Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Army wins!!!


As much as it shames me to say - the Army is smarter than the Navy by
an order of magnitude on this.

From USAToday,
The Army this month began issuing new uniforms printed with a camouflage pattern called MultiCam, which is designed to blend in better with the varied landscapes of the country's mountainous terrain.

"MultiCam was selected as being the best pattern suited to Afghanistan," says Lt. Col. Mike Sloane, product manager for soldier clothing and individual equipment for Army's Program Executive Office Soldier.

The first to get the clothing is the 2nd Brigade 34th Infantry division, an Iowa National Guard unit preparing to deploy overseas from Camp Shelby, Miss. Brigades will get the uniforms as they deploy. Those that have already deployed will begin turning in their uniforms for new ones in December.

The current camouflage has been in use for six years and consists of hundreds of tiny squares bearing shades of tan, green and gray.

The MultiCam uniforms (as well as backpacks and other gear) are a patchwork of seven shades, including greens, tan and brown interspersed with dark brown splotches.

One significant difference between the two patterns is that MultiCam is designed not only to blend with the environment but also to reflect some surrounding colors, taking on an overall green appearance under a forest canopy and a tan look in the open desert, according to Crye Precision, the Brooklyn company that created the pattern.

The pattern also benefits U.S. troops who fight mostly under the cover of darkness. It is less reflective of infrared and near-infrared colors, "so at night you'll blend into the background a little bit" when seen through night-vision goggles, Sloane says.
I first put out my preference in Spring of '08 for multicam - and I liked it even earlier than that.

It didn't take a chrystal ball to figure that out, I wasn't alone in seeing it was the right answer either. As the Navy's NWU I, II, III train-wreck roll-out continues and Navy stuffs sea bags with cheesy, hard to supply, expensive, and duplicative uniforms .... there is still time to do the right thing and say, "We screwed the pooch on this. We will do what the Army does WRT camo."

That is the solution. We can do it now and save the Navy and its Sailors money, time, and supply troubles. As stated before - it will hide paint just fine if you insist that is the reason you want CAMO on ships (though most would prefer coveralls that I talk to when underway if given the choice between that and NWU). It also works fine ashore. It could replace three uniforms (more if you include DCU for non-NSW).

We won't do that though - only because of mens' tender egos. That is sad; Sailors will be poorer and overburdened because grown men who call themselves leaders act like poorly raised 8-yr old girls.

15 comments:

LT B said...

TFU has been an epic fail.  Yet, as is the way w/ Navy leadership, there will be no admission and correction.  Eight year old girls is right. 

JimmyMac said...

I personally prefer the Service Dress Blue Yankee....

Spade said...

I'd like to note that as a cake eating civilian I've had a MC cap, patches, and other crap for like three or four years now. And a huge bolt of fabric for some damn reason.

Nice of the Army to finally catch up.

Anonymous said...

You go too far, Sir.  Honor requires I demand an immediate and full retraction and apology.

My 8 year old Granddaughter tries to do things on her own, and if it isn't working, asks for help in comiing up with a better way.  She observes, evaluates, pays attention to suggestions, and is interested in accomplishing the task at hand, not in having her own way in all things.

So do most well brought up 8 year olds, boys or girls.

Please do not compare them to the performance of the Navy's powers that be concerning uniform selection.

A more apt characterization is the one made about the BEF in 1916: "Lions (their soldiers, our sailors) led by Jackasses".  Which is under-estimation of the the intelligence and adaptability of a common agricultural mule, but not the base canard concerning well bred young ladies of age 8 contained in your ill considered remarks, above.

Too far, sir, much too far. I trust you will exercise better judgement in the future.

warm regards, as ever...Gramps

Grandpa Bluewater. said...

Please excuse the error in identification for the "guest" below. 'Twas I.
Gramps.

Andrewdb said...

Lest you think the Army has this all figured out, the ACU was introduced in April 2005.  THis will be the third uniform in 6 years.

Andrewdb said...

Actually its the 4th, if you count the new Army Service Uniform (aka the "Mall Cop" version) announced 2008 that is replacing the Class A/B greens.

AW1 Tim said...

I cannot imagine what the intelligence level was of the crew that gooned up the new dress uniform. I've seen that thing.  My son was informed that when his brigade redeploys to Germany, they will have to purchase the new dress uniform. He apparently told his 1st sergeant that he won't wear it, and will not be reenlisting as it's embarrassing as hell.
I have to agree with him. It looks like something you'd see a junior ROTC drill team, or Job Corps drill team wearing.
Mall Cop uniform is a damned accurate description, and I extend my sympathy to all those who will be having to pay for that things, and then wear it.

11B40 said...

Greetings:

IN a just saying kind of way, back in the last '50s, my dear departed mother bought me a zipper jacket that was "reversible" with different colors on the inside and outside.  'Reversible", mmmmmm.

navymic said...

You are giving the army too much credit. They finally got it right after getting it wrong for so long.

In other words, the Navy still has a chance.

C-dore 14 said...

I actually got to wear that rig for something other than a "uniform race".

Andrewdb said...

The only good think I can say about it is that I will be able to wear a real hat, with a bill to keep the sun off, instead of that ^%$^& beret.

Southern Sailor said...

For the love of God, will the DoN stop forcing "newer and better" uniforms down the throats of us enlisted folk, who don't make much as it is?  The uniform allowance is a mere pittance and fraction of the cost of buying a full seabag of all these stupid outfits.  I'm all for multicam, as long as it stops the never-ending fashion show, lightens my seabag, and deepens my pockets.  Current uniforms on hand (I'm at a shore command):

NWU - 2 pair
NSU - 1.5 pair
"Official" PT uniform - 1 (only wear that twice a year), PT in my own clothes.
Dress whites - 1
Dress blues - 1
Coveralls - 2

I'll be damned if I have four pairs each of the NWU and NSU.  I do a lot of laundry though.

/rant

LT B said...

Besides, the uniform allotment is used for beer! 

Southern Sailor said...

You mean....like dungarees...a la back in the day when men were men and tradition meant something?