Battle Dress Uniform

US Army National Guard soldiers wear BDUs in M81 Woodland camouflage during a July 2000 field training exercise in Yavoriv, Ukraine.

The Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) are fatigues that were used by the US Armed Forces as their standard uniform for combat situations from the early 1980s to the mid-2000s.  Since then, it has been replaced or supplanted in every branch of the US Armed Forces, except for certain elements of the US Navy and US Coast Guard, which still used them as of late 2012.

The US navy currently authorizes wear of the BDU uniform at locations such as at the US Special Operations Command and other ground-based naval units, such as Seabees.  US Coast Guard personnel overseas and working with other military services may wear Woodland BDUs, and the Desert Camouflage Uniform (a variation of the BDU) but known by another name.  BDUs are also worn by officers of the US Public Health Service in dirty or austere environments, and they are often the perscribed uniform for any deployment activities.

BDU-style uniforms and derivatives still see widespread use in other countries (some of them being former US surplus stocks transferred under US security assistance groups), while others are still worn by some US federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies or activities who may work in tactical situations, such as the DEA FAST and SWAT teams.

Description and adoption

These uniforms are called battle dress uniforms because they are intended for use during "battles", as opposed to "garrison" dress uniforms worn at parades and functions.  The general design and configuration of the US BDU uniform was similar to that of Vietnam-era jungle fatigues, which were in turn similar in configuration to specialty uniforms worn by US paratroopers during WWII.

The Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) first appeared in Sept. 1981 in the woodland camouflage pattern.  It was based primarily on the woodland colors of northern Europe.  It used shades of green, brown, tan, and black, initially printed onto cottin-nylon blend twill cloth, known as the "Temperate Weight" uniform.  A lightweight, "Tropical Weight" BDU uniform was introduced in 1987 with the pattern printed on 100% rip-stop poplin cloth.

The tropical weight uniform was not as durable as the temperate weight uniform.  The tropical uniform would only last for 4-6 months of use when rotating four uniforms for duty, while the temperate uniforn would last over a year under the same conditions.

It was the first camouflaged uniform approved by the Army since the US withdrawal from Vietnam, where the ERDL pattern was in limited use.  The BDU soon replaced all earlier camouflage pattern uniforms for all wooded, jungle, and tropical environments, and, by 1989, had completely replaced the standard olive drab uniforms that had been used since 1952.

Modifications

Since 1981, changes included the addition and subsequent elimination of buttoned waist adjustment tabs, the size of reduction of the collar, and refinements in stitching and fit.

Woodland camouflage (in near-infared).

BDUs were initially only issued in a 50/50 nylon and cotton twill blend (the Temperate Weather BDU (TWBDU)).  Complaints regarding the heat retention of these uniforms, especially following the invasion of Grenada in 1983, led to the introduction of the Hot Weather BDU (HWBDU).  The Hot Weather BDU coat and trousers were constructed of 100% ripstop cotton, in a four-color woodland camouflage pattern.  However, after complaints of shorter wear and frayed cuffs, along with requirements imposed by unit commanders to starch the all-cotton uniform for parade, the Enhanced Hot Weather BDU (EHWBDU) replaced the HWBDU commencing in 1996.  The EHWBDU are made with 50/50 ripstop nylon and cotton poplin blend.

BDU's are printed with infared-brightened dyes.  Near infared (NIR) Signature Management Technology is used in the uniforms to help prevent detection by NIR Image Converters.  These photocathode devices do not detect temperatures, but rather infared radiation variances.  NIR-compliant uniforms use a special fabric that allows soldiers to appear at the same radiation level as the surrounding terrain, thus making them more difficult to detect.  It is advised not to use starch when cleaning or ironing BDUs, since starch weakens the fabric and ruins the infared protective coating.  A pair of BDU's that has been starched even once should not be worn in combat.

History of camouflaged battle uniforms

US Air Force Security Forces airmen respond to a threat at Fort Huachuca, Arizona in October 2004, wearing BDU's in M81 woodland camouflage.

While the Italian Army was the first military organization to issue camouflaged clothing, the Germans were noted for their efforts in this field before the Second World War.  After much trial, the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht authorized Heeres-Splittermuster 31, more commonly known as "splinter pattern" for use in shelter-quarters in the 1930s.  In 1940, SS-Verfugungstruppe (abbrev. SS-VT; renamed Waffen-SS) designed, tested, and issued its own distinctive patterns and layouts not long after.

