Army, Sears clothing deal irks lawmakers

[RamboLiberal]

Source: Politico

From Cantigny, France, and the Argonne Forest to North Africa, Normandy, Vietnam’s Iron Triangle and Iraq —and now hauteconcept.com?

Foreign battles aren’t new for the 1st Infantry Division, but this firefight is from another world, a clash between the New Army and Old over plans to commercialize the 1st Division’s historic “Big Red One” insignia in a sportswear line at Sears.

After days of questioning, the Army confirmed Monday the arrangement was first reached in June 2007 on the advice of an outside licensing agency, The Beanstalk Group in New York, but the full scope of the royalties to be earned has yet to be disclosed.

“I’m astounded,” said Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.), who chairs the House appropriations panel overseeing the Pentagon’s nearly half-trillion-dollar budget.

“There is a great deal of concern among the senior Army brass about this deal,” said a Defense official.


Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13276.html

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The deal to license First Division insignia riles veterans and congressional leaders.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Sept. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Sears announced today the launch of All American Army Brand's First Infantry Division collection. The classic American sportswear collection inspired by the oldest and most illustrious division of the U.S. Army, the First Infantry Division collection will debut in 550 Sears stores nationwide and on Sears.com in October.

The Army Brand's First Infantry Division collection for men, women and boys represents the first time the U.S. Army has officially licensed the use of its marks and insignias, reflecting two centuries of proud tradition and rich heritage. Vintage inspired design, intricate attention to detail, and supreme quality standards, inspired by Army technology, will offer a timeless and authentic collection.

"Army Brand is proud to launch the first apparel collection officially licensed by the U.S. Army. Every design carries the Army seal of approval," said Robert McGuinness, a company executive. "Embracing the diversity of the U.S. Army through various Divisions, each Army Brand collection will be comprised of authentic lifestyle reinterpretations of the supreme fit, classic design, and rugged performance of regulation uniforms and military issued gear. We are excited to launch our First Infantry Division collection exclusively at Sears this fall."

"For the first time, the U.S. Army has granted a license to the All American Army Brand, a well established designer and manufacturer of apparel, allowing use of official Army marks and insignias in its new specially created apparel collections," said a spokesperson for the U.S. Army. "By incorporating the Army's timeless traditions with iconic styling and unparalleled standards for performance, fit and function, consumers can wear the pride they feel for our troops. We are especially pleased that the First Infantry collection will launch at Sears in keeping with the company's tradition of supporting the U.S. military through its Heroes at Home program."

The Army Brand collections will also give back to those who have given so much in service to the United States. The license fee paid by Army Brand is used to support programs that benefit the well-being of the troops and their families.

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/ticker/article.aspx?Feed=PR&Date=20080902&ID=9086273&Symbol=SHLD

[Fenris]

1. Yuck.

The military shouldn't be involved in commercial branding. It is not a commercial operation.

It's also a disgusting attempt to make a buck off men who fought and died for the United States. They didn't give their lives for Sears.

[RamboLiberal]

3. Certainly fits in the faux "Support the Troops" Bush Admin

where the patriotic thing is to go shopping and wear a made in China flag pin.

[im1013]

2. Let me put this as nicely as I possibly can...

ARE THEY OUT OF THEIR FUCKING MINDS???


:crazy:

[RamboLiberal]

4. Look how they are marketing it -

Sears is fancying themselves to be quite the super troopers. They are taking military inspired looks and running with it for a new apparel line called, First Infantry.

First Infantry will be a full apparel line including women’s, men’s and children’s apparel. Now gun-toting soccer moms like Sarah Palin and get all their fight gear with one stop!

The line will begin to arrive in stores this month with men’s apparel including durable cargo pants, jeans, knitwear and outerwear inspired by the army and its First Infantry division. Look for the full collection with women’s and children’s in October.

First Infantry combines army technology with military designs of yore for a “timeless and authentic collection,” Sears said.

“Over the years, military-inspired clothing has played a distinct role in shaping fashion trends,” said Craig Israel, senior vice-president of Sears Holding Corp. and president of Sears Apparel. “We are now able to exclusively offer a line that is pure to the origins of that inspiration.”

http://hauteconcept.com/2008/09/03/sears-launches-first-infantry-line/

[Hekate]

5. The Pentagon gets half a trillion dollars a year out of us civilians, and they need this ...

... "to support programs that benefit the well-being of the troops and their families"?! :wtf:

How much clearer can it get that between the mega-corporations and the military-industrial complex, anything for actual human beings is only the tiniest scraps of what is left?

Hekate

[RamboLiberal]

6. Veterans Outraged Over Sears Clothing Line

A new deal between the U.S. Army and Sears that would allow the use of a combat unit logo is drawing serious opposition among some war veterans.

The department store intends to sell a sportswear line using the 1st Infantry Division's "big red one" logo, making clothes for men, women and boys. It's the first time the U.S. Army has officially license the use of its marks and insignias.

