New Army field uniform; what are your thoughts?

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 23 May 2014 22:08:53 -0400

So what do we think of the new uniform? I feel like this new version of the multi-cam is going to be a swing and miss from the multi-cam we get when we deploy.

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made May 23 at 2014 10:09 PM

SGM Matthew Quick — Fri, 23 May 2014 22:09:33 -0400

Cheaper than paying Multi-cams ridiculous asking price.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made May 23 at 2014 10:23 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 23 May 2014 22:23:54 -0400

I agree with you, however anything is better than the UCP right now. The thankful thing is that it is at least close enough to the current OCP that it should share some of the same benefits. It also seems like a little more of a blank slate for potential variants as future operational environments may require.

Response by SSG Jeffrey Spencer made May 28 at 2014 10:17 AM

SSG Jeffrey Spencer — Wed, 28 May 2014 10:17:03 -0400

I read about it and repost the following FYI:

The U.S. Army is replacing its current Universal Camouflage Pattern with a pattern the service has owned for more than a decade.

The Army's senior leadership has selected Scorpion, a pattern similar to MultiCam that was developed around 2002, according to a source with knowledge of the decision.

The Army was poised to announce the results of its multi-year camouflage improvement effort nearly a year ago, but congressional language in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 2014 called on the Pentagon to put an end to the services branding their ranks with unique camouflage uniforms.

Ironically, in March 2013 the Army decided to drop the government pattern developed at the Army's Natick Soldier Systems Center. The pattern, known as Scorpion, was too similar to one of the industry submissions, Army officials said. Crye's MultiCam was selected. In addition to Crye, the other finalists in the Army's Phase IV camouflage testing included ADS Inc., teamed with Hyperstealth, Inc.; Brookwood Companies Inc.; and Kryptek Inc.

Army officials tried to buy the rights to MultiCam but rejected Crye's figure of $25 million, according to Caleb Crye, owner of Crye Precision. Army officials also balked at paying for "printing fees" the company receives on MultiCam -- a small figure that amounts to about one percent of the 20 percent price hike uniform companies want to charge the Army for MultiCam, according to Crye.

Once contracts are awarded, it can take up to 20 weeks for the raw fabric to be printed in Scorpion, inspected and cut and sewn into uniforms, and since Scorpion is similar to MultiCam, uniform companies will likely be able to use the same color Velcro, buttons and zippers, according to Kyli Hanson, program manager for Army Combat Uniforms for Blue Water Defense -- one of the U.S. military's primary uniform manufacturers.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2014 8:57 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 28 May 2014 20:57:35 -0400

The UCP blends with the environment about as well as a 1970s leisure suit at a black tie event. I can only hope that crotch sewing technology has improved in the new uniform. It should not be easier to tear open the crotch of a pair of field trousers than to open a milk carton.

If the intent of the uniform is to make Soldiers disappear, perhaps they could develop a VA pattern uniform that looks like a waiting room.

Response by SGT Steven Eugene Kuhn MBA made Aug 4 at 2014 8:40 AM

SGT Steven Eugene Kuhn MBA — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 08:40:06 -0400

http://www.armytimes.com/article/20140731/NEWS07/307310083/UPDATE-New-images-show-details-new-Army-camo

Response by CPL(P) Nathaniel Burke made Aug 9 at 2014 10:28 PM

CPL(P) Nathaniel Burke — Sat, 09 Aug 2014 22:28:56 -0400

A definite improvement to the current UCP, which as previously discussed, is about as effective as a knife in a rocket launcher fight. I am glad that they picked something similar enough to multi cam that perhaps not all the multi cam style gear that has been gathered in recent years will be a waste. Hopefully there is now enough sense to make appropriate variants, as 1LT Oakley said, for our varying AOs so we can stick to one uniform for longer than a war.

Response by SSG Keven Lahde made Aug 20 at 2014 12:23 AM

SSG Keven Lahde — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 00:23:55 -0400

I wish they would go back to buttons and allow us to roll up our sleeves again. Do away with the Velcro as well. Sew on is so much better.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Aug 20 at 2014 5:49 AM

SFC Mark Merino — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 05:49:11 -0400

Top leadership tackling insignificant issues that they trump up to make it appear like they are moving the ball forward. IE:tattoo policies, revised RCP standards, HAIR policies, turbans to score PC media points, etc. Forget about untold BILLIONS wasted on programs such as Commanche, ARH, MOD 4 upgrades for Kiowas, scrapping the entire reconnaissance fleet, etc,etc,etc.

Response by SGT Richard H. made Aug 20 at 2014 4:56 PM

SGT Richard H. — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 16:56:09 -0400

Wow. How revolutionary. They've invented "multicam".....again.

Response by SSG Christopher Peckham made Aug 24 at 2014 7:23 AM

SSG Christopher Peckham — Sun, 24 Aug 2014 07:23:32 -0400

Do you think they will change the color of the boots along with the uniform?

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Sep 12 at 2014 11:41 AM

LTC Paul Labrador — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 11:41:20 -0400

Honestly, I can't tell the difference between Scorpion and Multi-Cam. And if the difference is so subtle that it takes looking up close to see it, bad guys at 300m are not going to notice.....

