The Digital Camouflage Fiasco of the 2000s: How the US Military Attempted to Combine Fashion with Function and Manufactured an Identity Crisis

In the decade from 2000 to 2009, the four services produced eight different types of camouflage patterns. The Marine Corps developed a pattern call Marine Pattern (MARPAT) and started the digital camouflage craze in 2000. Their Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform (MCCUU) was very popular amongst Marines, functioned well in intended operating environments, and was unique to their service (at the request of then Commandant General James Jones). The uniform was unveiled before 9/11 and set the Marine Corps apart from the other services. After 9/11, the nature of the Global War on Terrorism affected all of the services dramatically, with some searching for their new identity in the post Cold War world. One of the ways they attempted to do this was by adopting new camouflage uniforms, especially since the Nation was at war. Unfortunately, their requirements were based on service identity, instead of any operational requirements like the MCCUU. The results were poorly received uniforms that negatively affected service culture and identity and failed to function appropriately. The situation eventually required the intervention of Congress after service members complained that their uniforms failed to adequately camouflage them in Afghanistan. It was determined that the Army Combat Uniform along with its controversial Uniform Camouflage Pattern (UCP) was not even testing prior to fielding. Congress mandated that all services operated under a common combat uniform in 2014, and the Marine Corps refused to allow the other services to adopt MARPAT. There are still policy and fielding issues that have not been resolved, but the services are working towards placing operational requirements over service identity when it comes to camouflage/combat uniforms.