Military Members post pics of you in your uniforms.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

The Air Force and Navy both still wear old woodlands, although I believe both are trying to find a replacement. I've seen some crazy AF possibilities - one being this blue-gray tiger striped uniform that looked like some hawaiian party garb. They canned that uniform though, I believe.

Nope they are still going to that tiger stripe with blue uniform.

Army guys can speak better than I can, but I believe their new uniform is supposed to double as a woodland/desert set - being the more subdued green color to effectively work in both environments. Not sure how effective they'll work in the field as I've never seen them.

The new ACU work really well in the desert, atleast so I am told. When we were in the desert we were still issued the DCU (Desert Combat Uniform) which was like the regular woodland uniform but with desert colors. In the desert the ACU is very well, because if you actually seen the Iraqi desert it is not just sand, but rather mostly dried dirt with patches of green. In the distance it is actually harder to see the ACU than the DCU.

As for in a non desert environment I can not speak for the ACU. I dont think it will be very good, atleast not in the environment like Europe and probably not for jungle type environments.

The Army gave us a wear out date for the woodland BDUs for October 2008 but we have to have one pair by October 2006. All units going to Afganistan or Iraq get issued the ACU and new soldiers going through Basic Training are issued them.

I never bought the ACU because well I only have 2 more days in the Army left.

 

[P38 Pilot]

Cool. Thanks for the info guys. Wish the Army would start using the ACU camo that the Marines have...

 

[mkloby]

Cool. Thanks for the info guys. Wish the Army would start using the ACU camo that the Marines have...

P38 - that's the most intelligent thing you've said! Now we just need to get you to start thinking about your future in the USMC, not the Army

The one thing about the army's new cammies is how the front pockets are slanted on an angle like ours, but their name tapes are parallel to the deck... looks so awkward to me... maybe just because I'm used to ours though.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

P38 - that's the most intelligent thing you've said! Now we just need to get you to start thinking about your future in the USMC, not the Army

Dont do it P38. They will brain wash you!

 

[k9kiwi]

A LONG time ago in a far away place.

23 years ago, damn where did they go.

RNZAF Police Dog Unit.

To put it in perspective, I am 6 foot 2 inches in my stockings.

The average German Shepard weighs around 95 pounds.

The bad boy in the photos with me weighed 120 pounds and could put his front paws on my shoulders and lick me in the face

In other words "Your worst nightmare" if he got p1ssed at you.

No 1 manwork and tracking team for the unit.

 

[lesofprimus]

I grew up for many many years with German Sheppards in my house.... Awesome dogs and smart as hell...

 

[davparlr]

A LONG time ago in a far away place.

23 years ago, damn where did they go.

RNZAF Police Dog Unit.

To put it in perspective, I am 6 foot 2 inches in my stockings.

The average German Shepard weighs around 95 pounds.

The bad boy in the photos with me weighed 120 pounds and could put his front paws on my shoulders and lick me in the face

In other words "Your worst nightmare" if he got p1ssed at you.

No 1 manwork and tracking team for the unit.

Boy, those are sure ugly dudes you work with! Dogs are good looking, though.

 

[k9kiwi]

Les.

The Unit photo in Full Dress is easy to remember as to when it was taken.

Graduation Day for the re activation of the Unit after a 5 year hiatus.

Also the Greenpeace Ship (Rainbow Warrior) was sunk in the early hours of that day in Auckland harbour.

My Father, Ex Army, and then still Detective Senior Sergeant with the NZ Police (Retired as SNCO of the Police after 29 years) was the Media Liason Officer for the Police.

Needless to say, a great friend and mentor never made it to my graduation.

However the drinks that went down range about 4 weeks later were a blinder.

That day was the finish of 18 months damn hard work. 14 of them on courses of one nature or another. Each had a tests at least once a week. Each test had a pass mark of 80 %. One failure below 70 % was enough to kiss it all goodbye, no second chances.

The only variation from that rule was practical testing with the dogs, even dogs have bad days and there is just nothing you can do about it.

People talk to me now about being under pressure at their work, in an office and I just about p!ss myself laughing.

 

[P38 Pilot]

P38 - that's the most intelligent thing you've said! Now we just need to get you to start thinking about your future in the USMC, not the Army

The one thing about the army's new cammies is how the front pockets are slanted on an angle like ours, but their name tapes are parallel to the deck... looks so awkward to me... maybe just because I'm used to ours though.

Sorry, Army all the way!

I like how the Army's ACUs are designed, I just wish the Army had a good woodland pattern. But, I like the ACUs and wish we could get some In JROTC. (Army JROTC by the way. )

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

JROTC will basically allways have hand me downs from the Army. Some day you sould get ACUs then.

 

[P38 Pilot]

Yeah. I still like the BDUs but the ACUs look awesome! I plan on going to basic training when I turn 17.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

You have fun with that. Are you parents going to allow you to go. You cant go with out there permission until you are 18.

 

[ndicki]

Just to chuck in my two-pennyworth - ACUs are this US digital camouflage, right? Supposed to be the all-terrains solution to not being seen?

Sorry, but I don't believe it! I've tried out a variety of camo types in a variety of situations, and not one is going to work well under all conditions.

