Army Gen. Robert Abrams, head of U.S. Forces Korea, donned the retro but newly authorized "greens" uniform Thursday for a ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the start of the Korean War.
"Now, some of you are already inquiring -- what uniform is Gen. Abrams wearing? Some have accused me already of being a Korean war reenactor," he said to laughter at the commemoration ceremony at Camp Humphreys, headquarters of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK).
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"This is the newly approved Army green service uniform and will be required for service members to wear in the next few years," Abrams said of the olive jacket and pinkish trousers.
"It was approved on the first of June. I've been waiting for the right opportunity for it to make its debut, and here it is," said Abrams, who is also head of United Nations Command and the Combined Forces Command.
News of the ceremony was posted on Camp Humphreys' Facebook site and first reported by Stars & Stripes.
The new uniform, modeled on the World War II-era "pinks and greens," was officially chosen by the Army in 2018 to replace the Army Service Uniform (ASU). But the new version is known as just "greens," instead of the older nickname.
The phase-in for soldiers is expected to be complete by 2027, but senior leaders, drill sergeants and others have already been authorized to wear it.
In his remarks, Abrams noted the continued strength of the U.S.-South Korea alliance and honored the fallen of the 1950-53 war.
The alliance was "forged in the crucible of war and hardened by blood spilled together," he said. "Together, together, we fought a brutal three-year war … to push back the forces of tyranny."
More than 245,000 South Korean soldiers, 36,000 U.S. troops, and 3,000 United Nations Command forces were killed, Abrams said.
"Since the [1953] armistice, over 300 South Koreans and 62 Americans have been lost in the ongoing mission of deterrence and defense," he added. "We remain ready to defend the Republic of Korea at a moment's notice."
-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
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