All about Camouflage & BCU (inc cartoons)

[Schmedlap]

As near as I can tell, the Army acquisition corps determined that all of Hyperstealth's experience and research wasn't as credible as the 'feeling' that black was unnecessary in the camo pattern.

I always wondered what the rationale was for not just copying the Marine camo, rather than wasting money on our own R&D. Once again, the Army does not let me down. I expected nothing any more logical.

IIRC, the Natick rationale was that 'there is no black in nature...' one of the more brilliant statements by any Army proponent for something.

I recall a Ranger Instructor saying something similar. He said that "nothing in nature is completely black." Someone raised his hand and asked, "what about shade?" Pretty good question for someone who probably hasn't slept in 3 days and thinks that his notebook is a candy bar. Regardless, the RI told him to STFU. I forget what the significance of the claim was or what point he was trying to make. There is black everywhere in nature. Maybe he meant that nothing is completely black from head to toe, or from root to stem, or something like that.

[IntelTrooper]

There is black everywhere in nature. Maybe he meant that nothing is completely black from head to toe, or from root to stem, or something like that.

I am so disillusioned... if the Army isn't an authority on zoological matters, what else could they be wrong about??

[patmc]

Somewhere along the line I remember hearing that the Marines offered to share their new camo, but the Army declined bc they wanted something unique, and multi-purpose for all environments, to save on the number of uniforms (just like badges save money on patches and sewing, even though they wear out and have to be replaced). The Army said no, the Marines said, your loss, patented it, and now its theirs. Who knows if that is true, but RUMINT is sometimes right.

My first field training experience as a cadet, wearing BDU's, we conducted STX lanes. When we halted, we took up positions and pulled security. I couldn't see the guy 10 ft from me in the woods. When we arrived in Kuwait for the mandatory trainup, we went to a range in our DCUs. Guys blended in with the desert and sand. Couple range pax wore ACUs and stood out clearly in the sand. That new stuff on the website looks really good, but our old stuff wasn't that bad.

I always wondered what the rationale was for not just copying the Marine camo, rather than wasting money on our own R&D. Once again, the Army does not let me down. I expected nothing any more logical.