Over the weekend, I got a look at a draft ALARACT (All Army Action) message for the transition to the Operational Camouflage Pattern Army Combat Uniform Ensemble. I’m not going to publish the actual document because it’s not yet released, but rather will share some of the information contained in the draft. The very fact that there is a draft G1/G4 message floating around tells me that they are getting close to releasing it. However, as you’ll see later in the story, the timeline unfortunately continues to slip to the right from initial estimates last year.
This first piece of information is very important. The Army has gotten hip to the fact that there could be confusion if OCP denotes two different patterns so they have gone back to referring to MultiCam as Operation Enduring Freedom Camouflage Pattern (OEF-CP), at least as far as AR 670-1 goes. Scorpion W2 will continue to be referred to as OCP. Either way, it remains sticky. The draft ALARACT informs that FRACUs as well as other OCIE such as MOLLE and Gen III ECWCS will continue to be issued in OEF-CP until supplies are exhausted, which will be quite awhile. According to acquisition professionals, the planned phase-in of TA-50 in OCP is on the order of a decade. Bottom line on this? Expect confusion to reign. Based on the most recent transition time lines I’ve seen; UCP, OEF-CP and OCP will all be worn simultaneously for several years to come.
Army Chief of Staff GEN Raymond Odierno acknowledged this protracted transitional period during a recent virtual town hall meeting at Fort Hood where he explained, “You’ll start to see new gear available that’ll match the new design over time. The issued items will be brought in over a period of time.”
One of the main reasons the Army has chosen to split the two OCP variants up is for uniformity’s sake. There is definite concern that Soldiers will mix and match OEF-CP and OCP uniform components if they are referred to by the same name and the draft ALARACT declares the crossing of the streams as forbidden. You’ll be able to wear OEF-CP or OCP but you won’t mix and match ensemble components between the two.
The OCP ACU ensemble (remember, the ACU won’t change names, just patterns and a few features) consists of:
Coat
Trousers
Undershirt, Coyote
Belt, Rigger (Coyote)
Socks, Tan, Green or Black, Cushion Sole
Boots, Combat, Coyote Leather
Headgear
Until sufficient stocks exist of the Coyote Undershirt and Rigger Belt, you’ll be able to wear the old Tan Undershirt and Rigger Belt from the UCP ACU with the OEF-CP/OCP (FR)ACU. However, the items must be of the same color and the new Coyote versions may not be worn with the old UCP ACU so a bit of planning ahead is required if you want to still wear the UCP ACU up until the wear out date. The same goes for the boots. Legacy Tan boots are forward compatible but the Coyote models are not backward compatible to UCP.
According to the draft ALARACT as it stands right now, you’ll be able to wear any of the three patterned uniforms during the transition period. That’s right boys and girls, it appears the Army plans to allow you to wear your RFI issued FRACUs in OEF-CP aka MultiCam. However, commanders may designate one uniform or another for specific functions. Additionally, you can’t mix and match components (except as already noted) and any sew on badges or insignia must match the uniform they are worn on. And don’t forget, your hat must also match the uniform it is worn with.
The Army realizes there will be times when you’ll end up mixing patterns such as in the case of OCIE items like rain suits and cold weather clothing. In this case, you’ll be required to use a full, matching set of the accessory garment. This is also going to be an issue with other TA-50 such as helmet covers, armor vests and MOLLE. Just make sure all of the accessories match one another and the basic uniform ensemble matches itself. For example, you may be wearing a OEF-CP FRACU along with a UCP FREE overgarment. Likewise, all of your MOLLE components should be the same pattern. This is much of a challenge for the CIF as it is for you.
About a year ago, I posted an article about the mixing and matching of patterns during the UCP transition and shared this photo of then CSA Pete Schoomaker. It’s going to happen again. Yes, some leaders will freak out but not much can be done about it until the transition is complete. Like it or not, OCP remains OCP no matter what they decide to call it.
The draft ALARACT specifies the following mandatory wear out / possession dates:
Wear out date for UCP ACU: 30 SEP 2019
Possession date for OCP ACU: 1 OCT 2019
Notice there is no wear out date for OEF-CP clothing. That’s because it is TA-50 and will be replaced when it’s replaced.
