What is Universal Camouflage?

Seeking soldiers who've worn the Army's Universal Camouflage pattern in Iraq or Afghanistan?

• Hello, I’m a reporter working on a story about changing camouflage patterns in the Army. I’m trying to find soldiers or former soldiers who have served in Afghanistan or Iraq while wearing the Army’s Universal Camouflage Pattern, who’d be willing to talk with me about how well (or badly) the stuff actually worked in the field. I’d like to find someone whose firsthand experience could shed some light on why this pattern seems to be so widely disliked. If you’d like to get in touch with me, my email is [email protected]. (In case you haven’t heard of us, we’re the iPad-based newspaper that’s owned by the parent company of Fox News and the Wall Street Journal). Thanks very much for your time, Erik German National affairs correspondent The Daily

• Answer:

  I personally have worn the ACU and DCU in Afghanistan and Iraq. I dislike the ACU for several reasons: 1. It rips in all the wrong places. #1 is the crotch. Enough said there. 2. The ACU FR (Fire Retardant) tends to run in between "normal sizes" 3. The ACU becomes less breathable the more you sweat in it. Its worse than starching ever was; I had uniforms that would stand up on their own after several weeks of patrols and wear. 4. The ACU FR can turn some strange colors in the wash -- like orangish or pinkish -- even when washed properly. 5. They are only designed to last for 6 months! That means at the end of a year long deployment they are tattered and very unprofessional looking. The velcro gets tons of fuzzballs on them after soo many washes in crappy chlorine-filled water. 6. You don't actually blend in to anything! 7. The velcro stops working. You cant get your pockets to stay closed.