| When you think of camouflage, the first thing | | | | experienced in the Iraqi desert. |
| that probably comes to mind is standard issue | | | | |
| greens that look like someone took three or | | | | ACU digital camouflage has recently come into |
| four paintbrushes with different shades of | | | | use in the United States Army as well. To |
| green and splashed them randomly on the | | | | picture this pattern, think of the game |
| clothes. You probably also think of extremely | | | | Tetris, with its various shapes created by |
| insulated and thick material that almost | | | | putting blocks together. The greens and |
| feels like canvas. Thanks to modern | | | | browns in these camouflage items are fitted |
| technology, testing, and government awareness | | | | together in this manner, appearing almost |
| of the changing scenes of war, this is not | | | | like pixels in a digital camera. This pattern |
| always what is referred to when talking about | | | | has been found to blend into several |
| camouflage anymore. While still in use and | | | | environments, including woodland, desert, and |
| quite popular, this stereotyped camouflage is | | | | urban locations. That makes this type of |
| by far outdated in many instances and has | | | | camouflage a great all purpose design. |
| been replaced in many cases with newer, more | | | | |
| effective camouflage patterns. Depending on | | | | A form of camouflage that works well in |
| the use, soldiers may have various patterns | | | | jungle and heavily leafy environments is |
| worn for various circumstances. | | | | tiger stripe camouflage. Looking like exactly |
| | | | what its name implies, the yellowish and |
| Woodland camouflage is probably the most | | | | greenish stripes (which appear almost black, |
| popular form and is the first thing that | | | | depending on the lighting) help soldiers to |
| tends to come to mind when thinking of a | | | | blend into a jungle environment, where much |
| camouflage pattern. It is the classic mixture | | | | of the greenery is in the form of long fronds |
| of greens and browns with no real pattern | | | | and branches and where animals with stripes |
| that mimics the various hues of a forested | | | | (tigers, as you may guess) tend to strike |
| area full of trees, leaves, and shrubs, thus | | | | fear into the hearts of the enemy. Tiger |
| earning its name. The most notorious and | | | | stripe camouflage was used a lot in the |
| widely used camouflage pattern, woodland | | | | Vietnam War. |
| camouflage has been around for ages. However, | | | | |
| over the years, it has been determined that | | | | City camouflage, also referred to as urban or |
| this is not the most appropriate pattern to | | | | subdued urban camouflage, is quite different. |
| actually camouflage soldiers under all | | | | Instead of having the standard greens and |
| circumstances. | | | | browns, city camouflage is a woodland pattern |
| | | | made of mixed blacks and grays. These colors |
| The desert 6 colors camouflage pattern came | | | | blend more with urban surroundings and allow |
| into use during Operation Desert Storm, as | | | | police officers and SWAT teams to hide in |
| well as the wars in Somalia. Finding that the | | | | heavily populated areas full of gray and |
| standard issue woodland camouflage actually | | | | black buildings. The pattern can also be |
| stood out against the sandy, treeless | | | | useful for night raids. These are sometimes |
| backdrop of the Middle Eastern deserts, the | | | | used at night in Iraq as well to help blend |
| United States military began to issue its | | | | in with the extreme darkness that falls over |
| soldiers these duds, which replaced the | | | | the desert at night. |
| greens and dark browns with the colors of the | | | | |
| desert - tan and light browns with smaller | | | | Obviously, woodland camouflage is no longer |
| green markings sprinkled throughout. Also, | | | | standard issue. While many other countries |
| these were made of a cotton/polyester blend, | | | | still use this design regardless of the |
| making them less insulating in the terrible | | | | application, the United States does |
| heat of the desert. | | | | everything possible to make their soldiers |
| | | | safe, as well as comfortable. The innovative |
| A still further improvement in this area that | | | | techniques put into practice to help |
| is now being used by soldiers in Iraq is the | | | | camouflage the soldiers today have saved |
| desert 3 colors camouflage. These fatigues, | | | | lives and taken more danger than ever out of |
| as per their name, use only three colors - | | | | the daily responsibilities at the edge of the |
| tan, beige, and standard brown. The three | | | | battlefield. With continued research, new |
| shades mimic the look of sand even better, | | | | camouflage patterns are being tested and |
| allowing soldiers to literally blend into the | | | | issued all the time for efficacy, and as the |
| dunes around them and never be noticed. Best | | | | need arises, soldiers will receive new |
| of all, the desert 3 colors camouflage is | | | | patterns that could make their job even less |
| typically 100% cotton, making them easily | | | | dangerous. |
| breathable in the 115 or above degree heat | | | | |