Army combat uniform

The Army Combat Uniform (ACU) and its flame-retardant variant, the Flame-Resistant Army Combat Uniform (FRACU), are the current battle uniforms worn by the United States Army. First unveiled in June 2004, it is the successor to the Battle Dress Uniform(BDU) and Desert Camouflage Uniform (DCU) worn from the 1980s through the early 2000s, respectively. It features a number of design changes, as well as a different camouflage pattern from its predecessor. The ACU and its component materials are manufactured by the existing industrial infrastructure which produced the now-obsolete BDU. Official military-grade ACUs are made of 50% nylon and 50% cotton. All other blends are not official issue

Patterns
Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP)

The U.S. Army uses the Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP), which blends tan, gray and green (Desert Sand 500, Urban Gray 501 and Foliage Green 502) to work equally in desert, woodland, and urban environments It is similar to the United States Marine Corps MARPAT and Canadian CADPAT camouflage scheme on which it was based. The color scheme of the Army Combat Uniform is composed of a slate gray, desert sand and foliage green pixel pattern. The shade black was omitted from the uniform since it is highly visible both to the naked eye and to modern optics. However, it does utilize several shades of grey ranging from very light to extremely dark. Pure black, when viewed through night vision devices, appears excessively dark and creates an undesirable high-contrast image.

Components

The Army Combat Uniform features hook-and-loop fasteners, also known by the genericized trademark velcro, on its sleeve pockets. The cost to each soldier is $120 per uniform, compared to $58 for a BDU, but clothing allowances in soldiers' pay have been adjusted to compensate for the increased cost. Insignia and tags, such as name and branch tapes, are extra purchases.

Uniform care

Although common practice (though not required by regulation) with the BDUs, ACUs are not to be starched. As per the ALARACT message in effect until a new revision of AR 670-1 is released, "Soldiers will not starch the Army Combat Uniform under any circumstances. The use of starch, sizing, and any process that involves dry-cleaning or steam press will adversely affect the treatments and durability of the uniform and is not authorized."

Starching the uniform has been shown to cause discoloration. It enhances the IR signature, making the uniform inappropriately bright under night vision viewing.

Personnel have been instructed that the uniform must be washed with a mild detergent that does not contain "optical brighteners." Detergents with optical brighteners may cause discoloration of the uniform, which would nullify the purpose of the very specific camouflage design and result in possible unwanted detection of personnel using the uniforms in combat. Some detergents have phosphorescent properties which enhance an enemy's ability to see the soldier when viewed with night vision devices.

Soldiers have expressed concern about the velcro on the ACU. Dirt and mud can clog the hooks and loops or they can wear out with use, requiring the use of cleaning brushes for clearing the velcro as part of daily maintenance. Zippers have also been a topic of concern. Soldiers also expressed concern because the zippers (as with any zipper) can bind up, and render the uniform uncomfortable to wear, especially with body armor. According to the Program Executive Office Soldier "Commercial Velcro will be sold in clothing sales for the repair/replacement of Velcro. Additionally soldiers have been using the small weapons cleaning brush to clean out any sand and dirt from the pile and it has been working very well.

In 2010, Velcro was phased out in favor of buttons, which are silent, work well in dust, mud and snow, support heavier use and hold more securely.

Initial fielding

The process of replacing the U.S. Army's Woodland Pattern BDU (in use since the early 1980s) and Desert Camouflage Uniform with the ACU was to begin in April 2005. However, the fielding process began two months earlier through the Rapid Fielding Initiative. Soldiers from the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team were the first U.S. Army unit, active or reserve, to receive the ACU, subsequently deploying the entire Brigade into OIF combat in May 2005. Initial reception of the ACU was mixed, with complaints of insufficient durability and excessive maintenance.As of the early 2010s, the use of multiple camouflage patterns within a U.S. Army unit is now seldom seen, as the ACU in UCP is now standard issue.