The United States Marine Corps received its first military camouflage pattern in 1942, when the reversible, beach-jungle three- and five-color frog-skin pattern uniform was issued, based on a 1940 trial design.  The US found it to be ineffective and the pattern was withdrawn in 1944-in part because of anticipated friendly fire incidents before D-Day.  Camouflaged helmet covers and shelters were issued in the 1950s as "wine leaf" and "brown cloud" patterns.  The US Army also tried a lesser-known camouflage uniform on D-Day and throughout the Normandy operations, like the Marine Corps' uniforms, but it was replaced by the M43 uniform before being used much.

A US Air Force missile technician wearing a BDU in M81 Woodland camouflage inspects an ICBM guidance system in March 2006.

During the Vietnam War, the US military's four-color ERDL pattern saw limited use amongst specialist units in the US Army, though most were issued the solid olive green OG107 sateens or jungle fatigues, while the Marines adopted the pattern service-wide after 1968.

The ERDL pattern fatigues were identical in cut to the third-pattern OD jungle fatigues, and were available in both a highland pattern (more brown), and a lowland pattern (more green), though the lowland pattern was eventually phased out.  Other, unofficial patterns utilized in Vietnam included black-dyed  or spray painted jungle fatigues, often used by special purpose forces, and various Vietnamese Tigerstripe patterns or commercial "duck hunter" patterns.

Derivatives

US Army soldiers (from left to right) showcase the Army Combat Uniform (left), Desert Camouflage Uniform (center), and a WWII-era uniform (right) during a Public Service Recognition Week event at the National Mall in Washington D.C., in May 2005.

The US military has run trials of many camouflage patterns (some being used by foreign militaries) and issued environment-specific uniforms, notably the six-color "chocolate-chip camouflage" or Desert Battle Dress BDU designed in 1962, and the "nighttime desert grid" (NCDBDU).  Both uniforms were used in 1991, during the Persian Gulf War.  During that war, after initiatives by General Norman Schwarzkopf, the six-color Desert Battle Dress uniform was produced in 100% cotton poplin without reinforcement panels in order to improve comfort in hot desert conditions.  All of these Desert BDUs were discontinued after the war.

The Desert Combat Uniform (DCU) in three-color desert camouflage were introduced in 1992, and was utilized in operations in Somalia (1993); it was in service in Afghanistan and Iraq from the start of hostilities, but the US Army and US Marine Corps have both replaced the DCU with newer uniforms.  The DCU is colloquially called "coffee stains" by the soldiers wearing it.

In testing, US Army researchers found that, as in other environments, the color of desert terrain varies, and can range from pink to blue, depending on the minerals in the soil and the time of the day.  Since patches of uniform color in the desert are usually 10 times larger than those in wooded areas, it was decided to alter the existing six-color DBDU pattern.  This led to the development of a three-color pattern DCU, which was adopted.

Three-color DCUs replaced the six-color DBDU pattern of the 1990s, although six-color desert camouflage helmet covers have continued in use with some US troops since the invasion of Iraq in 2003.  Interestingly, the reformed Iraqi Army, trained by US and multinational forces, wore surplus six-color DBDUs; likely because much newer Iraqi Army materiel is donated American and Coalition surplus equipment.

US Marine Corps

The development of modern camouflgate patterns and the desire of the US military branches to differentiate themselves from each other has resulted in new patterns for uniforms.  The US Marine Corps was the first branch to replae their BDUs.  The Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform uses the computer-generated MARPAT pattern and several other enhancements.  It was approved for wear in June 2001, and the changeover was completed by 1 Oct. 2004.  However USMC Special Operation units or MARSOC recently have issued M81 woodland pattern uniforms to supplement MARPAT uniforms, making MARSOC a unit to return to woodland BDU pattern uniforms for special missions.

US Army

A US Army program running from 2005 to 2007 has largely replaced the BDU with the Army Combat Uniform (ACU).  The ACU uniform uses a digital pattern like MARPAT, but uses less saturated colors.  The neutral colors, foliage green and sand, are designed to be used in desert, woodland, and urban combat situations and is known as the Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP).  The ACU is used in all environments except for areas with snow, as the ACU works poorly against white.  An all-white BDU and the ECWCS are used instead.