The draft ALARACT also contains dates when the new ensemble will be available to different groups within the Army:
Army Military Clothing Sales Stores – 4QFY15
Clothing Initial Issue Points for Initial Entry Soldiers – 2QFY16
Drill Sergeants and AIT Platoon Sergeants (Supplemental Issue) – 15 Feb 2016 specifically
ARNG, USAR and Senior ROTC through the Clothing Central Distribution Facility – 4QFY16
Remember, this is a draft document so most anything in it is subject to change up until it’s actually published. However, I expect most everything to remain the same with perhaps some additional wear guidance regarding the OEF-CP uniforms. Once again, I can’t emphasize enough that this is draft guidance and won’t be implemented until the Army publishes it and an as of yet undetermined time.
On a final note, the draft ALARACT does not mention bookend patterns nor the OCIE overdye plan and I have no additional new information on either of those.
Very interesting. Everything sounds fairly reasonable, although I do agree that CIF may have some issues trying to keep “sets” purely OCP/ OEF-CP. I can understand their intent in ensuring you only wear UCP/OCP/OEF-CP “matched” outer wear such as rain or cold weather jackets and pants but think they would due well to abandon that practice for MOLLE gear. It’s just going to be darn near impossible to pick out, for example, an OCP 2-mag pouch vs. the two other OEF-CP 2-mag pouches on a Soldier’s IOTV. As such its probably going to be a lot of wasted effort to try to enforce that particular policy (and wasted expense).
I don’t think we’ll see OCP MOLLE for some time.
This points out just how smart the Marines were when making all their gear coyote brown. It’s easier on the supply chain. This army rollout seems like it’s going to be a nightmare
I doubt it will be, realistically this is very little hair splitting here, and most NCOs, even the most anal ones, won’t be able to discern between items of kit. Clothing will be different. This is just creatiing a definitive line for moving to all OCP eventually. From an industry standpoint this makes sense, from a Soldier standpoint it sounds complex.
They just need to authorize wear, this has been sitting on the shelf too damn long.
Jon, OPT
Agreed, Jon OPT.
I thought I was missing, but none of this tells us when it’s authorized, does it?
Mick.
When they release the ALARACT.
I read a different article yesterday that published the roll out date. 1 July 2015, UCP is authorized for wear so long as your installation Clothing and Sales carries it on the shelf. OCIE will begin roll out 1 Jan 2016. ACU phase out is July 2018.
The problem is that it highlights the torso of the Marine, counteracting the effects of the camouflage.
^ Bingo. It actually more or less totally negates the advantage of the camouflage pattern in fact.
Unfortunately, you youngens have lost the mastery of simple soldier skills like alloying camouflage to your faces.
Not that it would matter. That big, contrasting armor vest makes your torso stick out like a 100m target.
Somehow I actually believe that men of prior times blended their face with metal to create an unseeable alloy.
Us youngsters in my infantry battalion apply face paint every time we leave the battalion footprint, even to qual ranges and such, huzzah.
Not even close to the same effect. Sorry it hurt your sensitive feelings that someone suggested the Marine Corps isn’t perfect.
…for the first few hours of fighting. I’m all about matchy matchy but the Marines who clowned their attached Army elements for the logistics somersaults during UCP fielding had a point in that dust and mud has a habit of unifying everything…
Yeah sure until it soaks in mud and soil from the area than it works just fine.. I just see some sr enlisted berating troops because he’s got a mag pouch that doesn’t have the right shade of light green.. how much money has the army and by extension the DOD spent at this point
Pushing $10 Billion with a B
Not to be a fly in the ointment but Israel still uses OD green uniforms. I am all for having the BEST camouflage out there but how useful is it next to a massive MRAP or Bradley? Tactics dictate equipment. Let POGUES wear polo shirts and Khakis for all I care and issue camouflage to grunts.
Not everyone spends their time working from vehicles on deployment. My last trip was 100% dismounted operations. Doctrinally mech infantry was also supposed to drop dismounts 1 terrain feature back from the objective–something that seems to have been forgotten these days.
There was a time now long forgotten, where Infantry branch forced most NCOs and officers to go from mech to light and light to mech assignments to cross pollinate. Light guys looked at tracks as deathtraps or mobile bunkers and mech guys became baby tankers over relying on the vehicle and not getting farther than 50m from it.
‘Doctrinally mech infantry was also supposed to drop dismounts 1 terrain feature back from the objective–something that seems to have been forgotten these days.” Very true and a bad habit learned from fighting an enemy one typically outnumbers at well over 3-1 or doesn’t have weapons routinely capable of destroying our armored vehicles.
