September 2024 Items | Uniform History

September has ended, which means it's time to take a look at everything picked up during the month. First up is a great assortment of Irish Defence Force pieces consisting of a few patches, pins and rank tabs, a pair of cold weather gloves, a combat shirt, two t-shirts with one bearing the DPM pattern, and finally a parka. By now many are probably familiar with how over the years Irish DPM has been a bit harder to come by due to the policies surrounding it, which aren't actually as strict as made out to be. However, as of late there seems to have been a slight influx of available pieces. This makes sense as the pattern is slated for retirement relatively soon, but it's still anyone's guess if it'll see a large quantity become surplused or have it remain at something of a small level keeping them somewhat hard to get. Either way though, obtaining garments with the pattern remains pretty satisfying. Thank you to Michael Buchel for offering these pieces. Sent in by Nick is another grouping of pieces, this time from the Soviet Union. Included in it is a metal box torch which were go-to pieces for many armed forces for a time, a set of Sapogi style leather boots, and a nice Afghanka uniform, which are always just great all-around pieces to appreciate and really just look at. This whole grouping screams Afghan war, and though it may have been mentioned in the past, covering the famous and highly influential Afghanka uniform is something that is planned, though no definite date on that as of yet. Thank you again Nick. Next up is the last lot of items which hail from Australia and include an assortment of name tapes and insignia, a set of desert disruptive pattern camouflage, as well as a With the DCPUs being the standard camouflage from the mid-1980s through the mid-2010s or so, there were quite a few different uniform cuts and styles, and just these few pants alone show how changes, be they large and obvious to small and subtle, happen over time. A special thanks to Lachlan for reaching out regarding these pieces. Next up are three items from three different parts of the world, though one is only a small hop away from Australia. On the left is the newer US hot weather top which was designed to be worn in more humid and tropical environments. Based on its design, which lacks any front pockets, it seems almost to be something of a hybrid between a standard ACU and a combat shirt. Next to it is an older version of New Zealand's woodland DPM. Like many other Commonwealth nations, New Zealand took inspiration from Great Britain and for a while utilized a number of versions of DPM designs, this particular model is the first version being dated 1983. In front of these two is a newer pattern out of Saudi Arabia. Sporting strange, jagged and sharp shapes, this pattern is worn by members of the Special Forces for Environmental Security, which itself is part of the Ministry of the Interior. A newer department created in 2019, it's similar to other nations' park and reserve rangers, as they enforce rules and regulations which help to protect animals and the environment. Finally, last up are two seemingly basic BDUs from the United States. Upon initial inspection, you may think them just run-of-the-mill commercially made pieces, however they are both technically officially issued ones. Both being reworked DCUs, these two were actually frequently used by US Army opposing forces for training purposes through the 1990s and into the 2000s. The green, known as Green 483, is actually seen on a number of other items from duffel bags to coat liners, while the black is known as Black 357. Both of these were used up until they were replaced by ACU versions, which two bore the same colors. But on that note, we've come to the end of another month. Thank you to everyone who sent in and offered pieces, they are very much appreciated. We'll see everybody soon for October.