Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) in the United States was the standard military uniform worn into combat, battledress as opposed to 'display' dress uniforms worn at parades and functions. BDUs may be either plain fatigues or in camouflage colors. US Marine Corps MARPAT uniform Military uniforms comprises standardised dress worn by members of the armed forces of various nations. ... “Fights” redirects here. ... US Army soldiers wearing the new Army Combat Uniform, Desert Camouflage Uniform, and a World War II-era uniform (L to R) Battledress is a general term for the military uniform worn into combat, as opposed to display dress and formal uniforms worn at parades and functions. ... In Wikipedia, fatigue can mean: Fatigue (physical) - tiredness in humans Fatigue (material) - failure by repeated stress in materials Fatigues (uniform) - military uniform Battle fatigue - also known as Post-traumatic stress disorder Readers fatigue Voter fatigue This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that... Countershaded Ibex are almost invisible in the Israeli desert. ...

History of Camouflage Battle Uniforms

United States National Guard troops during an exercise, wearing standard woodland-colored BDUs. In the United States Army, the Battle Dress Uniform has been replaced with the Army Combat Uniform.

U.S. Air Force security troops training at Fort Huachuca in BDUs.

While the Italian Army was the first military organization to issue camouflaged clothing, the Germans were noted for their efforts in this field before the Second World War. After much trial, the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (abbrev. OKW) authorized Heeres-Splittermuster 31, more commonly known as 'splinter pattern', for use in shelter-quarters (Zeltbahnen) in the 1930s. In 1940, SS-Verfügungstruppe (abbrev. SS-VT; renamed Waffen-SS designed, tested and issued its own distinctive patterns not long after. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (699x635, 284 KB)Sgt. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (699x635, 284 KB)Sgt. ... The United States National Guard is a component of the United States Army (the Army National Guard) and the United States Air Force (the Air National Guard). ... The United States Army is the largest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ... Two soldiers wearing the ACU, as well as ACU-patterned patrol cap (left) and boonie hat (right). ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (3008x1960, 4604 KB)Fort Huachuca, Arizona -- Senior Airman Chris Clawson points out direction of a truck seen on a ridgeline during a tactics training reconnaissance mission Oct. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (3008x1960, 4604 KB)Fort Huachuca, Arizona -- Senior Airman Chris Clawson points out direction of a truck seen on a ridgeline during a tactics training reconnaissance mission Oct. ... USAF security troops on a training exercise on Fort Huachuca. ... Coat of Arms of the Italian Army Dardo IFV on exercise in Capo Teulada Soldiers of the 33rd Field Artillery Regiment Acqui on parade The Italian Army (Esercito Italiano) is the ground defense force of the Italian Republic. ... The command flag for the Chief of the High Command of the German Armed Forces (1938 - 1941) The command flag for a Generalfeldmarschall as the Chief of the High Command of the German Armed Forces (1941 - 1945) The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht or OKW (Wehrmacht High Command, Armed Forces High Command... Face The 1930s (years from 1930–1939) were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression, also known in Europe as the World Depression. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Waffen-SS recruitment poster; Volunteer to the Waffen-SS The Waffen-SS was the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel. ...

The United States Marine Corps received its first military camouflage pattern in 1942, when the reversible beach/jungle three- and five-color frog skin uniform was issued, based on a 1940 trial design. The U.S. found it to be ineffective and the pattern was withdrawn in 1944 — in part because of anticipated friendly fire incidents before D-Day. Camouflaged helmet covers and shelters were issued in the 1950s in "wine leaf" and "brown cloud" patterns. The US army also trialed a lesser known camoflauge uniform during D-Day and throughout Normandy, similar to the Marine Corp's uniforms, but it was replaced by the M43 uniform before seeing that much use. The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States military responsible for providing power projection from the sea,[1] utilizing the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Land on Normandy In military parlance, D-Day is a term often used to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ...

Enter the United States military's four-color "ERDL" pattern. During Vietnam, it saw limited use amongst specialist units in the Army, though most were issued the solid olive green OG107 sateens or jungle fatigues, while the Marines adopted the pattern service-wide after 1968. The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the 1968 Gregorian calendar. ...

The ERDL pattern fatigues were identical in cut to the third-pattern OD jungle fatigues, and were available in both a highland pattern (more brown), and a lowland pattern (more green), though the lowland pattern was eventually phased out. Other, unofficial, patterns utilized in Vietnam included black-dyed jungle fatigues, often used by special purpose forces, and various Vietnamese Tigerstripe patterns (themselves being based on French Army airborne and Foreign Legion patterns and a British design utilized in Malaysia), or commercial "duck hunter" patterns. Tigerstripe is the name of a group of camouflage patterns developed for close-range use in dense jungle environments (jungle warfare). ... The French Army (French: Armée de Terre) is the land-based component of the French Armed Forces. ... “Legionnaire” redirects here. ...

The actual Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) appeared in September 1981 in a woodland pattern. A four-color development of the ERDL pattern, it used two shades of green, one of brown, and black on a cotton-nylon mix. It was issued in two variants, a lighter temperate-weather design, and a heavier cotton winter-weight variant.

Since 1981, changes have included the elimination of buttoned waist adjustment tabs, the size reduction of the collar, and refinements in stitching and fit.

