ACUs New Look

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It’s about time! I can’t wait to be done with that god-awful ACU pattern. Now if they’d just get back to sew-on patches and ditch ALL of the velcro, we’d be golden. The zippers can stay, though!

I think that neither of these patterns will work that well for what we do. I think all the services need to adopt the same uniform, military wide. This will be more cost effective and will make for a more united military force. We should all adopt the Marine uniform style and colors. Of course, the Marines could still keep the EGA in their patterns but we would all be using the same patterns and colors. It would save the government a lot of money and we would all be unified service wide as one team, as in One Team, One Fight.

I do love the ACU’s, but if the Army needs a new uniform for the desert environment, I believe the “Universal Camouflage Pattern – Delta” would better suit our current missions over the “MultiCam” as it seems the MultiCam uniform would be better suited in a jungle environment. That’s just my outlook though.

I watched NBC’s Sunday Night Football this past weekend and was disgusted to see soldiers on national TV with Marines who were all wearing ACUs. This trend has even extended to seeing recruiters wearing ACUs. This is a utility uniform and shouldn’t be worn off post. When and where did our pride as a service go out the window. 20 years ago, we were expressly forbidden in wearing our BDU’s off post except going to first formation and home from final formation. Soldiers need to look professional and take pride in our uniform and stop looking like a bunch of rag bags. Let’s bring back our class “A” and “B” uniforms and wear them with pride.

Respectfully,

Joshua Martin
Las Vegas, NV

I agree to one united uniform for all branches it would save sooooooooo much money 1. for the goverment 2. for the joe all our TA-50 would match so if lets say we needed to lend the air force some body armour it would match and would only cost gas money,also correct me if i am wrong I thought a while back we signed a U.N. form saying we would all wear the same uniform in all branches.
I like the acu sytle/cut its more comfortable esspecilly under battle rattle I like also the velcro flag and the patches but only there the other pocket flap can be non velcro to sew on tabs but my kingdom for buttons,sew on name tapes and badges your units may change but thats all your tab and wings wont and please let us startch them I iron my acu,s becouse I dont like to look like a laundry bag.

The “Universal Camouflage Pattern – Delta” camouflage pattern

I think the delta pattern looks better and seems to be more compatible with current operations. Pockets are a must though.

The ACU needs to change but these aren’t it. The multi-cam looks like it came straight from the Philipine Army and the Delta a cheap knock off of the Marine uniform. So much for all that research on digital camouflage. It looks like the Army randomly picked two bargain patterns from the U.S. Cavalry Store. The Marines have definately cornered the market on combat fashion. But the Air Force with their digital tiger stripe and odd boots run a close second. What about all of the field gear from gortex to ruck sacks that have been issued in ACU, Is that out the door now too? And while I’m on a rant, the Army needs to get rid of all of that velcro and elastic, I feel like I’m wearing geriatric clothing. It wears out quickly and looks like hell too.

The ACU needs to be combat effective but a professional uniform for professional Soldiers.

Here we go again, hurry up test by Jan field it by June lets rush it, I understand we need to get something that works for the troops, How ever we don’t want a flop like the ACU, we look like a bunch of rag bags with all this velcro, the patches fray, the name tags curl, the velcro does not last long and starts to fuzz up, soldiers that have earn badges such as Aviation wings, Airborne etc.. that are in job that they must be take off like working on aircraft and such won’t wear them because there pin on an must be removed as not to cause FOD. bottom line we don’t look professional anymore. So please while were testing them lets not do a rush job look at all aspects and try to get right this time.

I personally don’t like how either pattern looks. Guess I won’t have much of a choice though once I leave for Basic and am actually in. I used to not like how the ACU’s looked, but I’m finally used to it and like them now. Whatever though.

Please consider making them to fit women! I am 48 and have almost 24 years. During that time I had two very beautiful sons!! Granted I am in shape….BUT men’s clothing do not conform to the developed female body. The past uniforms are fine for the younger women, however I believe if a poll was taken, it would be discovered that fitting the uniform to the woman;s body would be very beneficial!!

I think the Army needs two combat uniforms. Having a universal pattern just does not work. The Army should adopt combat uniforms from the Marine Corps. Their uniforms seem to be pretty effective.

