Posted on Aug 8, 2014
TSgt Terry Hudson
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With the Army recently releasing their new camouflage, and Congress requiring all service share uniform/camouflage, what do you think the other services will do? The OCP's have been operational for a while now and widely used by all branches. Should all branches go ahead and adopt them as well?
Posted in these groups: 4276e14c UniformsUnited states army logo ArmyNavy NavyEga Marine Corps
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Responses: 12
CMSgt James Nolan
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All for it. OCP is significantly better than the ABU, and we could ditch the smurf boots as well. As far as rank, I have always felt that we should go to keeping the individual service stripe/bar insignias, but go to common location. Go with subdued for field and shiny officer for garrison. All done with velcro, will save the troops a ton of money and give everyone a single location to look for rank.

Plus look at the overall benefit-any troop, anywhere could replace an unserviceable uniform, and we could possibly get a top notch uniform manufacturer.
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CPT Assistant Battalion Operations Officer (S3)
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I don't think so. The USMC has their MARPAT, and the Navy has NWU Type II and III. The Marine Corps will not give up their pattern without a fight. I doubt the Navy will either. However, the Navy did issue OCP to Sailors deploying into Afghanistan. There will have to be a jointly-developed, mutually agreed-upon pattern for all five services to use before we go back to wearing the same thing.
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MAJ Program Technician
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11 y
I think the Airforce has already agreed to utilize OCP for deployment but not stateside. Otherwise I think you are right on the money about the Marine Corps and the Navy, also I have seen the Navy wearing MARPAT and OCP while in Afghanistan.
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Capt Logistics Readiness Officer (LRO)
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In the current fiscally strained environment, I believe that we all need to follow suit and decide on one uniform across the board. It is senseless that each service spends millions of dollars to R&D its "own" uniform for the sake of "individuality." That is what the service tape above your left pocket is for. As far as where rank is or isn't located, I could go for either. It would make it easier all around especially in a joint environment look in one place to figure out what rank someone is.

The Scorpion V2 pattern is an effective pattern based off of Crye Precision's MultiCam pattern. They just don't have to pay to use the pattern. In the case of MARPAT, it is effective but suck it up and look like your brothers or let other services wear the MARPAT patter without the USMC symbol embedded in it. It makes you less of a target outside the wire. Plus testing has shown that MARPAT of both colors does not perform well under NIR and SWIR testing. The camo pattern almost disappears under these conditions and looks white.

