| What
is the Army Combat Uniform?
The Army Combat
Uniform consists of a jacket, trousers, moisture wicking T-shirt and brown
combat boots. The ACU will replace both versions of the battle-dress uniform
and the desert camouflage uniform. The black beret will be the normal
headgear for the ACU, but there is a matching patrol cap to be worn at
the commander's discretion. (Scroll down for illustrations)
What
changes were made from the BDU?
There were
20 changes made to the BDU. The bottom pockets on the jacket were removed
and placed on the shoulder sleeves so Soldiers can have access to them
while wearing body armor. The pockets were also tilted forward so that
they are easily accessible. Buttons were replaced with zippers that open
from the top and bottom to provide comfort while wearing armor. Patches
and tabs are affixed to the uniform with Velcro to give the wearer more
flexibility and to save the Soldier money. Soldiers can take the nametapes
and patches off their uniforms before laundering, which will add to the
lifecycle of the patches -- also, the cost to get patches sewn on will
be eliminated.
Uniform changes
include:
- Mandarin
collar that can be worn up or down;
- Rank insignia
centered on the front of the blouse;
- Velcro
for wearing unit patch, skill tabs and recognition devices;
- Zippered
front closure;
- Elbow
pouch for internal elbow pad inserts;
- Knee pouch
for internal knee pad inserts;
- Drawstring
leg cuff;
- Tilted
chest pockets with Velcro closure;
- Three-slot
pen pocket on bottom of sleeve;
- Velcro
sleeve cuff closure;
- Shoulder
pockets with Velcro;
- Forward-tilted
cargo pockets;
- Integrated
blouse bellows for increased upper body mobility;
- Integrated
Friend or Foe Identification Square on both left and right shoulder
pocket flap;
- Bellowed
calf storage pocket on left and right leg;
- Moisture-wicking
desert tan T-shirt;
- Patrol
cap with double thick bill and internal pocket;
- Improved
hot-weather desert boot or temperate-weather desert boot;
- Two-inch,
black nylon web belt; and
- Moisture-wicking
socks.
Who
will get the ACU?
All Soldiers,
regardless of unit or function, will receive the new uniform.
When
will Soldiers receive the ACU?
The ACU will
be fielded to the Army – Active, Reserve and National Guard –
beginning in April 2005. Soldiers in deploying units will be issued the
new ACU first. Fielding
to the total Army should be complete by December 2007, said officials
from Program Executive Office-Soldier.
Quote
"We have
not made a major change to our uniforms since the BDUs (battle dress uniforms)
were introduced in the early 1980s. This new uniform performs well in
multiple environments. Its new pockets and color designs are a result
of feedback from Soldiers in combat. Every modification made on the uniform
was designed with a specific purpose and not just for the sake of change."
-- Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth Preston
Key:
ACU=Army Combat Uniform; IR=infrared; OTV=outer tactical vest
June
14, 2004
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Why
did the Army select a new uniform?
The ACU was designed specifically by Soldiers to meet the demands of the
current operational environment. Because of its universal camouflage pattern
and enhanced versatility, comfort and ergonomic qualities, the ACU will
increase our Soldiers' ability to train, adapt and fight in the ever-changing
environments wherever future wars will be fought. The current BDU was
designed 25 years ago.
What
is the ACU's lifetime?
The ACU is made with the same nylon/cotton rip-stop fabric as the current
Enhanced Hot Weather BDU. The current EHWBDU has an estimated wear life
of six months.
Why
will the ACU not require starching?
A wrinkle-free treatment has been applied. Starching uniforms makes the
uniform material more brittle and subsequently reduces the wear life.
The wrinkle-free treatment will allow Soldiers to wear the ACU without
incurring costs of commercial laundering or pressing.
What
will be the wear-out date for the BDU?
The Army will introduce the ACU in April 2005. Wear-out date for BDU is
to be determined. Production ramp-up of the ACU will cause production
of the BDU to end in early FY06. Residual stocks of BDUs will be sold
or issued until exhausted. The wear-out date will be established based
on when stocks are exhausted. The wear-out date will provide an adequate
amount of time for Soldiers to procure the ACU.
Why
was the digitized print chosen over the more traditional camouflage?
There are a number of potentially effective technologies to provide effective
camouflage. The ACU leveraged a digitized print developed by the U.S.
Marine Corps. The Army modified the USMC pattern and used alternate colors
to provide an effective camouflage in multiple environments. The ACU remove
the color black since black is no longer useful on the Army uniform --
it is not a color commonly found in nature, and it immediately catches
the eye.
Who
will pay for the ACU?
New enlisted Soldiers (Active Army, U.S. Army Reserve and Army National
Guard) will receive an initial issue of four ACUs at Army expense. Prior-Active
Army enlisted Soldiers receive a clothing replacement allowance; prior-enlisted
USAR and ARNG will be issued the ACU as required at Army expense; officers
will buy the ACU at their own expense from the military clothing sales
stores; and deploying enlisted Soldiers and officers will be issued ACUs
at the Army’s expense.
Why
is there an increase in the cost of the ACU?
The ACU costs $88, a $34 increase over the BDU. The increase results from
an $8 wrinkle-free treatment, and the rest is based on the additional
manufacturing complexity. The uniform is more complicated to make because
of its enhanced functionality. This cost will decrease over time. Soldiers
will eventually reap gains in money and time by not having to take uniforms
to the cleaners or shine boots.
Who
designed the ACU?
The ACU was designed by noncommissioned officers and tested by Soldiers.
The life of the ACU began in January 2003. A
team looked at a number of uniforms and took the best part of each uniform
and combined it into one. They built their first prototype and delivered
25 uniforms to Stryker squads at the National Training Center. After listening
to Soldiers' comments, the team went back to the lab and created Prototype
2. Twenty-one
uniforms were then delivered to Stryker Soldiers at the Joint Training
and Readiness Center, Fort Polk, La. Two
issues of the third version were given to Stryker Soldiers deploying to
Iraq.
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