This may be an expensive lesson to relearn or worse, we’ll keep looking for technological solutions to training problems.
My first unit was a mech unit. I still remember officers bouncing from light to mech. It happened with the NCOs but not as much from what I saw. Needless to say there was a lot to be learned from both types of units. I went mech to light and have stayed on the light side (I hate motor pools lol) but learned a lot from the mech world. I’m afraid you’re right though when you say it will be an expensive lesson to relearn.
As a SGM once said to a TL course I attended, “We’ve forgotten how to be sneaky.” Of course 10 years of UCP didn’t help at all…
While from an issuing standpoint it seems like a good idea, it also highlighted the edges of armor and gave points of aim to enemy snipers (armpits, groin, head, etc.)-part of why the Army didn’t do it and still doesn’t.
I get reminded of https://ssdaily.tempurl.host/tag/diggerworks/
Any word on when we can start wearing the multicam in garrison?
ive been seeing guys at campbell rock it on base for awhile now but i didnt see what unit so take it with a grain as salt
Those guys you see wearing it here on FT Campbell are predeployers for the 3 Brigades we currently have deployed. It is authorized for wear, 7 days before you deploy.
It’s Authorized 1 month prior to deployment in the Rakkasans.
30 days
Did you read the story?
Story says available in Clothing and sales in Q4 this year, I’m wondering when I can show up to work with the multicam stuff in my closet.
It doesn’t say that. It says you will be able to purchase OCP ACUs from the Army Military Clothing Sales store. If you read the entire article, you’ll know that OEF-CP will be authorized for,wear during the same period that OCP is and that will be once the Army issues the ALARACT.
Seriously SSD why do you bother responding to ridiculous questions like that? You bust your ass writing a great story and some window licker reads the title and then jumps to the comments to ask silly questions. Kick back SSD, have a beer, good article on a great site. Keep of the good work dude and don’t burn yourself out in idiots.
I appreciate the article & info and SSD’s patience reflects professionalism IMO.
I’m afraid I’m still confused, how does the article not say what I mentioned above? I believe that your article said
“The draft ALARACT also contains dates when the new ensemble will be available to different groups within the Army:
Army Military Clothing Sales Stores – 4QFY15”
As far as being authorized for wear once the ALARACT hits, I did not pick that up from your article.
Please feel free to commence amusing yourselves with my questions time now.
When the commander says so (on advice from the Staff that devised the transition plan).
So after your audience with the CSM about the broken ice cream machine in the chow hall, hit the Boss up about the new uniforms.
They love when the troops exercise the open Door Policy about this stuff.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Confusion will reign on this when applied to real conditions, document will get many a printout.
With all the money Army has wasted on this and other programs, they should have cut a deal with CP (I admire his success, but I’m not a MC advocate), Caleb should have hired some former senior Army leadership, may have lead to a different outcome.
Had to laugh at wear out date on UCP, based on previous comments on SS, soldiers will shed these uniforms faster than the Iraqi Army does theirs.
Now Army needs to bring back Vietnam era khaki uniforms for daily non field wear.
Strongly Agree with the Khaki uniforms!
I wish the Army would have made a deal with CP too. Not for the pattern, but rather for the Airframe Helmet and CPC and belt. I think that would
Have been a fair compromise that would have satisfied all parties.
I’d give your left nut for Khaki’s. Rank on the sleeve. Bring it on please.
Yes, they look sharp with the rank on the sleeve for enlisted. 8.2 oz cotton twill. Ebay has some examples. Get your starch on.
Do you really think today’s soldiers want to starch uniforms? Some, sure but based on the overwhelming whining about tattoos, facial hair, shining boots etc. a spiffy uniform is not what the majority of the current crop gets excited about.
Excitement or desire to do something isn’t an issue here. The bottom line is they are soldiers, they’ll follow orders or they’ll be hurled out of the Army. Don’t care if you don’t agree with a policy, the Army isn’t a democracy, if you don’t like it work hard to rise high enough to change it from within or get out and waste someone else’s time and money.
/rant
“Excitement or desire to do something isn’t an issue here.”
That’s the way it used to be. E.G. have you been following the tattoo policy changes and how they came about? What about wearing combat uniforms on commercial flights? Excitement and desire have everything to do with it.
Read the complaints on the current ASU.
