Uniforms of the United States Armed Forces

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A U.S. Armed Forces Joint Ceremony at the D.C. National Guard Armory in April 2008 Participants of the U.S. Armed Forces Joint Ceremonial Drill Competition 2008.jpg
A U.S. Armed Forces Joint Ceremony at the D.C. National Guard Armory in April 2008

Each branch of the United States Armed Forces has its own uniforms and regulations regarding them.

Contents

Combat uniforms overview

Service dress uniforms overview

Current camouflage patterns

List of current camouflage patterns and uniforms
BranchCamouflage patternImageNotesIn use since
Flag of the United States Army.svg
U.S. Army
Operational Camouflage Pattern, used for the Army Combat Uniform (ACU)
OCP Swatch.jpg The Operational Camouflage Pattern was first issued to deployed soldiers in 2015. OCP uniform uses black thread for rank and tapes. [1] In October 2019 the U.S. Army fully switched to Operational Camouflage Pattern (which is very similar to MultiCam) as the main camouflage for its units.OCP: 2015
Flag of the United States Marine Corps.svg
U.S. Marine Corps
MARPAT pattern, used for the Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform (MCCUU) in two variants, woodland and desert. MARPAT woodland pattern.jpg MARPAT desert pattern.jpg The USMC's MARPAT pattern was the first digitalized (pixelated) pattern in the U.S. military, unveiled in mid-2001. [2] [3] [4] It was first available in January 2002 and was mandatory by late 2004. [5] [6] 2002
Flag of the United States Navy (unofficial proportions).svg
U.S. Navy
Navy Working Uniform (NWU) NWU Type III camouflage pattern swatch, AOR 2.jpg Navy Working Uniform (NWU) Type III camouflage pattern swatch, AOR-1.png There are two variants of the camouflage. Type II desert variant authorized only for Naval Special Warfare units in desert environments; Type III woodland variant, initially authorized only for specific land based units but subsequently announced as the standard ashore working uniform for all navy sailors from October 2019 onward. Type II and III are similar in hue to MARPAT, with the former lacking the brown hues of MARPAT.2009
Flag of the United States Air Force.svg
U.S. Air Force
Operational Camouflage Pattern, used for the OCP uniform OCP Swatch.jpg Air Force replaced prior Airman Battle Uniform in 2018.
Air Force OCP uniform uses spice brown thread for rank and tapes.
2018
Flag of the United States Space Force.svg
U.S. Space Force
Operational Camouflage Pattern, used for the OCP uniform (OCP)
OCP Swatch.jpg OCP uniform uses space blue thread for rank and tapes.2019 [7]

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flags of the United States Armed Forces</span> Banners which represent branches of US military forces

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In the United States Navy, officers have various ranks. Equivalency between services is by pay grade. United States Navy commissioned officer ranks have two distinct sets of rank insignia: On dress uniform a series of stripes similar to Commonwealth naval ranks are worn; on service khaki, working uniforms, and special uniform situations, the rank insignia are identical to the equivalent rank in the US Marine Corps.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Service stripe</span> Military insignia

A service stripe is an embroidered diagonal stripe worn on the sleeve(s) of some military and paramilitary uniforms. In the case of the United States military, service stripes are authorized for wear by enlisted personnel on the lower part of the sleeve of a uniform to denote length of service. Service stripes vary in size and in color.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MARPAT</span> US Marine Corps camouflage pattern

MARPAT is a multi-scale camouflage pattern in use with the United States Marine Corps, designed in 2001 and introduced from late 2002 to early 2005 with the Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform (MCCUU), which replaced the Camouflage Utility Uniform. Its design and concept are based on the Canadian CADPAT pattern. The pattern is formed of small rectangular pixels of color. In theory, it is a far more effective camouflage than standard uniform patterns because it mimics the dappled textures and rough boundaries found in natural settings. It is also known as the "digital pattern" or "digi-cammies" because of its micropattern (pixels) rather than the old macropattern.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle Dress Uniform</span> Fatigues used by the US Armed Forces from early 1980s to mid-2000s

The Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) is a camouflaged combat uniform that was used by the United States Armed Forces as their standard combat uniform from the early 1980s to the mid-2000s. Since then, it has been replaced or supplanted in every branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Army Combat Uniform</span> Combat utility uniform of the United States Army, Air Force, and Space Force

The Army Combat Uniform (ACU) is the current combat uniform worn by the United States Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Space Force and some elements of the U.S. Coast Guard. Within the Air Force and Space Force, it is referred to as the OCP Uniform, rather than the Army Combat Uniform.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uniforms of the United States Navy</span> Clothes worn by members of the United States Navy

The uniforms of the United States Navy include dress uniforms, daily service uniforms, working uniforms, and uniforms for special situations, which have varied throughout the history of the navy. For simplicity in this article, officers refers to both commissioned officers and warrant officers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiger stripe camouflage</span> Type of camouflage pattern

