BAMBERG, Germany — The Army has selected the MultiCam as its new uniform for soldiers heading to Afghanistan, the Defense Department announced, following four months of testing by units in the combat zone.

MultiCams will be issued to units heading to Afghanistan starting in July. Those units include the 4th Brigade, 10th Mountain Division at Fort Polk, La.; the 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colo.; and the 2nd Brigade, 34th Infantry Division of the Iowa Army National Guard, according to the Program Executive Office Soldier Web site.

Soldiers in Afghanistan had identified the need for a new combat uniform, according to Col. Scott Mills of the Army Logistics Directorate, who spoke to Stars and Stripes about the uniforms in December when they started testing them.

During the test phase, soldiers wore the current Army Combat Uniform, a variation of the ACU that contained “coyote brown” splotches, and the MultiCam, which has been touted as a multi-environment camouflage pattern.

The MultiCam, similar to that worn by British troops in Afghanistan, was chosen as the best.

“MultiCam is an outstanding uniform,” wrote Capt. Samuel Shepherd, a company commander with 4th Infantry Division in the Zhari District of Afghanistan who’s unit wore the uniform during the test phase late last year.

“We have worn all three uniforms in the mountains, cornfields, grape fields and urban environments,” Shepherd said. “MultiCam works in all four areas.”

Shepherd said when troops were wearing the new camouflage pattern, they had trouble seeing their recon team because the camouflage blended so well with the terrain.

The new uniform is also fire resistant, according to the PEO Soldier Web site.

In efforts to improve the original ACU that was fielded to troops in 2004, more than 26 improvements have been made to the uniform, according to the press release announcing the DOD decision to begin fielding the MultiCam uniform.

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