Is there anything that would prevent the army from buying a license to use the multicam pattern from Crye and then using other vendors to make the uniforms? As a businessman if I had a superior product but lacked the capacity to fill an order that size, that would probably the route that I would take. I'd rather have a big fat royalty check rolling in and my product being used, rather than to have a great design that can't be implemented on a large scale.

You're right, It's not only the uniform, its all the kit. Body armor, helmet covers, all the pouches, rucksacks, camelbacks etc. as well... All bought with big army $$.

Guess what... the minute that the Army "officially" calls the ACU pattern a mistake, then all the minions will be free to do the same and then re-order (or simply get re-RFI'd) the same stuff in a pattern that won't stand out like a whore in church when worn against a uniform of another patter (like multicam, for example)...

It boggles my mind that, while in the middle of a war, we decide to adopt the worst performer that turns out to be so bad that we are looking for a replacement damn near as soon as we convert everythign over to the new patter and we're not talkign about wholesale firings, and/or recalling now-retired decision-makers on the carpet to explain their decision making process.

Boggles my mind from a war-fighting perspective and from the position of fiscal responsibility.

I remember in the early 80's when we switched from the perma-press tuck-in- the-shirt, back-pocket-buttons-got-caught-on-everything-and-popped-off, sure wish you could actually USE the other pockets, ohhhhhh and what a nice baseball cap to the initial BDU. That was SO cool, tucked out, lotsa useable pockets and oooohhhhh camoflage (just like the cool Armies).:cool:
Then the black in the patterns turned blue!:mad:


Which wasn't that bad . . . cause we were issued jungles. Jungles are mega- Cool! (They had pockets INSIDE pockets!) And you could get into the chest pockets. And you could sew on all your "chesticles". And your branch! oh well . . . :boohoo

Seems like the Marines got it right. But then the Marines have always had the best uniform.

Could the Army use the Marine pattern/colors but have a version made that does not have the USMC markings in the pattern?

Allot of talk has been about the two Marine color patterns and how great they are. Why cant the Army use them?

This would also sort of get most service members back to having the same uniform.

Right. I really like the way USMC worked all that yellow into the scheme. But, as far as "the Marines have always had the best uniform" that's what Harry Truman thought obout the "sea-going bellhops".

The Marine digitals ("digies") were being phased in when I was on my last half of my contract. It is obviously better than the old woodlands or tri-colors, but the colors are still bold and don't do nearly as well as the Multicam pattern. My biggest gripe about the digies is the way they fit; way too tight every place compared to the old style BDUs. When I was in Asskrakistan, I read a Marine Corps Times article that mentioned that the new tailoring was made while keeping in mind that women must wear the uniform as well. After all, it is so important to have your non-combatants look nice, and feel nice, too. Needless to say, none of my shit fit, and I never wore them except for my last tour when it was required. I rejected the "relish" and was fortunate enough, since I was issued the old BDUs, to be able to wear them until my separation. I like the shoulder pockets, by the way.

Are the ACUs tailored differently compared to the old BDUs? And how about some of the Crye gear? Interesting to know.

Bottom line is someone in the acquisitions departments of all the services has a distant cousin making new patterns or some sort of sweetheart deal waiting for them should they jump on all these new uniforms.

I found this interesting....

ummm...what:confused:

Yeah. . . me too:confused:

I see what you're saying.;) But then, in this case, that may not necessarily be a good thing.

FWIW, I like your question.

IIRC, some vendors already license multi-cam for their own products. TAD Gear comes to mind immediately but that list also includes Arc'Teryx, Kifaru International, and Dropzone Tactical.

Wall paper
 

It is the pattern not how often it repeats.

Look at the wall paper in your house, same thing.

The larger the drum at printing the more distance between repeats.

What I found interesting is that the original CADPAT, MARPAT, ACU's and the new Navy pattern all seem to use the same algorithm in their pattern generation. Everyone gets accused of copying so and so (It has been said the Army copied the Marine pattern, mostly by Marines of course) and then claim their pattern is unique and they didn't copy anyone, but when in reality the only thing different is the color schemes. And we all are copying the Canadians.

I wonder how much R&D money was actually spent in designing the new uniforms....... After all, changing colors can be sooooo trying sometimes. It makes me sick to think about how much money has been wasted on the ACU's, from R&D to fielding. What a joke.

Abstract "art"?
 

My "creative" side of the brain ain't working I guess.:confused:

Stay safe.

Good find, Oldschool. Someone's collecting a fat royalty check. So is his brother, General so-and-so who keeps pimping the design to all the services.

I think those red stripes would give you away.:D