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Sbas
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I was issued the uniform in 2001 in Saudi Arabia, where I served as an adviser to the Saudi Arabian military (OPM-SANG).

 

I purchased and added the combat patch (for Desert Storm). I got the combat patch at the Eskan Village sew shop. At the end of my tour, I did a direct deployment to Afghanistan to join the 187th (3rd BDE, 101st).

 

I also wore the uniform in Iraq during OIF.

 

Scott

 

Scott, That's great background, That explains the Arabic script name tape on the pocket. I didn't know they made patches at Eskan Village. The DCU looks like like one of the early 1990s contract uniforms with an internal yoke/cape. Did it also have adjusting buttons and tapes at the waist?

 

I recently acquired a set of DCUs from a Warrant Officer who spent a year as an ammunition advisor in the Office of the Program Manager - Saudi Arabian National Guard (OPM-SANG) in the late 1990s. He said that when he arrived at his villa he had four sets of DCUs hanging in his closet with his name tapes, rank, branch and AMC patch already sewn on.

 

I'm currently doing research for an article on the Saudi camel tongue rank fob that was worn in Desert Storm as well as by OPM-SANG and U.S.M.T.M. I'd be interested in any insight you have on the style of fob that you wore while assigned to OPM-SANG. The examples I have are a light tan leather with black subdued Saudi rank above the gold Saudi National Guard badge

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Scott, That's great background, That explains the Arabic script name tape on the pocket. I didn't know they made patches at Eskan Village. The DCU looks like like one of the early 1990s contract uniforms with an internal yoke/cape. Did it also have adjusting buttons and tapes at the waist?

 

I recently acquired a set of DCUs from a Warrant Officer who spent a year as an ammunition advisor in the Office of the Program Manager - Saudi Arabian National Guard (OPM-SANG) in the late 1990s. He said that when he arrived at his villa he had four sets of DCUs hanging in his closet with his name tapes, rank, branch and AMC patch already sewn on.

 

I'm currently doing research for an article on the Saudi camel tongue rank fob that was worn in Desert Storm as well as by OPM-SANG and U.S.M.T.M. I'd be interested in any insight you have on the style of fob that you wore while assigned to OPM-SANG. The examples I have are a light tan leather with black subdued Saudi rank above the gold Saudi National Guard badge

 

Yep-- they provided the 4 sets of DCUs for me as well. I was specific about the AASLT wings being on top (I was enlisted with the 101st and always wore them alone or on top of the ABN). It really got folks upset whenever I was at FT Bragg!

 

The supply system didn't have any 101st ABN patches, so that is why I ended up with the Eskan tailor version. I also purchased a partial "sheet" of the patches that hadn't been cut into individual patches.

 

I wore the uniform complete in OEF with no problems. In OIF, the arabic name tape was prohibited, so I cut it off of some uniforms, but set at least one aside and left it on.

 

The DCUs must be an early set as they do have the waist buttons.

 

As far as the KSA rank insignia, my recollections are the same. I'll check and see if I can find it. I should have a couple of them.

 

Scott

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Yep-- they provided the 4 sets of DCUs for me as well. I was specific about the AASLT wings being on top (I was enlisted with the 101st and always wore them alone or on top of the ABN). It really got folks upset whenever I was at FT Bragg!

 

The supply system didn't have any 101st ABN patches, so that is why I ended up with the Eskan tailor version. I also purchased a partial "sheet" of the patches that hadn't been cut into individual patches.

 

I wore the uniform complete in OEF with no problems. In OIF, the arabic name tape was prohibited, so I cut it off of some uniforms, but set at least one aside and left it on.

 

The DCUs must be an early set as they do have the waist buttons.

 

As far as the KSA rank insignia, my recollections are the same. I'll check and see if I can find it. I should have a couple of them.

 

Scott

 

Very cool to know that this was one of your personal uniforms. I was thinking it was from the very late 90s up to about 2001, so I'm glad to see my hunch was correct. It's a nice one!

 

Did you ever add any US flags to the other 4?

 

The patch construction of your 101st looks very similar to to this 3rd Armored patch. Did you ever see any patches of this type being produced in any other areas?

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Very cool to know that this was one of your personal uniforms. I was thinking it was from the very late 90s up to about 2001, so I'm glad to see my hunch was correct. It's a nice one!

