From Army News Service 25 Feb 11
The Army is Testing a Female Combat Uniform.
FORT BENNING, Ga. — One hundred and fifty female Soldiers assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division, received two sets
of the Women’s Army Combat Uniform at the 203rd Brigade Support Battalion’s headquarters on Kelley Hill, here, Feb.
23.
The Soldiers will wear the uniform then give their feedback to Soldier Clothing and Individual Equipment Command in
Fort Belvoir, Va. to help that command accumulate information on the benefits of a uniform designed specifically for
female Soldiers. They will discuss the uniform durability, functionality and how they handle laundering and how
comfortable it is.
“This is all part of an ongoing effort to showcase and get feedback on the new Women’s Army Combat Uniform as a
potential replacement candidate for our Soldiers,” said Maj. Sequana Robinson, the assistant product manager
assigned to Soldier Clothing and Individual Equipment. “The ACU uniform came out in 2005 and the Army has since
found out how it was functioning and worked to make changes. One of the things we found out in the feedback was that
the current uniform didn’t fit as well on female Soldiers.”
Robinson explained that the new uniform is not a form fitting uniform that was designed to accent the female form, but a
uniform that will give female Soldiers a more professional look and added comfort.
Some of the features of the new uniform are narrower shoulder width, an added elastic waistband, adjusted chest, waist
and sweep ratios, repositioned elbow and knee patches, longer top length on the front and back of the uniform and
adjusted sleeve length and width.
All of these changes, said Robinson, will hopefully allow female Soldiers to look more professional and allow them to do
their jobs better because they are more comfortable.
Robinson will give out 450 uniforms to active duty Soldiers at Fort Benning, Fort Jackson, S.C., Fort Carson, Colo., and
Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., to assess how the material will handle different environments.
She stressed that the uniform is still in the testing phase and cannot be put into use until it is approved by the Army
Clothing Board.