Field eXpedients: ACU Desert Camouflage Fix dynmicpara

If the enemy can't see you, he doesn't know when to command-detonate the land mine to blow you and your comrades up.

http://www.combatreform.org/camie.htm

The U.S. Army's Combat Uniform (ACU camouflage pattern (ACUPAT) has dark green and light gleen computer splotches that are OK for night operations but stand out in daylight. The tan base color is OK, but there's not enough of it.

What can you do about it if you don't have the $$$ or access to MULTI-CAM ACUs or 3-color desert uniforms (DCUs) or TAN nomex flight suits? Or if you have an incompetent, hostile chain-of-command to a common sense uniform switch? Are you damned to sticking out like a sore thumb in TAN desert Iraq/Afghanistan?

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Using an old bargain-basement OPFOR trick, TURN YOUR ACUs INSIDE OUT so the base fabric very light green color shows.

http://www.combatreform.org/bdufixes.htm

Do this for your ACU jacket top (remove all patches and zip closed) and pull-over your torso to don and your ACU helmet cover unless you are going to completely cover it up in a ghillie ragtop (see upcoming Fx video on this). ACU trouser wear inside-out is problematical but do-able, its YOUR LIFE HERE that hangs in the balance. TRY IT instead of goofing off playing X-BOX at the FOB. If you MUST have an American flag showing, break-out needle and thread and SEW it to your right shoulder sleeve. Cancel BS sports attire PT for one morning and have everyone do in & out stitch and get the flag patches sewn on if we lack the "time" and "energy" to do something TACTICALLY IMPORTANT.

Your Interceptor Body Armor and/or Load Bearing Vest (if your MOLLE 2 LBV is TAN, use it! cover up that ACUPAT whenever you can!) will cover up the center of the reversed ACU top but at least your arms, legs and head will be in a light green color better camouflaged for TAN surroundings than the ACUPAT dark green-light green-tan color scheme which you can reverse back to for night operations. If you wear knee/elbow pads spray paint the hard plastic outer shells TAN.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• army
• ACU
• camouflage
• desert
• terrain
• iraq
• afghanistan
• combat
• field
• expedients

[FtexasOU1]

I wouldnt be talking too much shit about the ACU. People say it doesnt blend into nothing. Well look back in 2003 when we first invaded iraq. We had marines wearing green BDUs with tan helmets in the desert. WTF? And the ACU does actually blend to some things or the army wouldnt use them

[dynmicpara]

@FtexasOU1 Citing the idiotic marines is no justification for anything--the only reason why they have MARPAT Desert is because they copied the Canadian camouflage pattern to try to stay ahead of the U.S. Army in terms of military fashion.

[purpleeggsearea51]

the acu really works in the shade. I like it because it kept me cooler in the summer than the bdu summer uniform.

[dynmicpara]

Are we going to fight wars in the shade?

[larsanien]

well, but in buioldings it works pretty good!! but camo is actually designed to let you blend in in 200 or more meters!!

so i see your point! but you cant wear it out in the field inside out!!

[FtexasOU1]

@dynmicpara o ok haha is that really the reason why the marines have that

[SamuraiPie8111]

Faded ACU works in Afghanistan, but really, we need ATACS

[danielraul1989]

yeah sorry that wont fly in my unit, but hey multicam is round the corner

[GP3PocketSnare]

@Ebsil0n Haha, the biggest joke is that ACU WAS tested and scored in the bottom 2 out of the 4 patterns tested. It was only fielded to keep up with the futuristic digital patterns. Just google U.S. Army universal camouflage trials. lol

[Jajajawut]

i know theyre not issued but the only way you cant wear MC's is if you have dick CO

[illmetaphysics]

the ACU blends into nothing, unless you wanna climb a tree lol. Good luck fighting in the desert and sticking out like a glowstick.

[DanVielwerth]

Didn't some men of the 29th ID turn their jackets inside out during WW2 for better camouflage?

Great to see old ideas come back into use, even though it's because of crap camo used in the first place.

[Twister6900]

Actually the army is switching to multicam,UCP does work,you just have to dirty it up.