1of21Show MoreShow Less2of21Take a look at how military uniforms have changed in appearance over the years.Show MoreShow Less3of214of211778
At the beginning of, and throughout most of the revolutionary war, soldiers lacked proper uniforms. In 1782, just a year before the wars end, this changed as new army regulations required all soldiers to wear blue overcoats with red trim.
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As seen in this photo taken in Gettysburg PA, Union soldiers uniforms included dark blue coats and light blue pants.
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Soldiers who fought in the Spanish-American war dressed in khaki uniforms based on those worn by the British.
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Soldiers of this era were seen wearing olive wool coats and high boots, which proved helpful during the muddy trench warfare.
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This period presented soldiers with lighter colored uniforms, and introduced rounder and more practical headgear.
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The uniforms worn by the Women’s Army Corps were made of the same material as the men’s uniforms.
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The uniforms used during the Vietnam war were made up of a quick drying coat and tightly woven, rip resistant trousers. The outfit provided good protection against the sun, insects, and other tropical hazards.
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Soldiers in the 173rd airborne dawned tiger-stripe camo. Though not yet ubiquitous, this style helped conceal them in the thick jungle terrain.
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By the 1990’s, camo style uniforms had become the new standard in the U.S. military.
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Originally issued about a decade ago, the “universal camo” pattern was designed using algorithms, and was intended to provide a “one size fits all” uniform for a variety of different environments.
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In 2009 the “multicam” pattern was issued to soldiers stationed in Afghanistan to supplement their existing uniforms.
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2015
The recently issued “operational camouflage pattern” was selected following the most comprehensive uniform camouflage testing effort ever undertaken by the Army, reflecting the Army’s paramount commitment to force protection.
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Last month, the U.S. army introduced the “Operational Camouflage Pattern” which will be the first new standard uniform design since the “Universal Camouflage Pattern”, which has been in use since its introduction in 2005.
Interestingly enough, in the U.S. Army’s near 240-year history, camouflage patterns didn’t even see wide use until the later 1900’s.
Since the Revolutionary War, army uniforms have seen a variety of changes in color and design, from blues, to tans and browns, to the camouflage patterns that exist as the standard in today’s world.
The new design was made available for purchase in early July, and according to the U.S. Army’s official website, was selected following the most comprehensive uniform camouflage testing effort ever undertaken by the military branch.
