Found some interesting things on this link.

http://soldiersystems.net/category/acu/

ACU testing

The Army plans on testing two new variants of the ACU beginning in July. The overall goal of the test is to remedy shortcomings of the current design. Specifically, they will be testing a 50/50 NYCO Twill instead of the current 50/50 NYCO ripstop fabric. The new test fabric features more mechanical stretch than the ripstop. In addition to the current wrinkle free finish the Army will also investigate a soil release treatment. The Army also aims to reduce the amount of hook and pile tape on the uniform by 16% for the coat and 33% for the trousers. For the coat this will be accomplished by moving the top piece of velcro down and reducing the size of each piece to 1/2″ squares. The bicep pocket velcro will also be reduced in overall size and the glint tape will be moved to the velcro. The trouser cargo pockets will undergo a major overhaul and the hook and pile tape will be replaced with either buttons or snaps. Additionally, the pen pocket is being modified. There will be a pen pocket on the inside of the front closure and sleeve pen pocket will be enlarged to accommodate three sharpies in addition to a new closure flap. They are reshaping the collar so that it will stay down. Finally, the crotch of the trousers is being reinforced.

1400 Soldiers at Ft Lewis, Ft Bliss, and Ft Carson should begin receiving candidate ACUs in July. Testing will last for 60 - 90 days.


These sound like good changes to me, but I didn't mind the velcro cuffs on the uniforms, just the excessive velcro on the sleeves. The trouser revisions sound great though.

sounds good to me, but what about the velcro that holds the chest pockets closed? That always seems to wear out quickly for me, but I actually use those pockets as opposed to the sleeve ones. Also the top velcro closure on the zipper seems to wear out faster than all the other ones, so they're going to make them smaller? Did I read that right?

Make the US Army, Nametape & Rank sew on and that would reduce the veldro too.

And while your at it ditch the BS Camo Pattern

Actually those ACU's were tested last summer unless they are going for a second round of testing. I have the one's with buttons and ones with snaps I got last summer. They were much better than the standart acus when it came to the velcro. The one pen pocket was a little worse due to the addition of a cell phone pocket over top of it. The ACU's with buttons had velcro shoulder pockets still and the snaps were closed with snaps that seemed to be more of a pain to open and close. The enclosed pen pocket is nice as you dont lose pens as much. I didnt notice a major difference with the stain resistant ones staying cleaner.

i rarely hear marines complaining about their uniform. maybe that's a sign.

quote:

Originally posted by jni3:
i rarely hear marines complaining about their uniform. maybe that's a sign.

Yeah, one thing the USMC does the best is uniforms! Smart & Simple-- desert diggies and woodland diggies.

Matt
SPC, AV
US Army
OCS Selectee
Class 004-10

This is the uniform we need.

I agree with Patriot, I would rather have that uniform. As for the marine uniform, IF I understand what a friend of mine said( former Marine now Army) Is the manufacturer of that uniform copyrighted or trademarked it. He could be wrong. They need to fix the ACU's the velcro is a pain and wears out to fast.

Hell they could just let us wear A2CU all the time ... it would be a start and an improvement, using a uniform already in the inventory. I love my A2CUs.

what about being able to roll the sleeves again?

quote:

Originally posted by jni3:
what about being able to roll the sleeves again?

Why? You got some fore-arm tats you really want to show off?

no tats on forearms for me. don't care to see them blazing either. but there is more comfort with them up.

Great now if they REALLY want to make a change they will do a ONE FOR ONE exchange with the old and new uniforms. That way after buying 10 pair of the old ones I don't have to go out and buy 10 pair of the new ones cause the Army can't get it's sh*t together and quit ****INg with the uniforms.

Save money my *ss I have been out more in the last 2 years for uniforms and accessories than I ever was with the BDU's.

quote:

Originally posted by jni3:
i rarely hear marines complaining about their uniform. maybe that's a sign.