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 12 at 2014 3:56 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 15:56:30 -0400

Going to be interesting to see if 1SGs notice the difference between this new one and the A'stan multicam, because we all know what is about to happen.

Response by COL Randall C. made Sep 13 at 2014 7:25 PM

COL Randall C. — Sat, 13 Sep 2014 19:25:52 -0400

Ugh. Personally, I just look at it as more uniforms I have to buy now.

(as LTC Paul Heinlein was just talking about in another thread)

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 3 at 2015 3:45 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 03 Jan 2015 03:45:57 -0500

If I had known we were going with the multi-cams I would not have given mine to my wife for craft projects.

Response by SFC Michael Jackson, MBA made Jan 12 at 2015 7:28 PM

SFC Michael Jackson, MBA — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 19:28:14 -0500

Army wasting money of new uniforms, just make current ones more durable, my acu pants used to rip in the crouch

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 13 at 2015 1:00 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 01:00:45 -0500

All that it is is a cheaper version of multicams. The scorpion design was submitted before multicams but was less durable and fade a lot faster.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 13 at 2015 1:00 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 01:00:54 -0500

SSG Private RallyPoint Member , do you have any pics?

Response by Capt Gregory Prickett made Jan 13 at 2015 1:21 AM

Capt Gregory Prickett — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 01:21:21 -0500

You know, it looks sort of like a faded version of the ERDL jungles we were issued in the airborne in the late 1970s.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 15 at 2015 8:10 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 15 Mar 2015 20:10:51 -0400

I like it ALOT better than the digital pattern. I have not seen or heard of any clothing and sales selling them yet. Do you know what the official date is that we are authorized to wear them?

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Apr 17 at 2015 5:20 PM

SFC Mark Merino — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 17:20:36 -0400

If I had a nickel for every pair of boots I had to spit shine and every uniform I had to iron & press I would be a rich man. I love this wash and wear stuff. You new service members have no idea how lucky you are.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Apr 17 at 2015 5:23 PM

LTC Paul Labrador — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 17:23:18 -0400

It looks like a good general issue pattern.

Response by SrA Matthew Knight made Apr 17 at 2015 5:37 PM

SrA Matthew Knight — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 17:37:59 -0400

I think that it is a great direction by choosing a pattern that is meant to work and still looks good. My hope is that General Welsh or subsequent AF Chiefs of Staff will see that the ABU is also in need of replacement. Time to ditch the vanity patterns and issue something that is made to be deployed in.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 17 at 2015 5:54 PM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 17:54:50 -0400

Does anyone know if the Army is going to create the two-piece flight suit in this pattern?

Response by SGT Richard H. made Apr 17 at 2015 5:57 PM

SGT Richard H. — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 17:57:57 -0400

I haven't spent much time looking at the new pattern in various environments, but it does look to me like the best pattern yet.

Response by Maj Chris Nelson made Apr 17 at 2015 6:12 PM

Maj Chris Nelson — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 18:12:19 -0400

I think everyone needs to go to Krypic.... it is cool looking..... can't be any worse for effectiveness then anything else out there....or mossy oak....or advantage..... or.......

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 17 at 2015 6:36 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 18:36:21 -0400

I really like it, specially when we train in the woods, I've worn both, ACU and multicam, and multicam makes a huge difference when moving during the day.

Response by COL Charles Williams made Apr 17 at 2015 7:06 PM

COL Charles Williams — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 19:06:39 -0400

I came in with green fatigues, went to the Elvis BDUs and many revisions, and then ACUs. The ACU was an extremely functional combat uniform (despite the Velcro), but the single camouflage pattern (while a noble venture) worked no where.

I hope the new uniform is as functional as the ACU, but in an actual useful camouflage pattern.

I still believe we need (A) at least two issued variants like the Marines, and (B) we need to eliminate everything from the uniform but name, U.S. Army, unit patch, American flag, and rank.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Apr 17 at 2015 7:40 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 19:40:23 -0400

It might be a temporary uniform as we seem to chase our last wars.

Response by LTC J. Lee Mudd made Apr 17 at 2015 7:46 PM

LTC J. Lee Mudd — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 19:46:14 -0400

Personally, I look very much toward the transition. I liked the ACU design when it was introduced in '05; not so much the gray-green digital color pattern.

I never had any problems with weak construction in the uniforms I've owned (though many have), but mine haven't seen much rough use. I had DCUs in Iraq...

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 17 at 2015 7:53 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 19:53:37 -0400

Can you roll the sleeves again?

Response by LTC Bink Romanick made May 28 at 2015 6:10 PM

LTC Bink Romanick — Thu, 28 May 2015 18:10:06 -0400

If you don't like it wait an hour, it will change.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2015 9:22 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 28 May 2015 21:22:08 -0400

I get the feeling this could end up like when the army decided to produce their own "crye pants" the pants from crye were top quality and the ones that got issued were absolute garbage.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 10 at 2015 4:57 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 16:57:05 -0400

New uniform is nice and functional; however does units designate when to wear this? Because holy fucking moly, my damn base has here and there soldiers running the new ocp. And I just got chewed from my nco for deciding to wear the uniform today.