Wearing camo pants as a contractor

[GrumpyM4]

Please forgive me if this is the wrong forum.

I leave in two weeks for a ME job. In contact with a buddy who is already there (Kuwait), I brought up that i'll pack my "normal" work clothes, which since my DoD days at the shipyard, have heavily leaned towards camo clothing for the simple fact that I find the BDU/ACU cut clothing to be the most comfortable for me to work in (heavy structural steel).

I was told that I had better not wear any camo because some major he had talked to told him that any civ caught wearing camo would "Get lit the **** up". I asked if the major would be in my chain of command and he won't be. I frankly don't care if someone starts screaming at me for some percieved slight, especially if they aren't in my chain of command, but i'm really curious as to this issue.


I'll be working as an armament mechanic, and i've already cleared with the company that my choice of work clothes is ok, and they said "sure, so long as no camo shirt is worn", which isn't an issue as i've never worn both pants and shirts simply because I didn't want there to be a misunderstanding.

So is this seriously an issue over there? There was not a single negative comment regarding this when I was DoD at the Naval Shipyard. Even from the Marines when I was wearing Marpat pants.

[Koshinn]

I'm no expert on loac, but it probably has to do with Geneva convention definitions of civilian vs soldier. All the dod/da civilians I saw in the aor wore full ACUs while everyone else wore multicam. Contractors wore full civilian attire.

[Iraqgunz]

Grumpy. I believe it may be addressed in DOD General Order 1 that you should have been provided a copy of. When I was in Iraq we routinely wore various types of camp but never the entire ensemble. Most guys did like you and wore the pants and then whatever shirt, etc...

When I was in A'stan I wore a multicam jacket and no one seemed to care. Just remember that as a contractor you are expendable and if he complains loud enough to your company then they will probably tell you to lose them. I wore a tan unmarked flight suit many times as well and no one cared at all.

[SteyrAUG]

Get yourself some 511s and have the same thing in "civie" khaki, grey and black without the drama.

[Koshinn]

Get yourself some 511s and have the same thing in "civie" khaki, grey and black without the drama.

And they sell 511 at every bx!

Even in the aor!

[theblackknight]

flight suit

Bingo! Or you could wear man jammies. If they ask, just tell them you just read "ugly american".

[ryanm]

If you are going to Leatherneck aka Marinistan--you will not be able to wear them. They have enforced a new dress code that involves tucking in your collared shirt for all contractors. The rest of the CJOA-A is still pretty easy going. Definitely do not wear both top and bottoms. The only contractors I've seen lately that can still do that are MPRI.

I have many 5.11 gear items, but my new favorite pants are the Woolrich Elites. The summer weight pant is outstanding material and design.

[JBecker 72]

These are pretty nice and reasonably priced.

http://www.lapolicegear.com/basic-operator-pant-elastic.html

[Iraqgunz]

I bought those as disposables. My only compliant was the shitty zippers. I also bought some for our Afghan terps to help "Westernize" them. They were really grateful.


These are pretty nice and reasonably priced.

http://www.lapolicegear.com/basic-operator-pant-elastic.html

[sjc3081]

I really like those LAPG pants. I wish they would make them with a good zipper also.

[RogerinTPA]

I'm no expert on loac, but it probably has to do with Geneva convention definitions of civilian vs soldier. All the dod/da civilians I saw in the aor wore full ACUs while everyone else wore multicam. Contractors wore full civilian attire.

Agreed. They were also armed. Most other Contractors are not.

To the OP: The problem is, what if shit went down, and that particular insurgent didn't know the difference, or cared to know the difference between a partially or fully cam'd civilian? What if this guy was just trying to get at the "Foreigners Invaders" regardless of clothing because they presented a softer target for that particular day because his buds got their asses handed to them the previous night? It's a 511 world there or a similar look. I wore Merrels, or Asolos, Vertx pants, canvas/outdoor shirts and soft shells in earth tone colors that could easily blend in most of the country, but couldn't be mistaken for a military combatant.

[CarlosDJackal]

Have you considered wearing pants that are of the same style and construction but not the same camo pattern in this case? Maybe something in khaki, OG Green, brown or black? I would go with darker colors so that grease and oil marks aren't as easily visible.

Good luck!!