Air Force plans new special forces BDUs

Stars and Stripes, European edition ^ | Friday, August 8, 2003 | Sandra Jontz

[Ax]

As an old "zoomie," I would've loved to wear camo BDU, but we either wore their sage colored USAF fatigues, or the green US Army fatigues (40 years ago). Times change. As I was leaving Howard AFB in Panama just after OPERATION JUST CAUSE, in Jan 1990, we were stopped at an Air Force checkpoint. Only upon getting within 10 feet of the USAF SP did we realize that it wasn't an Army MP. Woodland camo fatigues, flak jacket, jump boots, beret. Only difference was the USAF command patch on the flak jacket. I think those new USAF camo designs are neat. And what about the troopers in Iraq now? Desert camo BDU with woodland camo flak jackets? What's up with that?

[SAMWolf]

Desert camo BDU with woodland camo flak jackets? What's up with that?

Makes you wonder what the heck they were thinking doesn't it?

[AF68]

I bet you don't remember the old Air Force chukka boots. The first thing I did was chukka them in the trashcan.

[ErnBatavia]

The Air Force has always had the ugliest duds - (except for those size-zippered bell bottoms the Squids used to wear) -looks like nuthin's changing. Glad I was in the Marine Corps.

(:

[BenLurkin]

They are nuts. Blue just isn't going to blend in anywhere. Grey would make more sense if they insist on being unique. But really, why not the same patterns as worn by other G.I.s?

[BenLurkin]

NO, No, No.

Like this:

!!!

[Centurion2000]

I think the armbands and german crosses can go away.
Something with a more modern cut would be a good idea.

[Calvin Locke]

...old tiger stripe camo used in Vietnam.

Saw the History Channel thing on camo. The tiger stripe failed because it was made in Asia with cheap dyes.

They faded/ran pretty quick and stuck out.

[gcruse]

They are nuts. Blue just isn't going to blend in anywhere.

Come on, Ben.  This is the Air Force.  They
are supposed to blend in with the sky.

[Kevin Curry]

Chief Master Sgt. Ricky Arnold, manager for the Air Force's Survivor Evasion Resistance and Escape special forces program, models a prototype of the proposed utility uniform, . . . . [P]reliminary tests indicate the new blue BDU is camouflaged in 80 percent of tested environments

Sure is astonishing. Why, I couldn't even see him standing there in that picture.

[mwyounce]

Don't worry, I'm sure Jack will refuse to wear these...

[Mo1]

Well .. they will stand out

[KiaKaha]

Funnily enough the SAS have painted their Land Rovers pink for use in the desert for years. I believe someone made a comment about them being a bit “faggy” for doing it. I think the person concerned is due out of hospital next month.

[ASOC]

If the blue was gray, they would make pretty good urban camo. And we seem to be doing a lot of urban of late....

My first cammies were some funky Marine - and with a black beret we stuck out like a sore thunb on the Army base - but, as they say, the color of your cammies did not matter when the F4s showed up.....

[kayak]

fyi

[CholeraJoe]

Hey! We may be behind the times but we've got air conditioning and cold beer. And if the groundpounders need a couple of daisy cutters dropped, call us at the O club. Someone's bound to be sober enough to fly.

[snippy_about_it]

LOL! You tell 'em 'joe'!

[commish]

hmmmlooks like they are at attention to me.

[WestPacSailor]

...someone made a comment about them being a bit “faggy”...

My guess is this individual didn't make the comment directly to any SAS members. Not and live to tell about it.

[SAMWolf]

LOL! You know we're just funnin ya.

No self respecting groundppounder can act like we actually appreciate you guys, it'd ruin our image.