If you want to read in-depth about it, check it here: http://www.hyperstealth.com/coyote/
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Do you think the other services will adopt the Army's Scorpion/OCP patter?
SFC Michael Hasbun
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Doubtful. MARPAT is still an extremely effective pattern.
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TSgt Terry Hudson
TSgt Terry Hudson
>1 y
MARPAT is extremely effective! But what about the order from congress? What do think the marines will do! I think I read the Army at one point and time wanted to go with MARPAT! All the young Marines had a rage about it! Saying that the other branches aren't worthy of wearing it and all that jazz!
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SGT Richard H.
SGT Richard H.
11 y
Meh. Marpat is the new girl at the party. What could I was in the Marine Corps we were the exact same woodland camouflage as I did when I was in the army. We just called them Cammies instead of BDUs.
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SGT Richard H.
SGT Richard H.
11 y
Darn iPhone talk to text. That was supposed to say when I was in the Marine Corps. No edit button on the iPhone app either
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LTC Paul Labrador
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I think the AF will likely follow suit. As for the Navy, they may adopt it for folks who are doing land combat ops (ie CB's, SEALs, etc), but I think they will keep the dark color uniforms. They were adopted to hid grease stains after all. The Marines will only change if forced to do so by someone who outranks the Commandant....
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TSgt Terry Hudson
TSgt Terry Hudson
>1 y
That makes sense!
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CPT Assistant Battalion Operations Officer (S3)
CPT (Join to see)
11 y
Sir, the Navy has their Navy Working Uniforms Type II and III, which are desert and woodland digital, based on the MARPAT. I always thought they were a fairly sharp-looking uniform. That being said, when I was training Sailors deploying into Afghanistan, they were issued OCP just before leaving.
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LTC Paul Labrador
LTC Paul Labrador
11 y
CPT (Join to see), I think that is a Navy thing. When I saw them in Iraq my second go around, they were all wearing ACUs, unless they were SEALs. Those dudes wore whatever the hell they wanted....
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SSgt Structural Craftsman
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I think that the OCP is one of the better uniforms but I believe we should all still wear our rank in the areas that we have in our respective branches. Like Air Force on sleeve and army on the chest. Just so we can still feel separate but unified.
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LTC Paul Labrador
LTC Paul Labrador
>1 y
I don't think that was ever really an issue.
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TSgt Terry Hudson
TSgt Terry Hudson
>1 y
That's another question that came to mind! If the other branches followed, how would rank look and where would it go for each branch?
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LTC Paul Labrador
LTC Paul Labrador
>1 y
We could look to the UK model. They all wear the same uniforms. Piping colors change a bit, so do beretes. But rank and unit/branch patches all go on the same place. Their idea is that it is your SERVICE uniform that gives you your "unique" service look.
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GySgt Infantry Unit Leader
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Nope. The Marines won't have it... Our former Commandant tried to make a change to the uniform (no rolling sleeves) lasted for about a year because the NCOs and down said we want to roll them. If they try to make us like everyone else we will raise all hell (no offense). And if helos can't see me 100 feet off the deck I'll keep my digies
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TSgt Terry Hudson
TSgt Terry Hudson
11 y
SSgt, do you think everyone will adopt Marpat then?
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GySgt Infantry Unit Leader
GySgt (Join to see)
11 y
I wouldn't think it would be a bad idea. None of the current patterns are horrible. I do think everyone needs to have a uniform that fits the environment. But the issue I see is that us a service members identify with their uniform. It's a point of pride. While we work very well together I think it is important we maintain our individuality as well. So it's a double edge sword.
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SrA Parachute Packer
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I already left a comment but this might be a good spot to ask this question.
I don't know why the Navy NWU's are blue. They're cool looking, but the only thing they camo in with is the water and if a sailor goes overboard at night it makes looking for them much more difficult. Otherwise, their "camo" makes them stick out like sore thumbs anywhere else.
Any insight on why they're blue?
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TSgt Terry Hudson
TSgt Terry Hudson
11 y
Good good luck on getting an answer! lol
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PO3 Purchasing Manager
PO3 (Join to see)
11 y
All the colors in the NWU are supposed to be the most frequently used paint colors used on our ships. It's actually not designed to hide the sailor, but instead hide the paint smears and grease on their uniform. At least that's what they said when it came out.
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SrA Parachute Packer
SrA (Join to see)
11 y
Hide the grease or hide the overboard sailor in the water from passing ships and helicopters. Decisions decisions.
Hide the grease.
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SGT Horizontal Construction Engineer
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The problem I have with the Army's adoption of "Scorpion" pattern is this: it was developed YEARS ago in conjunction with Crye Precision, the same guys who make MultiCam. Somehow it was beat out during testing by UCP (which is CLEARLY the superior pattern -.-). Army then fields MultiCam in Afghanistan after realizing how crappy UCP really is in certain environments like everywhere. Next the Army tries to buy the rights to MultiCam. Crye Precision even went waaaay out of its way to give the Army a good deal, the ability to manufacture OCP within 1% the cost of current UCP gear. Army said no way, too expensive. And now they fall back on a pattern they have been sitting on for no good reason other than because some idiot decided UCP was the way to go.
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SMSgt Security Forces Manager
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Unit Specific: AF Security Forces wears a blue beret, I would be all for the idea of changing the uniform if the blue beret could be tan or brown to match the uniform and also have a subdued type SF flash, otherwise I believe the colors would clash and not give a professional image. As a prior Marine, I can understand the pride of the Eagle, Globe and Anchor embedded in the uniform and for those that commented saying "suck it up", it's apparent that you have never been through Marine Corps boot camp having the honor to wear the Eagle, Globe and Anchor. A lot of blood and sweat went into that accomplishment, so good luck trying to get my fellow marines to part with what they so diligently earned to wear.
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