I hope you are jesting. I served 23 years in my beloved Corps. We changed our uniforms a couple of times while I was active but not to the extent that the Army has. Just poking fun at the Old Dogs.
As to new requirements, the Army BDU did not change based upon a new requirement. It changed because folks at the Pentagon wanted something modern.
Actually, of course it’s the result of a new requirement - the older uniform wasn’t worth a damn in Afghanistan.
That, and you miss the obvious: the Marine Corps MARPAT uniforms looked and worked much better and they had to catch up.
My touchiness on the subject reflects the resentment I still carry about the crappy support the damn civilians gave us while we were giving our all in Vietnam.
I don’t care if they have to gold plate everything: if we need it and maybe our lives depend on it, fork it over.