Not a personal attack against you, but maybe Marines don't know better to begin with. Most of their uniforms over the last 200 years or so have been copies of US Army uniforms, with the exception of the MARPAT and some Navy-inspired uniforms.

Well, I guess I'd better find some overhead cover for that one.

Hmmmmm. We have our gripes, but more about gear that goes over the cammies than the cammies themselves.

I like way our cargo pockets have a button on one side and elastic on the other. stuff stays in, and it's quick to get it out without worrying about it falling out during field exercises.

I also like the way they are shaped more like the old utilities (i.e. tapered waist). No offense to anyone, but people who are bottom-heavy or top-heavy (mostly females) just end up looking like they're SQUISHED into the ACUs, but thier sleeves are the correct length and arms properly fit. It's perplexing . Also, the way the ACU's are shaped makes them poke out away from the body at the bottom on thinner soldiers. I don't know... kinda looks like a little bubble.

I like the sew-on nametapes we stuck with, too. When I was at Fort Meade in the barracks, there were a lot of soldiers complaining about ACU's being stolen from the laundry room. I live in the barracks here at my base and things get stolen, but rarely cammies. It's a pain to have to order new nametapes and have them sewn on, but that means you have to be really determined if you want to steal them :-) With velcro nametapes on the ACU's it doesn't take much effort to stick you're name there and go on about your day.

Our rank on the collar is also easier to see, (I always feel bad cuz I've almost passed an Army before I can see the rank well enough to know if I need to salute. I feel slightly rude when that happens) but I agree that the way you guys do it is a lot less expensive. I have to replace the metal chevrons about once a month. But they're only about $3 bucks, so it's no big deal.

Anyways, whenever I go to the field (sometimes with grunts, sometimes with the air wing) most of the gripes are about how the flaks don't let us get at the pockets and how they are a pain in general to work with (the new ones). We can use the sleeve pockets, but when they're full or if there's something you want to keep really safe, the pull-over flaks suck. The boots could be a LOT more breathable. The only thing about the cammies that gets brought up is that the material used for the deserts is too flimsy (but lighter for hot weather, so I guess that's the trade-off, but I'd rather not have to buy a new set every summer). Also, the size difference between the woodland and desert cammies is annoying. But the reasonoing behind that is the woodlands are slightly looser to accomodate more layers in the winter months. I don't think that's the real reason as we used to be able to wear either pair year-round and plus the fact that it's cold as hell in afghanistan and iraq during winter, yet we obviously wear the deserts there.

Either way though, we like the overal look of the uniform and can deal with the minor gripes. With all the gear that goes on top of the cammies, we'd never know if they're shytty or not.

My 2 cents :-).

quote:

I have to replace the metal chevrons about once a month.

Get plastic chevrons...that will fix that problem.

Anyone else read the article on Armytimes.com about Congress mandating a new camoflauge pattern for uniforms in Afghanistan?

++http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/06/military_afghanistan_uniforms_061509w/

Combine that with this "improved ACU" thing and we may have a perfect storm for uniform changes here.

Stunning. Congress listening to the troops.

quote:

Originally posted by FormerEmbassyMarine:

quote:

I have to replace the metal chevrons about once a month.

Get plastic chevrons...that will fix that problem.

They don't sell the plastic ones here in the armpit of the Corps. Even went over to Miramar, MCRD and Pendleton... no luck. I love the plastic ones though. Don't even have to take 'em off on wash day. Perfect placement all the time

Re: placement. Get your uniform set up properly, measuring and all, but don't fasten the clutches on the backs. Carefully take out the doo-dads one by one and use a black Sharpie to make fairly heavy dots where the holes are.

The dots should stay on through the wash - maybe have to be refreshed now and again - and you just pop the stuff back in where it's supposed to be.

For a dark dress tunic (blue or green), use a white Sharpie to mark the holes.

(Tricks The Old Guard taught me.)