 

Did you ever add any US flags to the other 4?

 

The patch construction of your 101st looks very similar to to this 3rd Armored patch. Did you ever see any patches of this type being produced in any other areas?

 

It was issued to me in JUL 01 and I wore it through the summer of 03. I don't believe I got the US Flag sewn on on any of my sets, nor did I update the CIB to a second award.

 

I did have some Campbell issued sets that I deployed with as well that had the Flags, but no tabs and badges. I did get one sewn up for redeployment that has all theater made badges to include the CIB, second award.

 

Scott

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Here's something I've wondered for years... are DCU's cut larger than BDU's? Like, a medium regular DCU is bigger than a medium regular BDU. I was told this was the case years ago, because you want a looser fit when you're in the desert, so uniform contractors made DCUs bigger on purpose. The DCUs I have are bigger than their respective size in BDUs, but I don't know if it's on purpose or just a manufacturing variance, and that whole "looser in the desert" thing is just B.S.

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Here's something I've wondered for years... are DCU's cut larger than BDU's? Like, a medium regular DCU is bigger than a medium regular BDU. I was told this was the case years ago, because you want a looser fit when you're in the desert, so uniform contractors made DCUs bigger on purpose. The DCUs I have are bigger than their respective size in BDUs, but I don't know if it's on purpose or just a manufacturing variance, and that whole "looser in the desert" thing is just B.S.

 

Turko - To test out your hypothesis that DCUs are cut larger than BDUs I pulled out two uniforms that I wore when I was on active duty, both medium-regular. I laid my 1981 contract date BDU over my 1999 contract date DCU and they are exactly the same width across. The only difference I could see is that the DCU is slightly longer, by about 3+ inches. Also note that in Chapter 2 of "Desert Uniforms, Patches, and Insignia of the US Armed Forces" we mention MIL-DTL-44048H DETAIL SPECIFICATION, COATS, CAMOUFLAGE PATTERN, COMBAT, which prescribed in exacting detail the standards for both the DCU and BDU uniforms and I don't recall any differences in the tariff sizes between the two. Kevin

 

 

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One of my recent purchases from another member of the forum.

DCU of captain Cate, signal corps, attached to special forces battalion but not special forces qualified.

The DCU is the commercial Propper and compared to the US issued it is definitively lighter. It is super pressed and in fact all the patched are thinner than normal patches. Still has laundry tags on it.

No flag patch, only velcro, I think so that it was easier to switch from IR to full colored flag. Someone knows if this modification is a specific practise of one precise SF battallion or nothing particular?

Unfortunately no info on captain Cate

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  • 7 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

I found this modified DCU at the flea market today. Based on the Velco my guess is that this was worn by a Navy Seal as besides the rectangular piece of Velcro for the Trident above the left pocket there is a square piece of Velcro hidden under the collar. The uniform is dated 1999 and it looks like a strip of Velcro was added afterwards just below the US NAVY tape space for a paratrooper wing or other USN qualification badge.

 

 

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Cap Camouflage Pattern I

Yeah, that's a common Navy Special Warfare (SEALS and SWCC) setup except for the velcro on the left breast pocket flap, I've never seen that before. Very nice.

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Yeah, that's a common Navy Special Warfare (SEALS and SWCC) setup except for the velcro on the left breast pocket flap, I've never seen that before. Very nice.

Thanks for the confirmation.

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  • 3 weeks later...

My old school DCUs from Desert Storm. Nothing unusual but since I used them last night to a Halloween party (thus the camp on the collar and lapel), I was inspired to add to this thread. I was shocked after all this time it still fit. Its been in storage since 1991 basically.

2d ACR being the vanguard of VII Corps deployed with BDUs and we received them well after we crossed the LD. So what makes them special to me is that all the insignia was hand sewn by me in the field. Not a spectacular accomplishment but its a reminder to me of a simpler time in service. And that my sewing didnt look like the sisters of the poor did it.

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A first class all American hero with his head and heart wired together cookin full tilt boogie for freedom and justice!

 

You went as me?!?! I'm flattered! :love:

 

Allan

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...
  • 6 months later...

Picked this 1990 dated DCU at the flea market today with OD subdued insignia for a lieutenant with the 317th Engineer Battalion, 24th Infantry Division.

 

 

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