military ponchos are no better quality than what can be gotten elsewhere. people obsess over milsurp gear acting like it is something special. it really isn't and is often inferior (sometimes by a lot) to what is otherwise available.
While I agree in general, in this case the advantage was that mil-spec was part of the "uniform". Plus the added advantage of being a known level of quality and design, which I happen to like on this item, as well as being compatible with other mil ponchos should we ever want to snap two together for a shelter.
More often, mil-spec "outdoor" gear is at least a generation or two behind state of the art - the procurement cycle and need for standardization make that inevitable.