What happened to face paint?

My unit just made it mandatory to have face paint on whenever in full battle rattle. Yes I understand it doesn't blend at all with our current uniform pattern, but who says we will have the same uniform during the next war we fight? As a Scout, we have been slowly moving away from COIN training of the past 10 years and going back to conventional warfare. A simple task such as how to properly wear face paint is one small step in that direction. As an Army we need to be prepared to go into any environment against any enemy. At first there was a lot of groaning about it, but the more it was looked into we as NCOs saw the training value for our unit. So even though it doesn't properly blend with our current uniform, it is a task that has far more training value than just being hidden.

Well face painting went away when we started adopting new gear; ie Velcro on our body armor. I remember going to the jungle in HI as a Pvt and had to have all of my gear silenced, black tapped, and face paint on every part of skin that was exposed. We were quiet, and moved through the jungle undetected. However, when we adopted Flak Jackets with Velcro, we through away our tactical sense of silence. Coupled with the fact that we have vehicles everywhere, everyone believe that a resupply is around the corner and they don't need to conserve as much. As a young Marine on my second deployment, I was in Kunar Province Afghanistan. The terrain was rough and we ran out of water. Due to the fact that there weren't any roads where we were, helicopters couldn't fly at that altitude, and the planes would resupply is as it was snowing, we did what we had to do by melting snow for water. I was taught this by my squad leader "you can survive three weeks without food, 3 days without water, and 3 minutes without ammo in a firefight; pack accordingly." I use this same mentality with my Soldiers now. I think we have lost our tactical sense.

I don't know, it used to be a requirement every time you went to the field.  SGM's would raise hell if they saw any clean skin but not much point until we dispense with the ACU, you won't blend in anywhere but the moon unless you paint that too.

My daughter does it all the time. She really likes the kitty cat or butterfly...oh for concealment, not so much, but I would still recommend the kitty cat.

true story. we wore it for one mission in Afghanistan during a recent deployment, (our mission was over watching and providing security for a separate engineer mission) and our platoon leader was reprimanded that we were setting a "hostile stance" during our patrols by wearing face paint. we were unapproachable by the Afghan people due to the "war paint."

This is a fieldcraft skill that was lost, along with many others, over the last decade. Infantry units are already bringing it back into training, but there is a fieldcraft mindset that has been lost amongst our leaders after a decade of operating in COIN environment from FOBs in dessert or urban terrain.  It's time we brought it back, because the only certain about our next conflict is that it's location/operating environment/timing is uncertain.

Ohhhhhh I remember those days! Yes baby oil helped make it easier to take off. I remember many raw faces after you tried to take it off. I remember the standard because "tiger stripes" weren't allowed. Eventually most units allowed you to apply as needed as long as the design wasn't too crazy. Definitely helped camouflage a person in a woodland environment.

I haven't wore camo paint since Korea (2005), seems like one day we all had to wear it, then the next day we weren't anymore.  I don't miss it, my face would get tore up trying to get it all off

Back in my early years as an 11B between 2005 and 2008, we still used it.  Not sure if my old unit is still using it or not, but I mean, it wasn't THAT long ago.