'New Utes' Designed by Marines for Marines.

Battle garments meet demands for comfort, durability, less maintenance

The Marine Corps is testing a revamped combat utility uniform, known affectionately as the "new utes," which Marines expect to start wearing within the next year.

"Marines have looked the way they do now for decades, but now that image is changing," said Marine Corps spokesman 1st Lt. Burrell Parmer.

"Marines tend to feel strongly about their uniforms. Since this is a move to a Marine-specific uniform, rather than the current service-wide uniform, I predict that Marines will feel just as strongly about this uniform as they do about their current one," said Mary Boyt, civilian program manager for the Marine Corps Uniform Board.

"No one really likes change, but the initial feedback I'm getting is, 'hey this is great," Parmer said.

The current utility uniform is more than 20 years old, and changes have been made to reflect technological improvements in fabric and features, increasing both mobility and utility. A task force made up of active-duty Marines set priorities for what they wanted in the new uniform. The new garments have completed a 90-day test phase.

The decision to let Marines from all ranks design and test the uniform came from the top. The commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. James L. Jones, "expressed his desire to involve all Marines in the determination of the final prototype design. He tasked the team to find out a way to personally involve as many Marines as reasonably possible," said a uniform board spokesman.

New Features

To increase the durability of the uniform, the Corps is making a variety of design and material changes. The modifications were entirely "based on the individual Marine's needs and wants, Boyt said. The Marines also plan to unveil a new camouflage pattern.

"With improvements in technology, you get better equipment, and we need something combat-oriented," said Parmer. "This is just another piece of equipment that we need to make correctly, and our goal here is to make our Marines comfortable and happy," he said.

Since the Marines are "a force suited for every clime and place," the new camouflage Marine Pattern (referred to as MarPat) has been tested extensively and has been proven to be the most effective tactical camouflage, he said. There are two versions of the camouflage-woodland and desert patterns. The new patterns are "a customized digital pattern using optimized colors," according to the Web site dedicated to the uniform: (http://www.tecom.usmc.mil/mcub/utility/newuteshome.htm).

More than 100 samples from both commercial and military sources were obtained and tested for "color range, pattern suitability and tactical flexibility." The pattern was "optimized with the Scout Snipe School and Marines in the field," said Maj. Gabriel Petricio, action officer for the Combat Utility Uniform, at the Marine Corps Systems Command in Quantico, Va.

Some changes were made during the test phase. For example, though there was much talk about the new uniforms having zip-off sleeves, the final version of the new uniforms are not expected to have them. However, they do have sleeves that roll-up more comfortably than the current uniform. Currently, Marines roll up their sleeves in hot weather, but the material winds so tightly that they run the risk of cutting off circulation to their hands.

The uniform with zip-off sleeves did not prove to be a winner during the tests, and that option was removed from the final version, along with other unpopular features such as Velcro on the sleeve cuffs and snap pocket closures.

Other features that were tested and got positive reviews were incorporated into the final uniforms, such as redesigned pad inserts for the knees, elbows, and a new "but patch for durability," said Petricio. The new uniforms are also "rigger's belt compatible," have angled chest pockets, a non-snagging sleeve cuff and a subdued insignia," he said.

The new uniforms' fabric has an improved wet-to-dry capability, and there are combat utility pockets in the sleeves and redesigned cargo pockets with retainers on the legs.

The new uniforms are made of permanent-press fabric. According to Jones, the fact that new uniforms are not "dry-clean only" will save each Marine $50 to $60 per month in dry-cleaning. "Permanent press looks good, and we will be able to avoid damage to fibers by exposure to starch and heavy commercial pressing," said Petricio.

Parmer highlighted the positive effect that permanent press will have on individual Marines. "A private out of boot camp has to maintain four sets of uniforms and two sets of boots, daily. You might pay as much as $7 to have one set cleaned and starched. So someone got smart and said, 'let's make this wash-and-wear,'" he said. New boots, planned to debut with the new uniforms, will not require shoe polish.

Test Phase

The Marines Corps tested two versions of the combat utility uniform-both produced with the new digital MarPat pattern. According to an initial test report, "while each version was similar in basic construction, both contained some unique features."

The uniform testers included 407 Marines: one unit from Twenty-Nine Palms, Calif., and two units based at Camp Lejeune, N.C. "We also gave out some to the base school here at systems command, at Quantico," Parmer said. Because Marines have to fight in all types of environments and extreme amphibious operations, in helicopter-assault exercises and in jungle training.

"One of the things people talked about was how the uniforms would fit female Marines, because we don't have females serving in infantry. So there are females included in the test group at Twenty-Nine Palms and at base school," Parmer added.

The findings of the test groups after the first 30 days indicated that "only one-third of the Marines had used the knee pads or the elbow pads," but they did find that pads are easy to insert and remove form the slots sewn into the uniform. However, some testers complained of the positioning of the slots. "Those who were dissatisfied with the location of the pads felt that they were too low," indicating that changes needed to be made, the report explained.

Overall, the survey results after 90 days supported the notion that the basic design of the uniform is sound. There are "highly acceptable" ratings for comfort of the new blouse and trouser set. There was "high acceptance" of the low maintenance of the permanent-press feature, with a "low incidence" of problems after laundering at home, aboard ships and in field laundries.

The elbow and kneepads received high marks and a "high performance" rating for mission suitability and performance. According to the test report, "All of the appearance measures would seem to indicate that the uniform offers a unique and 'squared away' appearance even after more than 50 days of wear."

Jones, the commandant, recently said that he expects the new uniform to save the Corps money, because it will not come with the 22 percent markup that the Defense Logistics Agency currently charges the Marine Corps for its uniforms. "I'll pay 2.5 percent, but not 22 percent," Jones told National Defense.

According to Army Brig. Gen. Jesus A. Mangual, commander of the defense supply center of the Defense Logistics Agency, located in Philadelphia, "we continue to partner with the military services, to find ways to reduce the cost of items we manage. In this particular case, we will have our vendors deliver the new Marine Corps uniform directly to the Marine Corps instead of through DLA storage activities, thus, eliminating this cost from the price of the uniform."