On October 3rd, 2014, the 75th Ranger Regiment will celebrate its 30th anniversary. On that day, they will also officially don the Army’s recently adopted Operational Camouflage Pattern as their garrison dress. This event will mark the first time that an Army unit will be seen in OCP in garrison and they chose their most elite Infantry unit for the honor.
Members of the Regiment have long relied on OCP clothing and equipment while deployed for combat operations as well as during training. Initially, they used Crye Precision MultiCam kit procured with MFP 11 SOF dollars. When the Army adopted the commercial MultiCam pattern as Operations Enduring Freedom Camouflage Pattern in 2010 the Rangers began to receive Rapid Fielding Initiative equipment such as the FR ACU which was used to augment their existing gear.
Sources say the Army plans to completely outfit the Regiment’s ACUs in the new OCP variant (Scorpion W2) featuring updates such as improved upper arm pockets in November.
Hopefully, this move will usher in an across-the-board approval by the Army for all Soldiers to begin to wear their OCP clothing already issued under RFI. According to industry sources, the Army still plans to offer the new OCP ACUs for sale at Military Clothing Sales Stores beginning May, 2015.
