TYR Tactical

Despite Reports to the Contrary the US Army Has NOT Chosen a New Camouflage

About a month ago, a deployed reader informed us that he had heard that the US Army had selected a new camouflage pattern. He sent us a simple, two page PPT that he has received via email and showed the pattern as well as a few made up dates for issue. Overall, it was a sophomoric attempt but he asked us to confirm his suspicions that it was untrue. After looking at it I had my doubts but in the offhand that it might have been a local distillation of an official announcement I sent it to the PAO at PEO Soldier. Their reply? It was an interesting fake. Remember, idle hands do the devil’s work. I’d say someone was bored and decided to pull a prank. It seems to have gotten out of hand. I’m not going to post the PPT or the alleged winner because the finalist was just as surprised to see it as PEO Soldier was. Since the initial incident I’ve had to field queries from the field numerous times, so I’m using this bully pulpit to help stem the flow of misinformation.

You may see this PPT floating around email, especially if deployed. Alternatively, it may have been printed out and posted on a unit bulletin board. Regardless of where you see it, it is untrue. If your chain of command sends it to you, politely request that they check with PEO Soldier.

The easiest way to tell it’s a fake? When have you ever seen a Power Point presentation that was only 2 slides? And consider this, have you ever seen a PPT without the issuing unit’s logo all over it?

Please remember, the US Army Camouflage Improvement Effort has downselected to four families of patterns from:

-ADS Inc as Prime, partnered with Guy Cramer
-Brookwood Companies
-Crye Precision
-Kryptek

As they continue to conduct research, I wouldn’t expect any word on a selection for a month at least. Don’t worry, if we hear anything tangible, we’ll they you know. Until then, Keep Calm and Reload (the page).

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17 Responses to “Despite Reports to the Contrary the US Army Has NOT Chosen a New Camouflage”

  1. Strike-Hold! says:

    “When have you ever seen a Power Point presentation that was only 2 slides?”

    LOL – indeed!!

  2. Haji says:

    That rumor is going pretty strong down here at Ft. Campbell. We just keep telling customers “it hasn’t happened yet. Yes, I’m sure. Yes, we’ll know when it does. Yes, we may burn the remaining ACU inventory.” 😉

    • SSD says:

      Can I come watch if you decide to have a bonfire?

      • Haji, SSD-

        All jokes aside, a few LE Agencies have adopted this camo… but that won’t stop me from burning stuff just for the sake of some good old fashioned “Office Space” type venting of rage.

        Jon, OPT

  3. Mike Corley says:

    From Profile of the United States Army 2012 published by AUSA; Chapter 5, p.39.

    “In the fall of 2012 Army uniform officials intend to recommend the MultiCam pattern become the official camouflage pattern for its service uniforms. Another possibility is that officials will recommend that instead of Army wide MultiCam use, the MultiCam pattern will become the official pattern for garrison and general deployment use.”

    • SSD says:

      Great, nothing like causing more issues for the source selection.

    • Riceball says:

      Ok, this sentence makes no sense to me, ” Another possibility is that officials will recommend that instead of Army wide MultiCam use, the MultiCam pattern will become the official pattern for garrison and general deployment use.” Wouldn’t usage in garrison and general deployment make it Army wide then? Where else, besides garrison and general deployment, would you use a camouflage uniform? This, to me, makes the statement smell of BS.

      • SSD says:

        There you go. Maybe they should have just avoided writing about which they did not understand.

  4. SteveB says:

    I’ve read the USA2012 profile. Yes, Multicam is a possibility IF that’s what Crye submitted for it’s Transitional pattern. THEN, if Crye wins the Phase IV downselect, it will become the primary pattern with additional woodland and desert variants for specific deployments. Of course, they may have an entirely new or modified pattern.

    Whatever Family of Patterns wins, the Transitional pattern from that family will become the default Army pattern. The Arid and Woodland versions will only be used for specific AORs, from what I understand.

    • SSD says:

      The transitional may become the default. No decisions have been made and all options are on the table. Conventional wisdom tells us that the transitional will become default but the USMC and USN issue two separate uniforms. One for desert and one for woodland.

  5. Ammo Kan says:

    I’ve been wondering, one of the requirements for the whole thing was for the patterns to not be commercially available. As such since standard MC is commercial wouldn’t Crye need to enter another transitional pattern?

  6. straps says:

    Someone needs to post this document to a neutral server–with full disclaimers and caveats–just for shucks and giggles. Then link here.

    And yeah, dovetailing on Fatty’s comment, seems that there will be a way to ease out of UCP for a while to come. The way funding’s going, Reservists will need UCP for a long time to come. Ironically, a LE agency that I work with uses UCP as an IFF. Sticks out “just enough” and there’s no way that a bad guy would go with that pattern of his own volition…

    • SSD says:

      I’d rather not post the offending document.

      • UCP worked pretty well on OIF, it was ideal for some of the complex urban terrain we were in there. It also doesn’t scream “military” like wearing woodland does for an LE agency, and it appears less aggressive than black. I still dislike it, but it does have a time and place. I know the sooner the Army drops it the better.

        SSD, correct me if I’m wrong, but the current study is not guaranteed to determine a conclusive future pattern or family of patterns, it is simply a test to find a possible way forward should the funding exist and the stars align.

        The Army going with Multicam makes the mosts sense, all troops are getting an RFI that is a full issue of MC Nylon, 4 uniforms, 2 extra pants, and combat shirts as well as nametapes and head gear. This RFI includes levels 1-7 ECWCS, boots, gloves, balaclava, etc etc etc…

        For the sake of economy, lessening the burden on the taxpayer, and at the same time solving some serious morale issues, this seems the logical way forward seeing as it is THE combat pattern for current engagements and gives an 80% solution to the “universal” conecpt they eventually seek.

        • SSD says:

          Jon, initially that was the case but at this point, they’ve acknowledged that UCP has got to go. The changeover for ACUs is simple. Stop buying them in UCP and start buying them in Camo X. They have to buy ACUs for new accessions anyway. Note to currently serving troops, you may have to buy your own. The big issue is OCIE. We may see some odd combos for awhile depending on what the Army chooses.