New US army uniform

[Frank S.]

[lew]

Looks like some form of ww2 nazi uniform


lew

[AC]

The look on "Myhre's" face says it all really.

Grim... very, very grim. Is it combat or barrack wear (or both)?

[Frank S.]

For more info:
https://peosoldier.army.mil/default.asp?section=acu

Army Unveils New Combat Uniform
Will Replace Battle Dress Uniform (BDU)

JUNE 14, 2004 -- The Army today, the 229th birthday of the United States Army, officially unveiled its new combat uniform designed with major input by the Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) Corps and enlisted Soldiers, and tested by Stryker Brigade Soldiers in Iraq since October 2003.

Army senior leadership introduced the Army Combat Uniform (ACU) during a 10 a.m. Army Birthday Pentagon courtyard cake-cutting ceremony. Soldiers displayed and also suited-up in the wrinkle-free uniform with a digitized camouflage pattern.

Three different versions of the ACU have been developed, and more than 10,000 uniforms have been produced and battle-tested in the sands of Iraq and at Army training centers. Even more are on American production lines to be issued by April 2005 to Soldiers in deploying units. Current fielding plans call for fielding to the total Army by December 2007, said officials from the Program Executive Office Soldier, known as PEO Soldier.

“This isn’t about a cosmetic redesign of the uniform,” said Col. John Norwood, the project manager for Clothing and Individual Equipment. “It’s a functionality change of the uniform that will improve the ability of Soldiers to execute their combat mission.”

Every change was made for a reason. The bottom pockets on the jacket were removed and placed on the shoulder sleeves so Soldiers can have access to them while wearing body armor. The pockets were also tilted forward so that they are easily accessible. Buttons were replaced with zippers that open from the top and bottom to provide comfort while wearing armor.

There were 18 changes made to the uniform, to include removing the color black and adapting the digital print from the Marine Corps uniform to meet the needs of the Army, said Sgt. 1st Class Jeff Myhre, the Clothing and Individual Equipment noncommissioned officer in charge.

The Army's Natick Laboratory in Natick, Mass., took the original digital pattern to the next level by developing a pattern for world-wide theaters to encompass both the BDU and DCU requirements.

Black is no longer useful on the uniform because it is not a color found in woodland areas, Myhre said. The current colors on the ACU are green and sandy brown. The pattern is not a 100-percent solution in every environment, Myhre said, but a good solution across the board.

Sergeant Major of the Army Kenneth Preston, is one of the ACU’s biggest supporters. The ACU was shown to each of the major commands' sergeant majors to give them a chance to see the uniform and give advice toward the final version.

“We have not made a major change to our uniforms since the BDUs were introduced in the early 1980s,” Preston said. “This new uniform performs well in multiple environments. Its new pockets and color designs are a result of Soldiers in combat. It's only fitting that the next generation of Army uniforms be designed to meet actual wartime requirements."

Patches and tabs are affixed to the uniform with Velcro to give the wearer more flexibility and to save the Soldier money, Myhre said. Soldiers can take the name-tapes and patches off their uniforms before laundering, which will add to the lifecycle of the patches. Also the cost to get patches sewn on will be eliminated, he added.

The ACU will consist of a jacket, trousers, moisture wicking t-shirt and the brown combat boots. It will replace both versions of the BDU and the desert camoflauge uniform. The black beret will be the normal headgear for the ACU, but there is a matching patrol cap to be worn at the commander’s discretion.

The life of the ACU began in January 2003 when PEO Soldier teamed with Myhre, Master Sgt. Alex Samoba and Staff Sgt. Matt Goodine - from the 1st Stryker Brigade, Fort Lewis, Wash.

The team looked at a number of uniforms and took the best part of each uniform and combined it into one. They built their first prototype and delivered 25 uniforms to Stryker squads at the National Training Center. After listening to their comments, the team went back to the lab and created prototype two.

Twenty-one uniforms were then delivered to Stryker Soldiers at the Joint Training and Readiness Center, Fort Polk, La.

“We watched them as they entered and cleared rooms, as they carried their rucksack and all of the things they had to be able to do in the uniform, and then we came up with prototype three,” Myhre said.

Two issues of the third version were given to the Stryker Soldiers deploying to Iraq. Three months ago, Myhre was among a team who visited Iraq to get more feedback from Soldiers.

“We would talk to Soldiers right after they had completed a mission while the benefits of the uniform were still fresh in their minds. We wanted to know how did the uniform help the mission.”

In addition to the overall pattern and color changes, the ACU changes include:

1. Mandarin collar that can be worn up or down
2. Rank insignia affixed above right chest pocket
3. Velcro for wearing unit patch, skill tabs and recognition devices
4. Zippered front closure
5. Elbow pouch for internal elbow pad inserts
6. Knee pouch for internal knee pad inserts
7. Elastic leg cuff
8. Tilted chest pockets with Velcro closure
9. Three-slot pen pocket on bottom of sleeve
10. Velcro sleeve cuff closure
11. Shoulder pockets with Velcro
12. Forward tilted cargo pockets
13. Integrated blouse bellows for increased upper body mobility
14. Integrated Friend or Foe Identification Square on both left and right shoulder pocket flap
15. Bellowed calf storage pocket on left and right leg
16. Moisture-wicking desert tan t-shirt
17. Patrol Cap with double thick bill and internal pocket
18. Improved hot-weather desert boot or temperate-weather desert boot

[SFontaine]

It has to be some sort of cruel joke.

[Rotary Booty]

Frank

This has got to be a wind up!

I've seen something like this in the pyjama department of Marks and Sparks recently, hence their huge reduction in profits.

As for it's camouflage properties; do you notice how he blends in so well with the 'non-black' forest background he's stood against?!

Aye, Derek

[Jordiman]

Unless you're standing in front of a herd of elephants it wouldn't be much camouflage. It does look like some WW2 Nazi uniform.

[goreD.]

From experience grey is a GREAT colour for camoflage in towns/cities. Our Landrovers were grey until about 2 years ago. At night even on a road illuminated by streetlights it was difficult to see them. Now because of the 'peace process' our landrovers are now white. They are very easy to see and in riots you are now silhouetted if standing close beside one.

Yet again police officers safety is being sacrificed at the altar of political expediency. When the troubles start again proper I wonder how many Landrovers will be taken out and officers killed before we revert to the tried, trusted and safe grey.

Gore.

[Lance]

I preferred the look of old battleship grey rather than the ice cream van look they have now.
The peelers are driving around in some stupid looking vehicles now.

[mutter nutter]

I think someone is watching the movie "soldier" a bit too much

[Lance]

Never seen it. What's it about?

[Big Boys Rules]

Good to see that they have you driving around in un-armoured jam sandwich type cars too, good job all the bad men have gone.
Peace in our time... thanks Tony you eejit.

[Aldo]

They like there volcro aswell don't they. Isn't that a bit noisy?

The USMC has this stuff, they got it off the canucks I think.

[Lance]

When the troubles start again proper I wonder how many Landrovers will be taken out and officers killed before we revert to the tried, trusted and safe grey.

Gore.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/3100068.stm

If it really kicks off this summer will the "vehicle reserve " be enough to protect the troops giving backup to the police...

I am not saying sending Landrovers to Iraq was a bad Idea as that is where they are really needed. I am wondering has the MOD done its homework and made sure no forces are going to be left unprotected.

[goreD.]

We'll get by, we always do.