U.S. Operational Army Combat Uniform

[observor 69]

"WASHINGTON (Army Press Release, June 1, 2015) -- The Army announced today the release of the Operational Camouflage Pattern in Soldier uniforms. The Operational Camouflage Pattern will be available for purchase in select military clothing sales stores beginning, July 1.

Stores will receive the uniforms over a period of six months from July to November, and new Soldiers will receive Operational Camouflage Pattern Army Combat Uniforms, or ACUs, beginning in January 2016. The Operational Camouflage Pattern was selected following the most comprehensive uniform camouflage testing effort ever undertaken by the Army, reflecting the Army's paramount commitment to force protection."

Pictures at link

http://www.army.mil/article/149543/Operational_Camouflage_Pattern_Army_Combat_Uniforms_available_July_1/

 

[GAP]

Now all the Walmart smart dressers have something different.....

 

[George Wallace]

"WASHINGTON (Army Press Release, June 1, 2015) -- The Army announced today the release of the Operational Camouflage Pattern in Soldier uniforms. The Operational Camouflage Pattern will be available for purchase in select military clothing sales stores beginning, July 1.

Stores will receive the uniforms over a period of six months from July to November, and new Soldiers will receive Operational Camouflage Pattern Army Combat Uniforms, or ACUs, beginning in January 2016. The Operational Camouflage Pattern was selected following the most comprehensive uniform camouflage testing effort ever undertaken by the Army, reflecting the Army's paramount commitment to force protection."

Pictures at link

http://www.army.mil/article/149543/Operational_Camouflage_Pattern_Army_Combat_Uniforms_available_July_1/

The colour patterns indicated to me that they do not foresee fighting in a "Temperate Zone" such as NW Europe.

 

[PuckChaser]

Here's a link to the testing they completed in 2009 (Note they went with Scorpion W2, not Multicam as the US Army held Scorpions IP): http://www.scribd.com/doc/19823845/Photosimulation-Camouflage-Detection-Test

To skip the science stuff, go down to conclusions. They readily admit that its not as good as a purpose-built camouflage, but its kind of a "jack of all trades" uniform that can still provide good performance when transitioning environments.

 

[Infanteer]

The colour patterns indicated to me that they do not foresee fighting in a "Temperate Zone" such as NW Europe.

I still prefer our two cams vs the use of a multicam derivative.  So do the US Marines, evidently.  The trick is to issue one set of everything else (boots, fighting order, shirts) in a neutral colour such as coyote brown so that you only have to change a shirt and pant.  The Army is finally getting to that level.  I just wish I had arid CADPAT for ideal conditions such as the prairies during the fall.

 

[PuckChaser]

Absolutely, we'd do well if we finally got proper clothing stock to issue 3 sets of each.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Absolutely, we'd do well if we finally got proper clothing stock to issue 3 sets of each.

Are they allowing you to smoke crack at work now?  ;D

 

[dangerboy]

Absolutely, we'd do well if we finally got proper clothing stock to issue 3 sets of each.

We could do that if people that are in staff positions stop wearing combats and start wearing 3Bs or something similar.

 

[quadrapiper]

We could do that if people that are in staff positions stop wearing combats and start wearing 3Bs or something similar.

Would add to that everyone doing dirty, rough, or active work while not in the field: bet an embrace of coveralls and some sort of "army Carhartts" would help with savings. What a body in Supply needs to be wearing CADPAT for is beyond me.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I can buy these BDU's from LA police for $19 USD and they come in different colours. Wonder how long it would take them to fill 39 brigade orders?
and shirts as well for $23, so issue 3 pairs per person could be done for $150 CDN plus shipping. Just have each unit do the ordering using their CC.  ;D


http://www.lapolicegear.com/bdu-pants-acu-pants.html
http://www.lapolicegear.com/lapg-tls2016-ls-tactical-shirt.html

 

[Edward Campbell]

We could do that if people that are in staff positions stop wearing combats and start wearing 3Bs or something similar.

Sad, but true ... but, I'm told, it makes them "feel" operational ... and we all know that staff officers and clerks, working in warm, dry offices, signal operators working in data centres and supply techs working in heated/air conditioned warehouses, must "feel" operational in order to work effectively, don't we?  :

 

[dangerboy]

Sad, but true ... but, I'm told, it makes them "feel" operational ... and we all know that staff officers and clerks, working in warm, dry offices, signal operators working in data centres and supply techs working in heated/air conditioned warehouses, must "feel" operational in order to work effectively, don't we?  :

I don't know currently I am a staff guy, I work in the Infantry School but in an office environment and what I wear would not change how I work.  Obviously I can't decide what to wear at work, I can't suddenly start wearing 3B order of dress.  But if the CTC commander suddenly said those people not instructing or deploying to the training area will wear uniforms other than CADPAT it would not really bother me. 

