XBradTC

The camouflage pattern will not stand alone among coming changes to the Army Combat Uniform. Joining the camo: a new belt, undershirt and boots.

The new personal gear, expected to roll out this summer, is darker to better match the new Operational Camouflage Pattern. Current lighter colors of the maligned gray Universal Camouflage Pattern would provide stark contrast to the new pattern.

Perhaps most visible: the default Desert Tan boots of today will give way to Coyote Brown 498. The darker color will blend better in a wider variety of environments, according to Program Executive Office Soldier. Coyote brown also does not show dirt or wear as easily as today’s tan boots.

via New camo means new boots, belt and T-shirt.

The changeover to a new uniform doesn’t happen instantaneously. It takes a while. Eventually the Army will publish a “wear out” date beyond which the older style uniform components will not be authorized.

Until then, we can expect to see various Sergeants Major having conniption fits about soldiers wearing light colored boots with the new, darker uniforms, and other such shenanigans.

The actual cost for changing the uniforms isn’t so much (for the government, at least) but the fact that virtually all Organizational Clothing and Individual Equipment will have to be replaced with new pattern gear will be expensive.