MultiCam Uniform Regulations of the U.S. Army

The MultiCam is currently the official military uniform worn my U.S. Army soldiers in Afghanistan and throughout the middle east. Like other military uniforms of the U.S. Army, standard-issue wear of the MultiCam uniform comes with specific regulations to improve battle-readiness and discipline of specific dress codes. The primary purpose of MultiCam uniform regulations (as well as other common uniforms) is for the evaluation, interpretation, revision, and development of acceptable military uniform and insignia dress codes that will improve the uniformity and image of U.S. Army units.

In this Army and Military blog post, we outline the general military-issue regulations of the MultiCam uniform.

MultiCam Trousers

MultiCam trousers is held up by a two-inch web belt that is made of nylon, and includes Velcro pouches for inserting knee pads. The trousers must always be tucked into the top of the boots or secured by drawing the string at their bottom ends. Trousers must never extend below the third eyelet from the boot’s top. MultiCam trousers manufactured using flame resistant materials are currently standard issue for soldiers being deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.

MultiCam Jacket 

Much of the MultiCam jacket regulations focus on the patches and insignia worn on the jacket. The embroidered rank insignia is 2 inches in height and 1 3/4 inches wide. It must always be worn centered between the front hook and loop-face pad of the MultiCam jacket for all U.S Army ranks. The rank insignia’s background may be either the universal camouflage pattern or just plain olive drab, and must always match with the background of the name and the name tape.

The U.S. flag patch must always adorn the right shoulder pocket flap of the MultiCam jacket. Current MultiCam regulations also require that the Army jacket must never extend below the top of the cargo pocket or go higher than the bottom of the side pocket. Finally, the MultiCam jacket sleeves must strictly be worn down at all times.

MultiCam Headgear

The MultiCam typically includes the Advanced Combat Helmet, a patrol cap, a fleece hat for cold weather, and boonie hat. Green, maroon, and tan berets may be worn in barracks by army special forces, paratroopers and Rangers, in that order. The green micro fleece cap is only allowed for use in the field and garrison outside of unit patrols while camouflage cover rank must always be sewn when worn although its use is limited because it is often obstructed by the night vision device mount.

MultiCam Undershirt

MultiCam military uniforms must be worn with a moisture wicking cotton tan t-shirt. The MultiCam undershirt must be worn underneath the coat and tucked inside the trousers at all times.

A pure cotton foliage-green T-shirt is authorized for MultiCam regulation wear by soldiers in special training environments or for those deployed in Korea, Afghanistan or Iraq. Black T-shirts are the standard issue for the uniforms worn by certain instructors on Army posts in areas like the Ranger School, Special Forces, Snipers, Jumpmaster, Airborne, Sapper, and Pathfinder (although much less common.)

MultiCam Combat Boots 

Military-issue combat boots for the MultiCam uniform must be made from tan rough side out cattle hide leather that has a plain toe and tan rubber outsoles. The boots must at all times be diagonally laced using tan laces, with any extending lace neatly tucked into the top of the boot underneath the bloused trousers, or securely wound around the top of the boot.

There are no metallic cleats, side tabs, or zipper tacks that are either sewn or laced in allowed by the MultiCam regulations. The MultiCam must at all times be worn with the official tan Army Combat Boots and moisture wicking socks. There is also a Mountain Combat Boot that is provided to cater for tough terrain and Extreme Cold Vapor Barrier Boots for walking on snow and ice. An innovative Modular Boot System is in development to eventually replace the current Army Combat Boot in the near future.

The U.S Army is a uniformed service where a soldier’s discipline is partially dependent on the manner in which they wear their officially sanctioned uniforms, as well as by their personal grooming. A smart and well-groomed appearance by all soldiers is thus essential to a functional Army, and contributes fundamentally to the pride and spirit that are the major drivers of an effective military force.

Features & Advancements in Today's Army Combat Shirts

Whether from Propper, Rothco, or 5.11 Tactical, today's army combat shirts are one of the best tops available for various combat situations. Army combat shirts provide a wide range of features and help protect users from a wide range of elements and hazards.

In this article, we share some the advancements and features behind common army combat shirts on the market.

