As happens with any new soldier, Kayla Williams went through the standard processing when she joined the U.S. Army in 2000. She was briefed before basic training and issued a uniform.
But something important was missing — a bra.
Male soldiers got underwear, Williams said. but women received an allowance to buy sports bras at the post exchange. The male corporal leading her group was supposed to advise her on the sports bra options she could buy there.
Williams said there was just one problem: the corporal refused to say the word “bra.”
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More than two decades later, the Army still does not have a uniform bra designed to meet all the needs of female soldiers in the field, according to a fact sheet from the Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center.
Some flame-resistant models — in limited sizes — are issued to aviator and combat vehicle crew members, but they are not suitable for other jobs, the DEVCOM fact sheet said.
Things could soon change. DEVCOM’s experts at its Massachusetts facility have developed four prototypes of the Army Tactical Brassiere, the branch’s first high-impact, flame-resistant sports bra.
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In an interview with ABC News, DEVCOM clothing designer and project lead Ashley Cushon said the team is considering factors such as body type, activity level and personal preference.
“There’s no such thing as one size fits all, especially with bras or sports bras,” Cushon said. “So we want to make sure that we retain as much variety within the designs as possible, so that we’re accommodating as many soldiers as we can.”
DEVCOM has tested ATB models through soldier focus groups, design team leader Annette LaFleur told ABC News. More than 200 soldiers with a variety of specialties have evaluated them, according to the fact sheet.
R&I ~ MJM
FoundingFrog
Article URL : https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/army-doesnt-bra-fits-combat-female-soldiers-change/story?id=91748263