I think the new patterns will be good for the field. But the Velcro has got to go. As a recruiter it looks awful in the eye of the public. the patches will not stick. i would prefer to spend the money to sew patches on instead of buying new patches to try and stick on. it has to be worse for the guys in the combat zone.

The Multi Cam looks like it would be the most effective, for gods sake though loose the velcro. It isn’t saving anyone any money and it looks awfull. Also could you please improve the service life. Getting rid of the velcro would be a good start. The ACU is really only serviceable for about 6 months if you wear a rotation of 4 uniforms every day. I had BDU’s older than some of my Soldiers.

My problem with this is that you’re keeping the ACU’s so now we’re back to having to maintain more than 1 type of ‘combat’ uniform. I thought one of the purposes of going to the ACU was to eliminate the need for more than one non-dress uniform.

Also- for the commenters having velcro issues, if you wash the ACU’s inside out the velcro lasts much longer. And they don’t fade as much.

I Don’t really prefer either one, but if I had to choose it would be Multi Cam. I agree with everyone else the velcro needs to go and the special skill badges should be allowed to be sewed on. Regardless what we move forward with it has to be an inprovement to the ACU. I remember we I joined 13 years ago and you were to look professional at all times, it is quite hard to in ACUs. I also remember the old saying “are you wearing Cook Whites or what”, that was implying you looked jacked up from the fading of your uniform. I feel that way in these ACU’s after the first wash. I prefer the tiger stripe multicam, or use the Marines colors with two diffrent uniforms in the tiger stripe to be diffrent. Just get rid of these ACUs and the velcro!!!!!

Well, I know from personal experience, that Multi-Cam works. I’ve worn it before, and the guys I was with didn’t see me from 20 ft away. That’s pretty impressive in my opinion. I’ve also seen in used in several other environments as well and I worked out great. This new ACU looking thing just looks like someone got their uniform dirty and called it a new pattern. It might work better in desert, but not in anything else.

Personal opinion, go with the Multi-cam. It works, and that’s all we need. The little odds and ends that everyone complains about, who cares. It’s a uniform. We just need something functional.

Why not go back to Woodland and DCU if the new uniforms are decided on the mission.Keep the basic design of the ACU just change to things we know that works.”Don’t fix it if it is not broken”.

Pattern aside, it is really about the utility, functionality and durability of the uniform. I do not think we will find 1 pattern that fits every possible environment (and I do nto think that is the intent fo the test patterns). The current ACUs work well for me, but I have worked with Soldiers for whom they did not work so well. It really comes down to the job each Soldier performs. That aside, it stuns me that we are looking at a new pattern right on the heels of finally getting all of our gear converted to the ACU pattern. Compounding this is the obvious economic issues we are facing as a nation. Just really does not seem like it should be an urgent requirement for the Army at this time so.

Multicam is being used amongst Special Forces and Air Combat Controllers as far as I know, so this should automatically tell us regulars something. The multicam shouldn’t be underestimated based on the research that was done to develop it, Crye Precision has provided info on the function and capability it has in it regardless of how it first appears. Check it out here at under the “about” section and notice how it blends in also according to lighting conditions. Regardless of the looks it increases survivability more than the ACU does. I personally own a set and it’s had my vote ever since it was developed although going along the Marine Corps patterns wouldn’t be a bad choice either.

Also see for field test reviews by military equipment testers.

the multicam pattern goes best with the most environments. two uniforms is a bad idea because the cost of maintaining two seperate uniforms and associated equipment is unecessary, and in afghanistan and iraq you can go pretty easily and quickly from a desert to forest region. multi-cam bridges that gap better than anything else.

“combat fashion”? WHO CARES??? it doesn’t matter if it “looks better,” it matters if it blends in with the environment or not. I’d wear a pink bunny suit if it prevented me from getting shot. and if you’re being engaged in a far ambush in afghanistan and you’re laying in the prone in a uniform that simply does not blend in, i’d bet it matters a whole lot to you right then. you don’t need to be sneaking up to some objective for your camo pattern to matter.

as far as the badges — whatever. i don’t care if I wear them every day or not. if you’re concerned about wearing a badge every day, go get a ranger tab.

the cost doesn’t matter. there are a million soldiers in the army (across the components), and $300 would get everyone set up with a couple sets of uniforms and essential TA-50. $300 million is a drop in the bucket. maybe the Army will learn to listen to soldiers from now on instead of forcing dumb changes from the top-down.