Replacements

The U.S. military has run trials on many patterns (some of which have been used by other nations) and issued some environment-specific ones, notably the six-color chocolate-chip camouflage (designed in 1962) and "night-time desert grid," both of which saw use in the 1991 Persian Gulf War. Both were discontinued just after the conflict in 1991. Desert uniforms using a three-color desert camouflage were introduced and saw use notably during operations in Somalia in 1993 and Afghanistan and Iraq in recent years. This 3-color desert uniform is known as the Desert Camouflage Uniform (DCU), or colloquially by the troops that wear them, "coffee stains". Three-color Desert BDUs replaced the six-color pattern throughout the 1990s, although some items of six-color desert camouflage (such as helmet covers) have been seen in use by U.S. troops as recently as the 2003 invasion of Iraq. It is interesting to note that the New Iraqi Army, being trained by U.S. and multinational forces, uses the chocolate-chip camouflage. This is likely because much of their equipment so far is surplus American and allied gear. The Military of the United States, also known as the United States Armed Forces, is structured into five branches consisting of the: United States Army United States Marine Corps United States Navy United States Air Force United States Coast Guard Reserves United States National Guard United States Army Reserve United... These BDU pants have the chocolate-chip camouflage pattern. ... The Night Camouflage, Desert pattern is a two-colour grid camouflage pattern used by the United States military during the Gulf War. ... The Desert Camoflage Uniform (DCU) is essentially the same as the US Armys Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) uniform, only featuring the three-color desert camoflage pattern of light tan, pale green, and brown as opposed to the dark green, black, brown, and dark tan of the BDUs woodland... A cup of coffee Workers sorting and pulping coffee beans in Guatemala Mature coffee fruit still on the plant Coffee is a widely consumed beverage prepared from the roasted seeds — commonly referred to as beans — of the coffee plant. ... The Iraqi Regular Army is an army of the Iraqi Security Forces tasked with assuming responsibility for all Iraqi land-based military operations following the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. ... These BDU pants have the chocolate-chip camouflage pattern. ...

The development of more modern camouflage patterns and a wish for the service branches to differentiate themselves has had each branch looking for replacements for the BDU in recent years.

The Marine Corps was the first to choose a replacement. The Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform uses the computer-generated MARPAT pattern and has front pockets that lean inward as well as other enhancements. Approved for wear in June 2001, the change-over was completed October 1, 2004. The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States military responsible for providing power projection from the sea,[1] utilizing the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. ... MARPAT Utility Uniform The Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform or MCCUU is the current battledress uniform of the United States Marine Corps. ... Gen. ...

An Army program running from 2005 to 2007 has largely replaced the BDU with the new Army Combat Uniform (ACU). This new uniform uses a pixelated pattern like MARPAT, but uses less saturated colors. The neutral colors, foliage green and sand, are designed to be used in desert, woodland, and urban combat situations. The United States Army is the largest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ... Two soldiers wearing the ACU, as well as ACU-patterned patrol cap (left) and boonie hat (right). ... An internet image or digital picture of low quality that appears with unattractive blurry squares. ...

In 2007, the Navy will begin issuing a pixelated pattern uniform in blue and gray. To meet the Navy's cold-weather requirement, the new working uniform will include fleece jacket, pullover sweater, and parka options. In addition, the Navy will also implement woodland and desert digital-pattern uniforms specially for sailors who need to work ashore (e.g. hospital corpsmen or SEALs). These uniforms will replace the seven different working uniforms currently in use, including the relatively new and unpopular utility uniform that itself replaced the time-honored "dungaree" uniform in 2000 [1]. USN redirects here. ...

In 2004 and 2005, the Air Force experimented with, but rejected, a blue tigerstripe uniform. In 2006, an earth-tone color "semi-pixelated tiger pattern" uniform, called the Airman Battle Uniform, was approved. Although this pattern utilizes bright earth tones, it still retains blue as one of the colors. Based upon the old BDU design uniform, this uniform features a few additional pockets for tools. It is in production and will be available in 2007. [2]. The United States Air Force (USAF) is the aerial warfare branch of the United States armed forces and one of the seven uniformed services. ... Gen. ...

The Coast Guard, on the other hand, has introduced the new Operational Dress Uniform (ODU) uniform in 2004 to replace the winter and summer "Undress Duty" uniform. Resembling law enforcement SWAT fatigues, the new ODU uniforms retains the basic design of the old-style BDU uniforms, but with the lower pockets on the blouse being eliminated and the uniform being worn tucked into the trousers, similar in nature to the old-style OG107 cotton sateen fatigues. The sleeves can be worn "folded up" in a manner similar to the old Army and Air Force BDUs (since disallowed with the new Army ACU and Air Force ABU uniforms) and the trousers "bloused" into the boots (unless boating shoes, especially for the Coast Guard Auxiliary, who patrols for the Coast Guard onboard privately owned watercraft), with the ODU black belt and blackend buckle being worn with the metal tip 2 to 4 inches from the buckle, another Marine Corps regulation. The dark blue Coast Guard unit ballcap is worn with this uniform. The ODU also has all of its allowable insignia sewn on, eliminating the chance of puncture wounds created by the pins if the individual suffers a blow to the chest while wearing a PFD. USCG HH-65 Dolphin USCG HH-60J JayHawk The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is a branch of the United States armed forces and is involved in maritime law enforcement, mariner assistance, search and rescue, and national defense. ... Operational Dress Uniform (ODU) is the normal work uniform of the United States Coast Guard and the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. ... It has been suggested that floatation suits be merged into this article or section. ...

External links

• FAS page with descriptions and pictures of all BDU camouflage patterns
• Program Executive Office Soldier has FAQs and product sheets for US Army BDUs & ACUs.