The United States Armed Forces currently have 1,429,995 people in active duty. Everyone who's serving the country has separate uniforms for training, combat, and certain events. Here are some of the uniforms for each branch:

  • Army – it has four designs; the blue service uniform is for formal ceremonies and events; the green uniform is for traveling and casual events; the combat uniform is for field exercises and training; the physical fitness uniform is for physical training and exercise.
  • Marine  – it has five designs; the blue dress uniform, blue evening dress, and blue-white dress uniforms are for formal occasions; the service uniform is for everyday use; the combat utility uniform is for combat, field exercise, and physical training.
  • Navy – it has seven designs; the blue camouflage is for daily work; the service uniform includes the service dress, dinner dress, ceremonial, traditional, tropical, and winter dress, which are worn for different weather conditions and events.
  • Air Force – it has three basic uniforms; the service dress is for everyday use; the dress uniform is for special ceremonies; the battle dress uniform is for training and combat.
  • Coast Guard – it has six designs; the blue or white dinner dress, blue formal dress, white full dress, and service uniforms are for special events; the blue working uniform is for training and field work.

These can be bought at clothing stores inside most military installations. They are also available in military surplus stores or online shops.

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Tips for Buying Military Apparel Online

The internet may have made shopping more convenient and even affordable, but online shopping is not without its risks. Therefore, if you're looking to buy BDU undershirts, unit t-shirts, balaclavas, and other military apparel from web-based sellers, you need to double check everything and be extra careful before giving out any personal information. With countless fraudsters lurking in cyberspace, you should keep the following safety tips in mind:

Find Reliable Retailers

Whether you're looking for cargo pants or special forces bandanas, always look for reputable online stores by getting recommendations from people you trust. Since you're already logged-in, you might as well read through the feedback page or reviews made by previous customers regarding the sellers you're considering.

Check the Website

A good way to identify a reliable store is by looking for a consumer safety policy in their website's homepage. Look for contact details as well, especially a legitimate physical address and phone number. Reputable stores would want you to be able to reach them in case you have problems with their products.

Protect Your Account Information


Never give your credit card information to untrusted sites. Don't give it to sites offering to store your account details, saying that it would be easier for you if you don't have to input anything with each purchase. Remember that once a website enters and saves your credit information in its system, it could be stolen by hackers or identity thieves.

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Boots are Made for Walking—and More

If you're old enough to remember, then you must be familiar with the song “These Boots Are Made For Walking” by Nancy Sinatra. While it's true that most boots are made and designed for everyday walking, some others serve special and specific purposes. Such are combat boots.

Civilians are not unfamiliar with combat boots; in fact, some own a pair or two due to the trend of military-inspired fashion. However, real combat boots worn by law enforcers, soldiers, and special operations personnel are not just for fashion's sake. They are made and designed to provide protection and comfort, while aiding our men and women in uniform in carrying out their duty better.

Law enforcers, for instance, need durable and comfortable footwear that will not expose their movement in any dangerous operation. Meanwhile, military and special operations personnel often find themselves assigned in harsh environments such as desert areas and mountainous terrains that require added protection and comfort. Their combat boots can be made to help them survive any terrain, environment, or weather condition.


Miss Sinatra was right in singing that boots are made for walking, because they actually are. However, we all know that there's so much more to boots than just that. 

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Putting Together the Essential Survival Gear

If you are part of a special operations unit or a fan of the great outdoors, one of the first things you must do is to gather the essential survival gear. To know what exactly constitutes the complete survival gear (and no, it doesn't include smartphones or tablets), you can take a page from the long-running reality TV program “Survivor” or from the zombie apocalyptic show “The Walking Dead.” Watching these TV favorites, you'll notice that the characters survive because they knew what to pack in their bags.

Two things that will be most useful to you when outdoors are tents and sleeping bags. You can choose tents in different styles, but perhaps the most ideal to use are the camouflage-style tents—just make sure they can be easily set up. Meanwhile, when it comes to sleeping bags, choose those that fit you snugly so you are guaranteed warmth. Like tents, be sure these snug sleeping bags are easy to get in and out of, otherwise, you'd feel more trapped than secure especially when a bear begins to approach.


Even the most brute of men suffer injuries too, and this is when a first aid kit comes in handy—complete with band-aids, antiseptic, gauze, and others. Another thing you should include in your survival kit is a multi-use pocket knife. A versatile pocket knife is one that can open canned foods, cut ropes, and even be used as a weapon against wayward boars or snakes.

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How to Buy Military Clothing

Military uniforms are standardized clothes worn by members of the Armed Forces to identify ranks and as a symbol of solidarity. Although federal law dictates that wearing a military uniform or distinctive parts of it is illegal, civilians has made the military look part of their everyday life. Ordinary folks can easily find military attire just by poking around in the right places.

Fatigues, combat boots, as well as other military gear can actually be bought in thrift stores, where people can get them cheap. However, it goes without saying that the quality of these items must be properly inspected, and that clothes must be thoroughly washed before they are worn. Since military-inspired clothing is in fashion, they are also widely available in surplus stores.


For high-quality military clothing, going to specialty stores is highly recommended. However, the best way to scour for military wear is probably through online military supply stores. The main advantage of shopping online is that one can easily compare prices to get a better deal. Not to mention that all these can be done at the touch of the fingertips. Before securing a purchase, though, one needs to make sure that the online shop is legit. It is also important to note of the terms and conditions of the store, especially its policy on exchanging or returning items.

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“I Want You”: Military Surplus Goods for Sale

Maintaining an army is actually a fairly expensive obligation and there are times when the ruling government has to do away with huge amounts of hardware to cut costs down. This is one reason why surplus goods from the military exist. Regardless if they're expensive or not, it would be a waste to see such items end up in a garbage dump, provided that they're still in good working condition.

For some people, the word surplus has a lot of connotations, especially since the surplus that they know of are store merchandise that didn't sell well or were too damaged to have any significant retail value. For others, however, military surplus goods are a welcome sight. Police agencies, for instance, rely on military surplus to modernize their equipment; taking advantage not only of the military-grade quality of the items, but also of their relatively cheap price compared to brand-new equipment.


Civilians provide an interesting customer base for military surplus as well. Military enthusiasts purchase these items as part of their hobby, airsoft players obtain and wear military uniforms to add character to their matches, and film producers need these surplus items as props for their movies. However, the circulation of these items amongst the population is carefully regulated; functional weapons, ammunition, and even body armor are mostly prohibited from being sold. 

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