Vietnam veteran Jesse Garcia vehemently opposes the use of the logo as a fashion statement.

"The guys in Vietnam served with pride with the big red one, very brave grunts," Garcia said, choking back tears. " did what they had to do and nobody should take that away from them."

Garcia lost his sight in battle, and argues that the patches have to be earned, only meant for those who were a part of that unit. It's a symbol of their commitment and pride, Garcia said.

http://cbs13.com/local/1st.infantry.logo.2.814002.html

Video of Viet Vet Jesse Garcia talking about this at the site.

[Indi Guy]

7. I don't think that a symbol of lives sacrificed should become a commercial commodity...

...like raw 911 footage should not have been used at the Rep convention.

[harmonicon]

8. absolutely disgusting

Whoever was responsible for this better be in some serious fucking deep ass shit come January, assuming it isn't stopped before then. I also think this means that I'm done shopping at Sears for anything, ever - anyone else with me?

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

9. Wake me up...

When they license the MACV/SOG insignia. That promises to be quite tasteful.

[bean fidhleir]

10. Military in service to business: fascism. Smedley must be doing 25K RPM in his grave

Can Nacht und Nebel be far behind?

[Sherman A1]

11. Disgusting but, not surprising

It's more of the "let the market" decide nonsense from the Republican mindset. I have real trouble with this on so many levels that it's hard to describe. I am certain that I will not purchase this product line nor do I suspect anyone I know of, will do so. An email to Sears might be worth doing, but probably not, just as emails to my Congressman or the media.

All I can do is shake my head in disgust.


:thumbsdown:

[Orsino]

12. Another symptom of America's cult of militarism.

I can't really raise any particular objection, except that maybe the insignia should be reserved for those who have earned it. Can't stop the fanboys, though.

[Historic NY]

13. Your amazed, not me this country has been selling America one

piece at a time. Remember when our sport stadiums had name other than Chase, Pepsi, Budwiser, etc. Parts of America sold off for profit. I am surprised that Independance Hall, Valley Forge, Gettysburg,etc. haven't been branded and renamed yet. Anything for a buck. Look around at our National Parks and other popular places you will see the selling of America. Republicans call it good business.

[NashVegas]

14. No Kidding! 'It's About the Brand, Stupid'

This is about marketing our armed forces, nothing less.

[gratuitous]

15. Amusing

More people seem "outraged" over the commodification of a meaningless symbol than about Sears marketing the military to our youth. What's really being sold, normalized, and mainstreamed here?

[Demlobos06]

16. Who will wear it this that never served?

Will this be a "support our troops" line of clothing? Chicken hawk line of clothing? The new "Poser" line of clothing? The "I never served but want to impress everyone and have them think I did" line of clothing?

As someone who did serve, I do have a couple of shirts that represent the unit I WAS in, not the ones that I WANTED to be in. Clothing items of specific units are meant to show pride towards the unit you were in.

Maybe this is some sort of back door recruiting maneuver....who knows?

[jmowreader]

18. I think of it as a "support the troops" line of clothing

I think I've been insulated from the "real world" too long, because I've lived around military posts all my life, and I've seen military-themed shirts in the stores as long as I can remember. I think this is a lot better than Happy Bunny, No Fear, Big Dogs or any of the other "I'm better than you" clothing lines.

On edit: The thing I'm really angry about isn't some kid wearing a t-shirt with the emblem of the Big Red One on it. I'm angry about Poppy Bush cutting the Army's endstrength, but not cutting divisions, so they have to outsource all the service-support functions to private contractors. Let's see...we can enlist a cook and have him count against our endstrength numbers, or we can hire a civilian for twice the money we would have spent on growing one ourselves and use the cook's slot for an artilleryman.

I know the anti-military contingent on DU doesn't want to hear this, but if President Obama wants to really save the government some money, he should return the military's endstrength to Cold War levels and get rid of the contractors. It can't cost any more to enlist a plumber than to hire a plumbing company to fill the enlisted plumber's job--and the enlisted plumber has healthcare.

[Javaman]

17. one more example of bastardizing the military in hopes of a private army.

commercializing a military tradition only degrades it. This degrading is further proof that this administration truly hates our military and wants to replace it with a private group of mercs.

I had uncles who fought under the Big Red One, the selling off of our traditions is just one more example of outsourcing of our identity.

I thought I would never ever live to see the dismemberment of our armed forces. Yet, here we are.

[tabasco]

19. This disgrace is what the Army has to do to support military families

because the "support the troops" republicon crowd has cut their funding.

Next up: corporate logos on fatigues to make money to hire exterminators to get the rats out of veterans hospitals.

[gatorboy]

20. Will Repugs hit them hard for this? Thay certainly never had any trouble going after Sesame Street.

[JonQ]

21. Tacky

[greblc]

22. I think it's terribly wrong but...

Sears isn't the only one pushing Unit logo crap small vendors and retailers have held this market for some time. Try searching Amazon or Cafe Press for 1st Div items. It's out there but the marriage with Sears is a little over the top.