@franklin

I think the Digital tiger stripe uniform is better suited for your mission check it out at:

The pattern call “DTSP All Terrain II” is better and seens it will suited better than your ACU current pattern. In the MC we were ask what we like and they even set a survey online for all marine to vote on it and we all did and we are wearing our result now so i suggest to you service do the same. Write to your Uniform Board and let them know.

The UCP-D looks ridiculous! That looks more like Georgia Mud mixed with Asphalt! Multicam is already used by our Special Operations, and much loved by the soldiers. Its proven technology. I place good money some office jockey is going to mess this up for all of us.

Why not just have every service adopt the Marine Corps uniforms they are sharp and functional. The material that they use stands up longer and doesnt look like crap.

SSG Jones, US Army

Multicam already!!! We passed it up the first time trying to compete with the digital joke…it doesn’t work (you’re trying to blend in with the NATURAL world, not a TV screen). Let the Marines keep there stuff until they too realize that multicam is the way to go. Soldiers who work in an office and rarely deploy or go to the field should simply opt out of this discussion. Let the gun fighters decide and I’ll guarantee you they’ll say Multicam all day long. Soldiers are already purchasing it with their own cash anyhow, so why not fess up and recognize that Crye, a small private corporation got it right when the Army got it DEAD WRONG. All the same, I will guarantee you someone in PEO will find some BS way of ushering in UCP-D. Rangers, SF and the like will simply follow common sense and use MC.

I see alot of people complaining about the velcro? you must be out of your mind! The velcro is perfect! The velcro is meant for easy removal of your patches, rank etc. Its also meant for wartime situations. Example: the US flag patch in the standard american colors, and then when in combat all you do is remove the standard colored patch and slap on the green American patch. Its called convenience people! Get that through your head! other wise you end up having 2 or 3 different sewn on uniforms! and that would be retarted! So velcro a definite keeper 100%!!! and as far as the new patterns, Multicam is not that bad, but It does seem to mimic other country patterns EX German/Phillipine the blotted look, I personally like the digital style! as far as the Delta Acu, Not sure about that pattern yet, The brown addition seems to look a little funny, but I have yet to see it in effect, until then I will form my opinion.

Lose the ACU, lose the velcro, poll the combat soldier and see what works.

Multicam is best of the choices but a separate desert and a temperate uniform is simply the obvious choice

The fact that another camo scheme is being shipped for testing means the “universal camoflauge” concept is a failure. The Army tried to re-invent the wheel and wasted millions of taxpayer dollars in doing so. Any game hunter can tell you no one camo pattern works for everything. Having seen multicam in various enviroments, I am biased towards multicam so take my opinion for what its worth.

I like what the British have done: they have a woodland and desert pattern uniform, and created a hybrid of the two for their TA-50 ,so only uniforms are produced in two patterns and the combat gear is produced in this single pattern.

Another problem steming from the ACU: searching the web one can find that pretty much all the other patterns tested better than the ACU, yet the ACU was picked primarily because it was cheaper than the multicam(due to some licensing issues if I recall correctly). The Army didn’t listen to the soldiers that field tested the uniforms and dumped an inferior scheme on the troops because it was cheaper. Pretty much a prelude to the decision to go with the blue ASU (The survey showed soldiers really liking a WWII style uniform. What the heck happened?).

yes please get rid of all the velcro, theyre annoying as hell

The multicam is the best pattern for every enviroment. I used it in the field and it blends well, it would be a great choice for the army. I served both Marines and Army I wore all uniforms from bdu, to dcu, marpat desert and woodland. The Marine Corps would not allow for other branches to wear there uniform. People need to look at what infantry does in field with this pattern not how it looks on a POG in the office.

OK velcro on right shoulder flap for the switching of the regular flag to the IR Flag thats it. Multicam is the best option for the army: they just finished the tests this last month and it beats ucp and ucp-d out of the water in both woodland and desert. Desert MARPAT beats Multicam by just a few points in the scoring. Multicam is the closest were going to get to a completely “UNIVERSAL” camo. I just want a camo to keep me alive longer so i can get back to my fiancee.