Tiger stripe is the name of a group of camouflage patterns developed for close-range use in dense jungle during jungle warfare by the South Vietnamese Armed Forces and adopted in late 1962 to early 1963 by US Special Forces during the Vietnam War. During and after the Vietnam War, the pattern was adopted by several other Asian countries. It derives its name from its resemblance to a tiger's stripes and were simply called "tigers." It features narrow stripes that look like brush-strokes of green and brown, and broader brush-strokes of black printed over a lighter shade of olive or khaki. The brush-strokes interlock rather than overlap, as in French Lizard pattern (TAP47) from which it apparently derives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Airman Battle Uniform</span> United States military combat uniform

The Airman Battle Uniform (ABU) is a U.S. camouflage combat uniform formerly worn by members of the United States Air Force, United States Space Force, and some civilian employees of the U.S. Department of the Air Force until April 2021. It replaced the Battle Dress Uniform and Desert Camouflage Uniform on 1 November 2011 after a four-year phase-in period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Desert Camouflage Uniform</span> Arid-environment camouflage uniform used by U.S. military from mid-1990s to early 2010s

The Desert Camouflage Uniform (DCU) is an arid-environment camouflage uniform that was used by the United States Armed Forces from the mid-1990s to the early 2010s. In terms of pattern and textile cut, it is identical to the U.S. military's Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) uniform, but features a three-color desert camouflage pattern of dark brown, pale olive green, and beige, as opposed to the four-color woodland pattern of the BDU. It replaced the previous Desert Battle Dress Uniform (DBDU) which featured a six-color "chocolate chip" pattern of beige, pale olive green, two tones of brown, and black and white rock spots. Although completely phased out of frontline use in the U.S. Armed Forces, some pieces and equipment printed in the DCU camouflage pattern are used in limited numbers such as MOPP suits and/or vests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Physical training uniform</span> Military/organizational uniform

A physical training uniform is a military or organizational uniform used during exercise, calisthenics, drills, and in some cases, very casual periods of time. Most militaries, especially the United States Armed Forces and their auxiliaries require use of a physical training (PT) uniform during unit exercise. All items worn by military personnel conducting PT as a group are subject to uniformity, at commander discretions, however, some U.S. military units produce unique T-shirts with their unit insignia and motto, and for special events, this shirt is part of the uniform. Occasionally, exercise will also be conducted in that branch's utility uniforms, normally with the blouse removed and the undershirt exposed. For unit runs, esprit de corps or special occasions, commanders may have personnel wear unique T-shirts with the distinctive unit insignia and unit colors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uniforms of the United States Marine Corps</span> US military uniform

The United States Marine Corps (USMC) prescribes several types of military uniform to distinguish its service members from other armed services, depending on the situation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform</span> Uniform

The Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform (MCCUU) is the current battledress uniform of the United States Marine Corps. It is also worn by Navy personnel assigned to Marine Corps units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Woodland</span> 1980s military camouflage pattern

The U.S. Woodland is a camouflage pattern that was used as the default camouflage pattern issued to the United States Armed Forces from 1981, with the issue of the Battle Dress Uniform, until its replacement in the mid to late 2000s. It is a four color, high contrast disruptive pattern with irregular markings in green, brown, sand and black. It is also known unofficially by its colloquial moniker of "M81" after the Battle Dress Uniform it was first used on, though this term was not officially used by the U.S. military.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operational Camouflage Pattern</span> United States military camouflage pattern

Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP), originally codenamed Scorpion W2, is a military camouflage pattern adopted in 2015 by the United States Army for use as the U.S. Army's main camouflage pattern on the Army Combat Uniform (ACU). This pattern officially replaced the U.S. Army's previous Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP) as the official combat uniform pattern for most U.S. soldiers at the end of September 2019. The pattern also superseded the closely related MultiCam, a pattern previously used for troops deploying to Afghanistan.

The Navy Working Uniform (NWU) is a series of military uniforms that are currently used by the United States Navy for wear by its members. The NWU is a "working" uniform, which means that it is made to a more durable and utilitarian standard, thus being worn in lieu of more formal uniforms that might get unduly damaged or dirtied in the process of normal military duties.

References

  1. Tan, Michelle (3 April 2015). "Army chief shares update on new camo rollout". Army Times.
  2. Jontz, Sandra (February 24, 2001). "Marines' followed Canadians' example in use of digitally-designed 'cammies'". Stars and Stripes. Archived from the original on June 6, 2002. Retrieved June 6, 2002.
  3. Starr, Barbara (June 20, 2001). "From Cammies to Pixies?: Marines Dump Old Wrinkled Duds for Permanent Press and Pixel Patterns". ABC News. Archived from the original on June 25, 2001. Retrieved June 25, 2001.
  4. Oliva, Mark; Childs, Jan Wesner (July 3, 2001). "Officials went to the source to ensure new Marine uniform pleased troops". Stars and Stripes. Archived from the original on July 25, 2001. Retrieved July 25, 2001.
  5. United States Marine Corps. "U.S. Marines Combat Utility Uniforms 2003" (PDF). United States Department of the Navy. United States Department of Defense. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 9, 2008. Retrieved April 9, 2008. The woodland pattern combat utility uniform was first made available to selected commands on 17 January 2002.
  6. "New uniform debuts today". Around the Fleet. Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. January 17, 2002. Archived from the original on September 19, 2013. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
  7. "Space Force Offers First Peek at Camouflage Uniform". 21 January 2020.