Also, following link from 2003 below;
http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,Defensewatch_121203_Chaos,00.html
I’m not the first one with this idea.
Finally, look up pictures of Vietnam era khaki uniforms, they just look good.
Regarding starch, fabrics developed since then make starch unnecessary.
I agree with you on Soldiers ditching UCP fast; once the ALARACT goes out UCP will be disappearing like the latest iPhone on release day. I think that the only people who will still be seen in UCP will be the few who have not bought their Multicam or OCP uniforms yet and the few that actually like UCP and/or are too cheap (or poor) to buy new uniforms. I think that the only transition trouble the Army will have will be in the form of OICE gear but they’ll have no problems with the troops ditching their old UCP ACUs.
With this no mix and matching policy, I wonder how many (senior)NCOs will be given classes and/or detailed briefings on how to tell the difference between OCP-EF and OCP. And at the same time, I wonder how many Soldiers will try to get away with mixing and matching figuring that their NCOs &/or officers won’t be able to tell the difference between the two patterns.
And how many Senior NCOs out there that will simply not care one bit if soldiers are mixing OCP with OCP-EF? I know of one for sure. . . myself.
Worse, how many senior NCOs will have complete sets of both patterns and then wear them on random days while talking like Clint “No, The same as me. now go change!”
That would be hilarious.
I’d get my old fat ass enlisted again to see that happen!
Ditto
Mixing “old” and “new” OCP… Realistically, normal rules about not looking like ass in a garrison environment will probably apply (yes, the ALARACT and inevitable 670-1 revision will matter too). Not going to apply in the field for some time – wearing Multicam/OEF-CP kit, over your brand new OCP uniforms you’ve purchased from Clothing Sales or online? All good, since chances are the Soldier to your left is wearing the same Multicam kit over UCP, the one to your right is the opposite, wearing their Multicam FRACUs from their last deployment under UCP kit they were issued from CIF…maybe overdyed, maybe not.
In garrison, a Soldier wearing a brand new pair of 50/50 NYCO “new” OCP trousers with a faded, ratty FRACU OEF-CP top from their last Afghanistan deployment is probably going to look like ass, that’s where mixing is going to be an issue.
Judging from conservations at my unit – the UCP will remain in use with the CA ARNG (minus ambitious officers & Generals) well into 2018 LOL
conversations
Or that they’d made an announcement for the Phase IV winner by 30 September 2013?
I Vote that Friday is Hawaiian shirt day. Every other day is polo shirt with cargo shorts and flip-flops (it gets hot here in Texas)
Hmmm, perfect place to finish them off might be at selection.
Excellent news! Excellent report! Can’t wait for the transition to begin. I wish there was some news of bookends but I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
Just out of curiosity, I know the Army was testing MARPAT and legacy patterns, what about Scorpion Variants? Why did the Army abandon this option?
Not the Editor, but here it is in a nut tree (as opposed to a nut shell):
https://ssdaily.tempurl.host/?s=Camouflage+Improvement+Update
I’ve been following the story and I thought I understood back when Scorpion was supposed to be a legacy pattern under the NDAA 14. But more recently SSD reported that the Army chose Scorpion not because it was a legacy pattern but because it was a pattern the entire DoD could adopt. So, with that logic, why do they have to test legacy patterns why not just use variants of Scorpion as bookends?
…..Also why use bookends at all. I still don’t understand why we are trying to develop a single pattern solution. Why not come up with a multiple camo solution and adopt new adaptive equipment, such as the CPC where you could switch out plate bags and have matching PPE…….just saying….
Why no Scorpion bookends? This is just conjecture but I’d say that it has to do with IP issues.
I see….. Crap.
I guess I still don’t understand why giving OCP a trpoic and arid makeover would create additional IP issues over printing M81 and 3color desert on the ACU uniform. Isn’t it all simply boiled down to the particular paint job we want? Since OCP isn’t considered a legacy pattern, but was adopted anyway, and colors aren’t an issue according to PEO Soldier, then why would altering w2’s colorway to create green and brown dominant versions be an IP issue?
