Calling the Army’s new “universal” digital camouflage scheme for its field uniforms controversial is an understatement. People tend to fall into two camps: some grudgingly tolerate it, particularly in an urban, desert or urban/desert environment and others (most) just flat out hate it and can’t understand why the Army went the way of loden greens and grays.
Why not Multi-cam (which almost everyone likes)? That’s a whole ‘nother subject…
No matter how you feel about it, sure seems like Joes are going to be stuck with the new pattern for a while since the Army spent gobs of money replacing its classic woodland scheme only within the last few years. But it turns out not everybody in the Army has to stick with the unpopular mandate.
Over at a blog I like to keep tabs on for gear news, it looks at if the Army’s made an exception to the rule for, you guessed it, special operations troops.
According to the “Soldier Systems” blog, the Army G1 recently sent out guidance that allows special operations troops the option of wearing the old-school woodland cammies in jungle environments. The message states that USASOC troops can wear the old BDUs in the Pacific theater, Southern command area and Africa Command while “conducting operational training and contingency missions” there.
The order calls for logistics to keep the woodland items in the supply system for the snake eaters until otherwise notified.
Here’s the message Soldier Systems pasted on its site:
SUBJECT: EXCEPTION TO POLICY FOR WEAR OF THE ENHANCED HOT WEATHER BATTLE DRESS UNIFORM (EHWBDU), AVIATION BATTLE DRESS UNIFORM (ABDU), AVIATION FLIGHT SUIT, AND ACCESSORY ITEMS
1. THIS MESSAGE SERVES AS AUTHORIZATION FOR WEAR OF THE EHWBDU, ABDU, AND ACCESSORY ITEMS AFTER THE MANDATORY WEAR OUT DATES FOR SOLDIERS ASSIGNED TO UNITED STATES ARMY SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND (USASOC) CONDUCTING OPERATIONAL TRAINING AND CONTINGECY MISSIONS IN THE FOLLOWING OCONUS THEATERS:
A. PACIFIC COMMAND
B. SOUTH COMMAND
C. AFRICA COMMAND2. THE FOLLOWING WOODLAND ORGANIZATIONAL CLOTHING AND INDIVIDUAL EQUIPMENT (OCIE) ITEMS WILL BE MAINTAINED AS ISSUE IN THE ARMY SUPPLY SYSTEM:
UNIFORM ITEMS
BOI
A. EHWBDUs (COAT AND TROUSERS) 4
B. ABDUs (COAT AND TROUSERS) 4
C. GEN I GORTEX (COAT AND TROUSERS) 1
D. BDU, SUN HAT 1
E. BROWN T-SHIRTS 4
F. PATROL CAP 1
G. AVIATION FLIGHT SUIT 2
H. ARMY COMBAT HELMET COVER 1
I. BLACK BOOTS (HOT WEATHER, SPEED LACE) 23. POC FOR UNIFORM POLICY IS XXX.
4. THIS MESSAGE HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE DCS, G-1.
5. EXPIRATION DATE CANNOT BE DETERMINED.
Isn’t that just like the Army? Can’t have the HK416 or the SCAR…nope, you gotta stick to your M4. And now, you’re being forced to stick out like a sore thumb in the jungle, but the commandos can stay nice and concealed. Thanks…
– Christian
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
on the other hand, the old school camo sticks out like a sore thumb in urban environments. Seeing how Gates said that asymetric warfare is the future, and also that the whole FCS idea is for situational awareness in an urban environment, shouldn’t the camo match the perceived threat? Not that this Camo is good in the jungle, but it seems like we have seen alot more action in the urban environment lately. Maybe they can make a digital pattern for the Jungle too.
As far as I understand there can be digital pattern for just about any environment. All that is needed is a close look at the major natural colors that pervade and the dominant spread of the patterns and you can make a digi camo pattern to fit the area, though it takes a lot of time and research.
The big reason The Army can’t issue Multicam is Because it’s Trademarked by Crye Associates.and rather then Pay the fee the Army decided to go elsewhere.
Jungle Digital patterns are available but the Army deemed that the USMC style ( they use two digitized pattens in there uniforms A woodland and a Desert) two too three camo pattern uniform systems was Inefficient, one uniform for every where. and they are also applying that same concept to there Service uniform now. although it seems that Army is not alone the Navy and Air force are also Phasing in Uniforms with Questionable Camouflage qualities, they thus fare are stating that these are “Work uniforms and not Combat uniforms” that will be answered in the next few years.
they do have a digital pattern for the jungle its the green one, its very similar to the desert one but its green and brown. I think these ones are better than the old but thats just me.
I, for one, think that the USMC had the right idea when they made their woodland and desert MARPATs. I think the Army should take a leaf out of the Marines’ book for once.