The best I've found for Europe and 'wet' tropical zones is British DPM - also used by New Zealand, so look at K9Kiwi's pics if you want to see more - although the early stuff had a sand coloured base which was too pale at night. Modern DPM is slightly darker, and avoids this. DPM has the edge because of the relatively high contrasts between the colours - more so than US Woodland or French CE - and the slightly smaller size of the blotches, again compared to the above. It is, as its name states, disruptive, not mimetic. French 'old pattern' lizard/tiger cam can be useful in wet tropical areas, but I prefer DPM for it's superior disruptive ability.

German cam, on the other hand, is mimetic, and from a distance, it loses the ability to break up outlines and shapes because of the excessive similarity between the tones of the colours. Also, as it is essentially green-based, it is OK for Northern Europe, but not brilliant in, say, Greece. ACUs risk falling into the same trap, even though the base colour seems to be dusty earth, rather than green. Compare with East German raindrop cam - they might as well never have bothered.

For grasslands, veldt, etc, Rhodesian cam is miles ahead of anybody else's, although again, you have to take care at night if you've washed it too often! Here I have no idea how it behaves in night vision/infra-red, etc, as I didn't have the chance to test it.

For desert cam, it all depends on what the desert looks like! In desert as in North Africa (Rommel's home), the same cam will not work as in, say Afghanistan, or Iraq. For North Africa, it's my guess that old KD (Khaki Drill, ie, traditional sand coloured, single-colour cotton uniform) will work as well as anything!

If you want my opinion, stay with two or three different types. Just make sure stocks are on hand when needed...

 

[evangilder]

Obviously one camouflage doesn't do it all, that is why there are different ones. Digital camouflage comes in several different color schemes.

The official ACU is like the old utility uniform, and even the Army says it isn't 100% for all locations, but a good balance for all. My old utility uniform issued in basic was one color, olive drab. Might work ok in Europe, but obviously not for the Middle East or Arctic conditions. This will give the forces a utility uniform that can be used in different theaters with some degree of effectiveness. Besides, NO camouflage makes you invisible anyway.

 

[P38 Pilot]

You have fun with that. Are you parents going to allow you to go. You cant go with out there permission until you are 18.

They wont allow me to go Active Duty, but would allow me to go National Guard or Reserves. I might go National Guard.

 

[ndicki]

Evanglider, no camouflage makes you 100% invisible, but I've had people walk past me only ten feet away and not see me, when there was no serious cover other than longish grass, etc! With a uniform that does not break up your shape well enough, that does not happen - so back to my comment about colout similarities being dangerous.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Just to chuck in my two-pennyworth - ACUs are this US digital camouflage, right? Supposed to be the all-terrains solution to not being seen?

No but it is good for the areas that we are fighting in the most. Obviously it is not that good for environments like Europe.

German cam, on the other hand, is mimetic, and from a distance, it loses the ability to break up outlines and shapes because of the excessive similarity between the tones of the colours. Also, as it is essentially green-based, it is OK for Northern Europe, but not brilliant in, say, Greece. ACUs risk falling into the same trap, even though the base colour seems to be dusty earth, rather than green. Compare with East German raindrop cam - they might as well never have bothered.

It is actually more brown based than green. I have several pairs that I traded my uniforms with German soldiers for.

As for environments like Greece and other rocky areas such as Afganistan the German uniform is even more brown based with tan and other lighter brown colors. I have included a picture of the german tropical/desert uniform.

For desert cam, it all depends on what the desert looks like! In desert as in North Africa (Rommel's home), the same cam will not work as in, say Afghanistan, or Iraq. For North Africa, it's my guess that old KD (Khaki Drill, ie, traditional sand coloured, single-colour cotton uniform) will work as well as anything!

For Iraq the new US ACU has been found to be the best type there is. The desert in Iraq is not just brown but light shades of grey and green the new ACU actually allows you to blend in the best there. Studies were done and found that to be the best combination.

That is why the Army went to that pattern because that is where we are fighting now and where future conflicts are likely to occur.

If you want my opinion, stay with two or three different types. Just make sure stocks are on hand when needed...

Now that I agree with. I had several different uniforms. I had my woodland BDU's, my DCUs (Desert Combat Uniform), my Green Nomex Flight Suit, my woodland ABDUs (Aviation BDU's/basically a 2 piece flight suit that looks like BDUs but made out of Nomex for use with flight crews), and my Brown desert Flight Suit.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Besides the US Army ACUs are going to phased out soon anyhow. I cant remember the name of the new army system that is coming out but it is allready being combat tested in Iraq and Afganistan by Spec Op troops and it is a new uniform that heats you when it is cold, cools you down when it is hot, is water proof and changes colors based off of your surroundings.

This is supposed to be fielded within the next 5 to 10 years.

 

[k9kiwi]

Blurry Ell.

I suppose it goes pee-pee for you too.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Would not surprise me.

It has built in armoured protection and is very light weight. The helmet has complete coverage of the face and you can communicate with your other soldiers and commanders. It also has built in GPS and maps built into the visor.

It is being tested as we speek. They demonstrated it at the Land Combat Expo over here at one of our military posts in Germany.