Because while Crye owns the rights to Scorpion according to SSDs reporting, they probably are willing to let the Army go with using it since it was developed for the Army–even though the Army was supposed to get Crye’s permission before modifying the original patter, ala W2. I’m guessing that it would become an IP issue if the Army modified the Scorpion pattern to tropic and arid variants and Crye decided to take it to court. The Army hasn’t faired too well in court lately—-royalties of 1.4 cents per round of M855A1 comes to mind…
Also SSD, why is the Bookend option the be all end all option. I understand the problems with the Solid Color PPE, but can’t that be mitigated by matching Kit like the TAPs? Or better yet developing and adopting a Modular, Scalable, or Adaptive body armor system like the CPC where you can change out the Plate Bags to make sure it matches the uniform be a better option?
I mean, honestly at this point I don’t see why we can’t adopt a Temperate and Arid uniform in garrison with Jungle, Desert, Urban and Artic variants as needed and use with either a single color vest or a vest that can be converted to any pattern needed…….
Perhaps I am thinking to logically about this, still the idea that we’re holding onto Universal Camo option doesn’t make much sense to me.
Why can’t they develop bookends? Because they’ve maneuvered themselves into a box canyon.
Sounds about right.
My favorite quote from the entire article: “a bit of planning ahead is required if you want to still wear the UCP ACU up until the wear out date.” Granted, there may be a large amount of soldiers that hang onto their UCP as they will be a few years from ETSing or Retiring, but I foresee a large portion of soldiers switching over to OEF-CP/OCP as soon as possible.
Couldn’t agree more.
My unit got UCP ACUs concurrent with the 48th (Georgia Nat’l Guard unit that got the first run of UCP ACUs with the crotch ventilation “feature”). When we re-deployed, our commander (AWESOME dude) conducted a sensing session and we pretty much agreed, as a unit, that we’d wear our BDUs until the bitter end. One weirdo CPT refused, but he had a heart attack the next morning (make-up APFT that had visibility at the 2-Star level) so we were ALL in BDUs and tan boots until Wearout. Senior personnel from adjacent units would try to bust on us but we held firm. People were rooting through their stashes for serviceable matched sets of BDUs to hook each other up, keep the game going AND maintain a professional appearance unit-wide.
As new personnel rotated in, there were flecks of UCP in our formations but on 29 APR 08 we took a unit photo and “found” BDUs for everyone assigned. We came to work the next morning in UCP, much to the surprise of the adjacent units, who predicted that someone would be missing a unit patch or a name tape. We might have had to make do with an extra “SMITH” but I didn’t see so much as a missing combat patch otherwise.
Great exercise in a professionally-conducted grass-roots insurgency against one of the modern Army’s WORST decisions.
I predict no such affection for the UCP uniform.
THAT is a fantastic story! And I agree, there will almost certainly be no such loyalty to the UCP ACUs.
I agree, I bet that there will be units that will agree that on the first day authorized everyone will show in up in either OCP-EF or OCP and no one will be in UCP.
No shit, one time at Home Station…
Humor is where you find it, and sometimes THAT’S in the sublime.
If you ever hear a Warrior Transition Unit bubba tell a crazy story about a guy they all called Captain Cardiac, and who seemed to have not a clue about the essence of military service, it’s probably true, and it’s probably about that dude.
In the last 3 years since I re-enlisted, I can think of only 1 individual who deployed who liked the UCP. Although several are indifferent when it comes to uniforms.
Before my big break in service it seemed only officers and a few CSMs were enthusiastic with the UCP in the 2004/5 introduction timeframe.
No, the worst decision was the black beret. UCP came in a close second.
You got me there. Between assignments in units unaffected by beret envy, deployments and the commander above–who hated that beret as much as he hated UCP–I have the sum total of a month or two in a black beanie. Forgive my forgetting. Maybe when everyone has OCP ACUs we’ll all go to a tan beret.
Pardon me while I react to contact…
and we still have it along with the ASU monstrosity 😛
I was excited when the Army was looking at the ASU and the old pinks and greens from WWII. That was a good looking uniform!
So, I keep reading stories ( bad idea I know) about scorpion w2 OCP showing up in Iraq, but all of the accompanying photos depict guys in multicam. Anyone actually see w2 OCP showing up through RFI or are the stories full of shit?
Last word from SSD regarding w2 production was that it was only being printed on 50/50 NYCO and that wouldn’t be issued through RFI, am I right?
Correct.
The stuff you’re “hearing about” is OEF-CP (Read MULTICAM) that was issued through RFI. Much better uniform for either of the two big CENTCOM areas.
So, they clustered the OCP = OCP. Figures. Whatever gets our people out of UCP, fine, accept the nit-picky and drive on.