US Navy

In 2007, the US Navy began issuing a digital pattern Navy Working Uniform (NWU) in blue and gray on an experimental basis.  While it is neither a tactical uniform nor a battle dress uniform nor a battle dress uniform, the NWU is intended to take the place of many existing work ensembles (utilities, wash khaki, coveralls, woodland green, etc).  The disruptive pattern is primarily intended to complement US Navy ship colors and to hide stains and wear, and supposedly to make the wearer a less obvious visual target for hostile forces while working aboard a naval vessel in port.

To meet the Navy's cold-weather requirement, the NWU set will include a fleece jacket, pullover sweater, and parka options.  US Navy SEALs, Seabees, and other US Navy personnel deployed ashore under the cognizance of US Naval Forces Central Command still use older woodland and/or 3 color desert BDUs for outdoor operations or activities in specific areas of responsibility (AOR).

US Air Force

In 2004 and 2005, the US Air Force experimented with, but rejected a blue-toned tigerstripe uniform.  In 2006, a new BDU-style uniform called the Airman Battle Uniform (ABU) was adopted, using a semi-pixelated tiger pattern with four soft earth tones consisting of grey, tan, green, and blue.  It failed, however, to incorporate many of the significant improvements of the ACU and MCCUU.  By 2007, it was in current production.

In 2008, responding to criticism that the new Airman Battle Uniform was too heavy and hot in high-temperate environments, the USAF's 648th Aeronautical Systems Squadron at Brooks City-Base revealed plans to switch to a lighter, more breathable fabric for the cotton blouse section of the ABU.  The original heavyweight nylon/cotton blend was changed to a lighter-weight nylon/cotton poplin material.  Priority will go to those serving in the Middle East or other hot-weather theaters.

US Coast Guard

The US Coast Guard has introduced the new Operational Dress Uniform (ODU) uniform in 2004 to replace the winter and summer "Undress Duty"  uniform.  Resembling the BDU fatigues, the new ODU uniforms retain the basic design of the old-style BDU uniforms, but with the lower pockets on the blouse being eliminated.  The sleeves can be worn "folded up" in a manner similar to the old US Army and US Air Force BDUs (since disallowed with the new Army ACU) and the trousers "bloused" into the boots (unless boating shoes, especially for the US Coast Guard Auxilary, which patrols for the Coast Guard aboard privately owned watercraft), with the ODU black belt and blackened buckle being worn with the metal tip 2 to 4 inches from the buckle.

The dark blue Coast Guard unit baseball-style cap is worn with this uniform.  The ODU also has all of its allowable insignia sewn on, eliminating the chance of puncure woulds created by the pins if the individual suffers a blow to the chest while wearing a PFD or body armor.  The ODU is not intended to be worn by Coast Guard units which engage in combat operations or are deployed overseas.  These units continue to wear older woodland BDUs and DCU uniforms for USCG units overseas or part of other DoD operations.

With the few wear-out date exceptions for USAF and USN personnel described above, BDU in MultiCam woodland camouflage is in use today mainly by the public, public service persons, and some foreign military units. BDUs can also be purchased from civilian vendors in the UCP pattern analogous to the ACU as well, though they are not authorized for wear by US Army soldiers.

Criticism

General purpose lacking suitability

One continuing criticism of the BDU was that as a general-purpose battledress uniform designed to save costs and promote durability, it lacked suitability for a number of specialized extreme environments and conditions.  Uniform weight, along with heat and perspiration retention have been especially criticized.  The extensive incorporation of uniform reinforcement panels and the large number of oversized pockets, utilized primarily for reasons of durability and conveniance, tend to increase heat retention in hot-weather environments, mitigate the beneficial effect of the open-weave cloth, and increase the risk of skin diseases and inflammations in humid environments, especially in the thigh and groin area, where double and even triple layers of thickness of cloth are used.  In jungle and tropical environments, the carrying of large amounts of gear in the trouser and shirt pockets is generally unknown among other uniformed military forces, as the practice retains excessive body heat and promotes the corrosion of carried items through perspiration.

Open weave

The open-weave cloth construction of the BDU is also easily penetrated by insect bites in tropical, jungle, and other malarial environments, causing an increased risk of transmitted diseases such as malaria, even when pretreated with permethrin or other repellent.  Since WWII, the US military has been aware of the problem of insect penetration of loosely-worn fabrics in tropical and jungle environment, issuing a tightly-woven Byrd Cloth tropical uniform of single layer Egyptian cotton for jungle troops in 1943.