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

I can buy these BDU's from LA police for $19 USD and they come in different colours. Wonder how long it would take them to fill 39 brigade orders?
and shirts as well for $23, so issue 3 pairs per person could be done for $150 CDN plus shipping. Just have each unit do the ordering using their CC.  ;D


http://www.lapolicegear.com/bdu-pants-acu-pants.html
http://www.lapolicegear.com/lapg-tls2016-ls-tactical-shirt.html

And look at that, they already come in five different colours that would let you cover all three environments easily (Black for the Navy, Either Tan or Olive for the Army and well, Navy blue or Coyote for the Airforce)

 

[ballz]

My solution to this kind of failure is usually to hold the person who failed accountable, rather than have the rest of the machine bend around their ineptitude... but that is not the current trend...

So, knowing that, I guess its hard for me to make an argument that everyone should have 5x sets of combats instead of taking people's combats away to give to someone else because someone above my pay grade can't sort their shit out and won't be held accountable for it...

 

[tomahawk6]

Army enlisted personnel as part of their pay receive a clothing allowance which is to be used to purchase uniforms,belts ect.

http://www.dfas.mil/militarymembers/payentitlements/2015ClothingAllowance.html

 

[Halifax Tar]

What a body in Supply needs to be wearing CADPAT for is beyond me.

Please expand on this comment ?  I am trying hold back my experienced CIC Officer comment but its getting very hard...

I don't think people understand the physical labour and "getting dirty" that occurs in a warehouse. 

I agree there are supply jobs, I was just in one LPO/Cust Svc, that are strictly office work; but not warehouses.  Those are physical and dirty places.  Not the place for 3Bs.  Do they necessarily need combats, perhaps not.  But a rugged work dress yes.

 

[Infanteer]

Combats are an operational uniform, and the warehouse (which could be a series of sea cans in a FOB) is to me an operational area.

 

[Halifax Tar]

Combats are an operational uniform, and the warehouse (which could be a series of sea cans in a FOB) is to me an operational area.

It sure is.  Supply Ops lives and dies with the activity of a warehouse.

I would love to do an EIS check on a LAV in my 3Bs.  Or folding and Cleaning MOD for days on end.  I wont even get into the shipping and receiving sections.

I recall Vern (As my RQ) being down to her t-shirt and pants plugging away in our warehouses at CFJSR. 

There are supply Jobs that dont require CADPAT I agree but a warehouse, most assuredly needs a rugged robust work dress.  Dungarees and denim shirts anyone ?

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

HT: re-read Quadpiper's complete post. He is not suggesting 3b's for warehouse work. On the contrary, just like you, he proposes coveralls or some sort of work dress. And Colin's post (and mine) above show some pretty tough american BDU's that would fit the bill for about $150 for three sets.

Infanteer: Let's not get carried away: Yes, a warehouse at an FOB is in an operational area and everyone can wear CADPAT's there - it's the FOB part that makes it an operational area, not the fact that its a warehouse. But give us a break, we all know that the general service warehouse at a base like Valcartier, Borden, etc. or even the depot in Longue-Pointe are NOT operational areas and the people working there can do very well dressed in some sort of work dress instead of CADPAT's and for much cheaper.

All we have been saying here is that if all the people that could work dressed in something else, be it 3's or a work dress of sort, returned their CADAPT's - to be drawn again if and only if and when they were deploying in a real operational area - then perhaps the real full time users, like you Infanteer, could be issued with three full set of standard and three full sets of Arid CADPAT.

 

[Halifax Tar]

HT: re-read Quadpiper's complete post. He is not suggesting 3b's for warehouse work. On the contrary, just like you, he proposes coveralls or some sort of work dress. And Colin's post (and mine) above show some pretty tough american BDU's that would fit the bill for about $150 for three sets.

Ya I get you.  I just have trouble with someone who lists Canoe O as one of his/her career potions having any say in how a real military member should be dressed.

Anyways please see my proposal below:

Dungarees and denim shirts anyone ?

To expand on this though all Sup Techs/Clerks/Cooks ect posted to a field unit need to have CADPAT in their SOI because, suprise suprise, they go to the field and do the whole Army camping who haw dilly.