I agree with a number of the above comments but now I would like to add mine. One, the ACU is pathetic and works only in gravel parking lots. Two, the MARPAT was designed by the Army at Natick I believe- why didnt they stick with that? Three, I’ve got alot of fancy crap issued to me with the ACU pattern all over it. Everytime the change the camo, the gear has to be as well-BILLIONS it must cost. Keep the gear a standard Coyote brown that way it could remain even if they change the camo a hundred times. We used OD green stuff for decades with no worries. My suggestion is for an all around camoflage pattern is to take the former Rhodesian camo, digitize it for the those high-techies and nix the velcro- my Soldiers stuff is falling off! Or digitize the good ol’ woodland and three color deserts (use ‘em both) and put them in the same ACU type shirt and trousers……-just my thinking though.

The person AL #25, must work in the office..lol..bc the velcro sucks, i feel like a sh*T bag, i dont feel professional wearing this uniform, i look like im wearing pajamas.lol..man what happened to discipline, and looking like a professional. The mult-cam is better than the ACU, POINT BLANK PERIOD! But Im not going to lie..I miss my BDUs man all creased up was the SH*TT!!ha and my boots just screaming blindness..ya feel me? but yeah im always out in the field and we need something thats going to gives us some sort of concealment, i feel like a walking piece of concrete..

yes I agree@Tyler Langham

i think these new uniforms are ugly and look too much the air forces uniforms i would like to keep my old acu

I agree with alot of the servicemen, time to adopt one type of BDU, keep the hats different, Marines can keep thier, Army can go berets, Air Force could try something new, as well as Navy. Time to concentrate on costs and interoperability with equipment AND uniforms, doesn’t really have to be one force but one Battle Dress or say Different Regional Battle dress would free up money for more and better equipment, isn’t that what its all about, equipment to keep the individual safe and more effective in what they do. Sorry just an old timer jawing a bit

The U.S. Army needs to get back to a uniform that the soldier needs to maintain and put some work into. Soldiers just wash it and throw it on no iron no crese no professionalism, no discipline. Longing for the days of spit shined corcorans and starched bdu’s, since we are not in the out of the duffle bag looked like you just wiped with it ACU’s and the desert boots no troops ever clean, it’s all about discipline and we don’t have it. Have not had it for at least 10 years now.

Tell you all something. The BDU’s were functional, the desert BDU’s were functional, but then some wii generation flunkee decided hey let’s look pretty and make it easy cause I am too gawdam lazy to learn how to iron a uniform or shine boots, I need that time becoming more proficient at Call of Duty cause I am one badass cookie munchin joystick fiddlin crack shot wii generation freak who the world owes everything to. Take your ACU’s, your Wii and your Iphones you can’t live without along with your call of duty freak skills and you can shove them straight up your crying whining lazy arse.

ACU pattern does not work, the UCP Delta is ugly. The velcro needs to go, its completely unprofessional. multicam is a great idea.

I agree, iron your uniform and it will create pride.

I have worn BDUs, CCUs, DCUs, and ACUs and I think by far the ACUs are some of the most cheaply made pieces of crap the army has come out with. I think we should take some advice from the marines on uniforms. And the velcro is just worthless…

Fielding of the Multi-Cam and UCP-Delta uniforms is really just an admission by DA that opinions voiced by many soldiers are TRUE – the USP pattern of the current ACU don’t REALLY camouflage you anywhere. I don’t know why the Army couldn’t just adopt the digital Desert and Woodland patterns used by the Marines (with the Eagle, Globe and Anchor removed). The Marines adopted our BDUs when they were fielded, why can’t we Soldiers “return the favor”?

