The green service uniform has finally been laid to rest after 61 years of approved wear, the vast majority of that stretch as the service uniform that defined the Army.
As of Oct. 1, the “Green Class As” are no longer permitted for wear.
From 1902 through World War II soldiers wore an olive and/or khaki/tan combination of some sort. But then the Army wanted a sharp, classic and dignified look to distinguish soldiers in a postwar era.
Enter the Army Green Uniform in 1954. The dark green color (“shade 44”) was a throwback to the distinctive color for rifle units back in Revolutionary times, and was recommended to the Army by scientists and fashion experts.
