If you have any photographs of Battalion duty uniforms from any era, please feel free to pass them along to the History Project Manager via the Email Link above.

Unless specifically noted, all the MP uniforms included in this section are from authentic photographs submitted by Battalion veterans.

Army Combat Uniform (ACU)
14 June 2004 - On the 229th birthday of the United States Army - the Army officially unveiled the new combat uniform designed with major input by the Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) Corps and enlisted Soldiers, and tested in Iraq since October 2003.

     Three different versions of the ACU have been developed, and more than 10,000 uniforms have been produced and battle-tested in the sands of Iraq and at Army training centers. Plans call for fielding to the total Army by December 2007.

     This wasn't a cosmetic redesign of the uniform, but a functionality change of the uniform that improves the ability of Soldiers to execute their combat mission. Every change was made for a reason. The bottom pockets on the jacket were removed and placed on the shoulder sleeves so Soldiers can have access to them while wearing body armor. The pockets were also tilted forward so that they are easily accessible. Buttons were replaced with zippers that open from the top and bottom to provide comfort while wearing armor.

     There were 18 changes made to the uniform, to include removing the color black and adapting the digital print from the Marine Corps uniform to meet the needs of the Army.

     The Army took the original digital pattern to the next level by developing a pattern for world-wide theaters to encompass both the BDU and DCU requirements. Black is no longer useful on the uniform because it is not a color found in woodland areas. The current colors on the ACU are green and sandy brown. The pattern is not a 100-percent solution in every environment but a good solution across the board.

     There has not been a major change to Army uniforms since the BDUs (Battle Dress Uniform) were introduced in the early 1980s. This new uniform performs well in multiple environments. Its new pockets and color designs are a result of Soldiers in combat.

     Patches and tabs are affixed to the uniform with Velcro to give the wearer more flexibility and to save the Soldier money. Soldiers can take the name-tapes and patches off their uniforms before laundering, which will add to the lifecycle of the patches.

     The ACU consist of a jacket, trousers, moisture wicking t-shirt and the brown combat boots. It will replace both versions of the BDU and the desert camoflauge uniform. The black beret will be the normal headgear for the ACU, but there is a matching patrol cap to be worn at the commander's discretion.

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