ONE TEAM, ONE FIGHT? ALL THE SAME UNIFORM? WHY DO U THINK WE JOINED DIFFERENT BRANCHES? AND WEARING ONE UNIFORM WONT UNIFY US, U SHOULD KNOW EVERY BRANCH PICKS ON EACH OTHER, AND THE MARINES ARE CRY BABIES THAT DONT WANT ANYONE WEARING THEIR UNIFORM, THE ARMY CAME UP WITH BDUS AND DCUS AND LET EVERYONE COPY THEM, AND ID TAKE MULTICAM OVER THAT CRAP, WHICH IS WHAT THE ARMYS GOING TOO. AND ALL U PEOPLE WHINNING ABOUT POLISHING BOOTS AND PRESSING UNIFORMS HAVENT BEEN IN THE FIELD, 1, SHINY BOOTS ARE REFLECTIVE, SO IS STARCH, AND WHEN U GET SWEATY IT STICKS TO UR SKIN. THE COMBAT ENVIROMENT IS NOT THE PLACE TO STARCH AND POLISH SHIAT, WHATS WRONG WITH U PEOPLE? WE HAVE MORE TO WORRY ABOUT LIKE GETTING SHOT, AND IF UVE EVER WORN MULTICAM IN AFGHAN, LIKE I HAVE UD KNOW IT WORKED, THE REST OF U POGS, SHUT THE HECK UP, AND YES THE VELCRO WAS TO REMOVE TAPES TO WEAR UNDER BODY ARMOR, BUT WE HAVE COMBAT SHIRTS NOW, SO TAKING OFF NAMETAPES AND CRAP IS A NO GO, STARCHING UNIFORMS? REALLY? NEVER BEEN TO COMABT IF U THINK WE SHOULD POLISH SHIAT, FREAKING IDIOTS!!IT IS TO BE AN EASY CARE UNIFORM FOR THE SOLDIER IN THE FIELD, AND FOR LACKING DISCIPLINE? HOW ABOUT U NCOS GET SOME BALLS AND PUT SOME PEOPLE IN THEIR PLACES! AND FOR THE DRESS UNIFORM, IF U KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT THE ARMY GEORGE WASHINGTON IN 1779 DECLARED THE BLUE AS OUR UNIFORM COLOR, AND IT BECAME OUR FEDERAL COLOR, SO WHERE PEOPLE THINK WE COPIED THE MARINE DRESS BLUES, THEY ARE WRONG, THE TWO TONE COLOR CAME FROM SOLDIERS IN THE CIVIL WAR NOT WEARING THEIR JACKETS EXCEPT FOR CEREMONIAL FUNCTIONS, BEING THEY WERE HEAVY AND MADE OF WOOL. AND WITH THE HIGH COLLAR THE MARINE HAD, LOOK BACK AT THE ARMY, THEY GOT THAT FROM US, BUT IN WW2 WHEN THE ARMY STARTED THE AIR FORCE, WE REMOVED THE HIGH COLLAR AS THE WOOL WOULD RUB PILOTS NECKS RAW WHEN THEY TRIED TO LOOK AROUND, AND ALSO IN WW2, THE FAMOUS MARINES 8 POINT HAT CAME FROM THE ARMY, THE MARINES JUST TOOK IT AND TURNED IT SLIGHTLY AND PUT AN EGA ON IT. BEFORE U PEOPLE RUN UR MOUTHS OFF, KNOW THE FACTS K? THANKS. ANY QUESTIONS?@SSG Trowbridge

I agree with the last comment. The multi-cam is the superior uniform its been tested it’s been proved. The hell with this digital pattern that only works and benefits those making it and those advocating it’s purchase. There’s a reason our elite forces choose the multicam. Thus it should be the standard issue. I think the bottom line is the Army needs to stop spending all this money on irrelevant programs and equipment stop and listen to the needs of the soldier and provide those needs so he can accomplish the mission at hand.

Soo…I really dont know how many people have actually looked at each uniform, but judging by the comments that have been made not to many have. Multi-cam has to be the best cammo that i have seen ever. In practical excercises it works pretty much everywhere, even in places that you would never imagine! Being an Army Soilder, I would love to field the Muti-cam, excluding the velcro pockets(i do like the velcro name tapes and shoulder pockets tho), and the elastic strings on my pants. The current ACU material breaths alot better and as someone said it feels so much better under battle rattle, being able to iron it would be a plus tho.

in response to SSG Trowbridge this is the US we do not have the power to tell outher ppl to wear one uniform, unless we make it a nato thig

It’s really great that we want to change the pattern… AGAIN…. Keep in mind we still have soldiers ( NG) who haven’t event gotten their ACU field gear. Heck, our local NG unit still has the LBV.

Further, out of curiosity, just how many of these posters are truely soldiers? I have yet to find a forum discussing uniforms that is purely military, and doesn’t have a whole bunch of airsofters offering ” real world experience” with the patterns and gear