I wonder if OCP is effective enough that bookends don’t show a high statistical significance of improvement, at least not enough to justify maintaining a stock. I’ve seen deer fade out at 50 meters in open green field while staring at them, and I’m pretty sure OCP contains enough shades of tan to function well in an arid environment.
I was an early adopter of UCP in 2005. My peers identified it’s functional failure in Georgia in about 90 minutes. Yet, to avoid the constant potential aggravation about cardboard-stiff starched uniforms and Corcoran’s polished to a high state of readiness (mastered, yet still subjective and annoying), the stupidly ineffective pattern was worth it.
A decade later, implementation is still inept, but finally an effective pattern minus “attention-to-detail” BS that should be focused on warfighting.
Don’t worry, DA will undermine there new highly effective uniform by making soldiers wear PT belts… you know for safety and stuff.
The Army Birthday is when the entire Army will be authorized to wear OCP like the Ranger Regiment is.
Makes sense. I was wondering to myself when we may see the ALARACT published and it would seem reasonable to think this lends itself well to an Army birthday publishing date. That would put it just two or maybe three weeks before the OCP duds end up on MCSS shelves, minimizing the amount of time OEF-CP owning Soldiers would have to wear stuff that the rest of their formation wouldn’t be as to access.
Devils advocate tho: I would go out and buy a secondhand uniform from a surplus store and just wear that to get me out of UCP if I didn’t have 4 serviceable sets left myself…
So, same as 2013 and 2014?
Ugh, I hope not – I hope it actually gets announced this year.
Since we have a solid indication that an ALARACT is in the works I think that sets this year apart.
Here’s hoping…
I hate to say I’ve heard it once before, but it’s even worse that I’ve heard it twice before. THIS TIME THEY MEAN IT! The rumblings are loud enough this year to make it plausible, but that could have been said it both times prior.
Jon, OPT
I’ll be pumped when I can get my A2CUs in the new OCP. Until then I have to settle for UCP.
Your average Army brat isn’t discerning enough to care about the difference between OCP and Multicam. Just like Marines couldn’t tell you the difference between AOR1 and Desert MARPAT. The difference between these two sets respectively are insignificant, and discrepancies will more than likely get swept under the rug.
I imagine the surplus FRACU market is going to skyrocket in price as the Multicam (OCP-CP) pieces get rarer and rarer and soldiers want to wear them more. I am not even in the Army, but if I was, I would start buying Multicam FRACUs to hold onto.
This Airman is quite jealous after reading this. The USAF’s only excuse for not transitioning with the Army has been cost per unit. If OCP ACUs are the same price as the ABU there will be a lot of us calling out AF leadership.
It’s cost all right, but rather the cost of buying out the inventory of the ABU at DLA.
Air Force should just stop buying ABUs, continue to issue them until supplies are exhausted and replace them with OCP. They can issue 2 and 2s just like the Army is likely to do until UCP ACUs are exhausted.
So is there any OCP uniforms out to buy right now that aren’t FRACU?
So I’m not waiting to buy stuff at MCS like I am waiting for medium APFU shorts to get in stock…
Commercially, there are MultiCam ACUs available.
Article says Multicam FRACUs will be allowed, but I did not see anything about regular non-FRACU (nyco) Multicam
ACUs. Did I miss something?
It doesn’t say anything about ORF-CP ACUs because, as far as the Army is concerned, they don’t exist. That won’t stop guys from wearing them, or at least trying to though.
Still unaddressed are SOF issued Crye Precision Field and Combat Uniforms as well as PCU Level 9 garments in MultiCam aka OEF-CP.
Forgive my ignorance. Isn’t the Ranger Regiment wearing nyco Truspec Multicam/OEF-CP uniforms? Were FRACUs the only issued OEF-CP uniforms?
Yes, the only Program of Record, Big Army issue of MultiCam uniforms is FR ACU. But the average bear isn’t going to know that.
One of the forthcoming issues will be that these wear out / issue dates will be used as a differentiator for boards. “Oh, I see you haven’t purchased the new uniform de jour. You must not care about your career.” This is how it went down with Class A’s to ASU’s.
any word on when the alaract will come out?
Still no word. I’m guessing 14 June due the date’s significance but I’ve expected a camp announcement on that date more than once.
SMA sent out an update saying the ALARACT will be out today. Here is the pocket guide…
https://ako.us.army.mil/suite/doc/44835743
Is it still the full color flag?