Materials Used in Army Combat Shirts

Modern army combat shirts are typically made of a 60/40 or 50/50 blend of cotton and nylon that helps in insulating the skin when exposed to high temperatures such as is the case with flash fires and blasts. Unlike polyester or “polypro” the resulting blend does not melt onto the skin and thereby reduces burn injuries.

Nearly all army combat shirts feature a No Melt/No Drip Cordura Baselayer fabric to cover the torso. This extremely light weight and extra comfortable torso fabric unlike heavier Nomex apparels is not only durable but it also reduces chafe, increases airflow between the skin and the fabric thus wicking sweat away from the body.

Features Behind Army Combat Shirts

For the ultimate apparel best suited to the most hostile environments, manufacturers have come up with army combat shirts featuring padded elbows. Commonly called “the SuperFabric abrasion dots”, such elbow pads are designed to provide a good level of durability and protection when a soldier is in crawling position. The rest of the sleeve fabric, just like the Cordura Baselayer fabric making up the torso, is designed to be flame resistant.

Following the discovery that uniform chest and lower pockets can’t be reached especially when a soldier is wearing body armor and thus practically useless, manufacturers have done away with the weight of the pockets on a standard army combat shirt. Instead, the pockets are located on the sleeves where they can be easily accessed.

After phasing out breast pockets, shoulder pockets have become rampant in nearly all army combat shirts being produced today. This adequately addresses known problems when wearing body armor and in addition, the shoulder pockets feature light weight FR zippers that help keep military gear within reach.

Another peculiar feature of nearly all modern army combat shirts is the presence of wrist cuffs. Such hook and loop cuff closures can be easily adjusted to fit a variety of wrist sizes in a way that the shirt assumes a snug fit.

To help in identification, army combat shirts designs have incorporated Velcro loops on the sleeve pockets to help attach a soldier’s name, rank, unit and their flag patches. This feature has done away with the Army Logo that featured in army combat shirt and appeared at the front of the shirt.

Colors of Army Combat Shirts

Most army combat shirts come in camo patterns, such as ACU digital, MutliCam, Woodland, and desert camo. Other designs feature heavily foliage green color, though other options such as sand color body, black, olive drab and khaki color options are also available. Most of the army combat uniform designs can be found at military-issue stores like Military Uniform Supply.

Other features to be found in army combat shirts include: the presence of glint tape holder for IR military operations tape that helps identify friend from foe, sleeves which are gusseted, a mock turtle neck, flat seams to minimize chafing under body armor and pen pocket on forearm for easy access.

The Rise of MultiCam in Today's Military Uniforms & Combat Gear

MultiCam® is a advanced camouflage pattern that's becoming quite popular due to its incredible effectiveness in the field, as well as its unique and innovative design.

MultiCam was designed to disguise users amidst a wide range of environments, seasons, and conditions. The objective behind its creators was to develop a new camouflage that centers on the need for optimal concealment in a wide spectrum of terrain and changing conditions.

While there are a wide range of camouflage options that suit the demands for concealment in specific environments (such as that of today's desert and woodland BDU's), MultiCam is known to be effective in a wide array of landscapes and conditions, making it one of the most revolutionary developments to support the United States Armed Forces.

The Design Behind MultiCam Camouflage

MultiCam camouflage is a complex pattern composed of many different layers and colors. The background color scheme consists of a tan/brown gradient with light shades of green in between. The frontal layers of MultiCam include a green/yellow color gradient with blotches of brown and a slight pink scattered throughout the camouflage's pattern.

The desirable feature behind MultiCam is its ability to conceal a user by deceiving the eye's perception of color. In essence, the visible appearance of MultiCam seems to change from slight green to brown, depending on the brightness and backdrop of the environment. This makes MultiCam uniforms and combat gear ingenious applications for a wide range of situations, particularly for use in the Middle East.

The Emergence of MultiCam in Today's Military Uniforms & Gear

MultiCam uniform attire and gear has exploded over the last few years. For military issue applications, MultiCam uniforms have become increasingly demanding as more combat situations are present in Middle Eastern environments. Retailers like Military Uniform Supply have realized this rise in demand MultiCam uniforms and combat gear.

Beyond military use, hunters and outdoors men are also finding MultiCam to be a unique choice for their attire. The uniqueness of this camouflage pattern has earned recognition amongst many different markets.