It’s interesting to see that the Army’s experimentation force has been using MultiCam camo gear from the very start. MultiCam btw is also effective in urban environments.
I remember seeing the old PPT on this site that the army put together when testing pre-ACU uniforms (all-over brush, track, shadow line etc) and remember that in the universal test Multicam didn’t come out that high; something like third or fourth. It also kind of niggles at me that both ACU and Multicam tend to ‘blob out’ at a distance — I don’t see that there’s any reason we can’t do better than both (All-over brush, which wasn’t even digital, beat Multicam hands down in the army’s original testing lineup).
The army’s ACU camo sucks for most environments. I would never pick that stuff to try and hide anywhere, except possibly on an army base (where you can blend in with others, just not the environment). Multicam does an excellent job of all around concealment, and if I remember correctly scored light years ahead of the ACU pattern. I must say the marine’s Marpart stuff is probably the best, two patterns, both of which are almost impossible to beat for their designated terrain types. If you want a pattern for everywhere, go multicam, if you want the best go marpart as it is more adaptable and flat out works.
Yeah,but the new uniforms look so Sci-Fi & like something you’d want to fight space aliens & UFO’s in. Starship Troopers!!!!!
LCON is incorrect. The US Government has an option on Multicam. It was developed as part of the Objective Force Warrior program.
Camouflage patterns on clothing are overestimated anyway. They must not signal the presence, but the really effective camouflage looks differently – netting and natural camouflage.
A BDU’s colour or pattern is just the base camouflage.
MARPAT is trademarked by the Marine Corps, so hopefully it keeps the Army from using it, but I doubt it. Once of the major reasons MARPAT was adapted was to give Marines a unique uniform that made us stand out from everyone else. So, I’d be REALLY upset if the Army hijacked it.
I really think the only reason the army used a digital pattern, was so they could one up the Corps. Why the hell would you make a “universal” uniform that sticks out so badly in a woodland enviorment. Plus, what’s with all the velcro? At least call it what it is, a desert/urban uniform.
Now we have the Air Force with a camo uniform. The Navy is fielding a digital uniform, not to blend in, but to hide wear, and stains. Are you kidding me? You don’t need digital camo on a ship. Besides, and navy blue and grey digital pattern is totally useless in any field enviorment. The Corps made a practical uniform, and now everybody wants spiffy new duds, regardless of how well they work in their intended enviorments.
The only thing I hate more than the Army uniforms is the Air Force ABU. It’s ugly, too heavy, and sticks out like a sore thumb in a woodland enviroment. I don’t see why the military can’t just let troops wear BDU’s for woodland areas, DCU’s for desert areas, and ACU’s or ABU’s for urban enviroments.
MARPAT should be available to Army troops for Jungle area use. I’m a former Marine, but the Corps copywriting MARPAT so no other service can use it is an apallingly bad decision. We are talking about saving lives, people.
If the Black in MARPAT was eliminated and replaced by Tan, it would come very close to being a Universal Pattern. If the whitish “Tan” in the ACU was replaced by the Coyote color in MARPAT, it would be even better.
By digital camo, they mean a camo pattern generated by computers, so they decided that a computer knew better how to deceive our vision?
I’d agree with Wes but for the fact that MARPAT blobs out at a distance into a single-shade human silhouette, like UCP and Multicam…
It’s pretty funny that most people who cry about UCP aren’t with the Army…
What about using the best camoflague pattern available for all troops who operate in a similar environment. I was in SOCOM before and we did have leeway on uniform usage and alterations which made them more functional, lighter, and useful in our missions. Why not use what works best for all and not allow the trademarking/copywriting. Class A’s are different but on the battlefield, I dont want to be distinguished from the environment.
What about using the best camoflague pattern available for all troops who operate in a similar environment. I was in SOCOM before and we did have leeway on uniform usage and alterations which made them more functional, lighter, and useful in our missions. Why not use what works best for all and not allow the trademarking/copywriting. Class A’s are different but on the battlefield, I dont want to be distinguished from the environment.
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I think the Marine Corps got the right idea and had two uniforms for thier intended envoronments. Yet the Army just went “dumbass” with uniforms. I thin kthey thaught that they would save money with just one type of camoflauge. But duhh, you need two types for woodland/jungle and desert. The MARPAT was trademarked for many reasons, so civilians can’t wear it and try to go on to a Marine Corps installation and blow it up (for one example). There are copies but they are not the same. The Army just looked like a bunch of cactus in Iraq all four times I went. Also the Army training needs to be better. I would like to have the knowledge that the U.S. armed forces are fit and not fat. Also the money issue, we all can use more equipment and a better weapon than the M-16A2 5.56mm. Something with more stopping power, like the 6.8mm.