The Modern Army Selected Systems Test, Evaluation, and Review (MASSTER) tests from 1973 to 1975 were United States Army camouflage evaluations. The aim of the trials was to improve the blending capability of infantry and materiel. Environments tested were woodland and desert.
held in two phases, Phase I (1973) and Phase II (1975).
To replace OG-107 in use since 1952.
It concluded with the adoption of the first Army branch-wide camouflage uniform, the Battle Dress Uniform in 1981.
Developed by the Quartermaster Research and Development Command, the color Olive Green 107 was adopted in 1952. In utility uniforms and load-carrying equipment,
Fort Benning verdant terrain camouflage evaluations
In 1962, a joint exercise on effectiveness of personal camouflage was conducted under the auspices of the Infantry Board, the Engineer Research and Development Laboratories (ERDL) and the Quartermaster Research and Development Command.[1]
This exercise was conducted at Fort Benning and utilized troops wearing different uniforms, both patterned and monotone. The subjects were viewed by a group of trained observers from elevated booths that provided each with a clear line of sight to the targets in the test area. Six uniforms were considered in a detailed, quantitative field test.[1]
Uniforms tested:
Uniform #1 - British monotone (similar in color to OG-107)
Uniform #2 - US Army OG-107 color
Uniform #3 - US Army OG-107 color (with load-carrying equipment)
Uniform #4 - US Army 1948 ERDL pattern
Uniform #5 - USMC Mitchell Wineleaf pattern
Uniform #6 - US Army Khaki 1 color ('similar in design to uniforms #2 and #4')
Testing was conducted against the same background, from extreme distances. The color of the terrain was affected by hotter than average weather—it seared the grass and discolored it as a result, appeared more tan.[1]
It concluded that camouflage patterns were indeed better than solid colors, though it noted the present technique of which it's worn in, using only camouflage uniforms and helmet covers, was not effective enough on its own at blending in. The report also stated the most visible features were black, shiny boots and the head-neck-shoulderline silhouette.[1]
From 1973 to 1975, MASSTER test Phase I (1973)[note 1][2], and Phase II (1975). Assisted by NARADCOM, MERADCOM, and the recently assembled Modern Army Selected Systems Test, Evaluation, and Review (MASSTER) conducted the trials.[2]
In January 1974, the MASSTER Phase I report stated that "an evaluation, ... during MASSTER (Phase I) ..., indicated the camouflage posture of participating Army units required considerable improvement."[2] Neither MERDC vehicle camouflage (1975) nor US Woodland (1981) branch-wide personal camouflage had been adopted at the time.[3][note 2][4]
Verdant terrains
Where camouflage testing techniques were heavily improved upon
Under development were personal camouflage items such as facepaint, gloves, and boot concealment, in addition to unit-based materiel like tents and mobile field kitchens.[2]
Expansion series were the standard 1.0x, 1.3x, 1.6x, and 2.0x.
NARADCOM furnished items as following.
Uniforms tested:
Experimental old 6-color desert TCU and new 6-color desert EXRDF uniformUniform #1 Tropical Combat Uniform - standard Olive Green 107
Uniform #2 Tropical Combat Uniform - standard NLABS-1 (Highland ERDL)
(MASSTER Phase I uniform, tested for comparison) Tropical Combat Uniform - experimental 6-color desert pattern (old dye formulation)
Uniform #3 EXRDF uniform - experimental 6-color desert pattern (new dye formulation) consisting of ground shade of Light Tan 379 (Khaki), Tan 380 (Mint green), Light Brown 381, Dark Brown 382, Black 383, Khaki 384 (White) (The following four uniforms, Models A to D, consisted of Light Green, Dark Green, Brown, and Black):
Uniform #9 EXRDF uniform ('Model F') - Tigerstripe pattern consisting of ground shade of Light Olive Green 454, Green 455, Light Brown 456, and Black 457, or later, Black, Dark Green, Red-Brown, and Light Green
Individual textile items tested:
Standard helmet covers - Mitchell Wineleaf/Clouds reversible (sporadically used in lieu of OG-107, Highland ERDL, and 6-color desert helmet covers)
Standard load-carrying equipment aka ALICE - Olive Green 106 with OD shade #7 belt
Load-carrying equipment with dyed 4-color pattern
Experimental pack covers - 4-color pattern
Experimental pack covers - 6-color desert pattern
Experimental combat boots - green
Experimental combat boots - tan
Experimental face veil
Experimental leather gloves - standard black
Experimental leather gloves - tan
Individual recoloring/dyeing items tested:
Experimental overcoloring compound, removeable
Experimental overcoloring compound, durable
Experimental face paints - desert colors consisting of loam and sand (officially "#23-6667-Loam" and "#21-6667-Sand")
Experimental face paints - verdant color consisting of green (officially "#46-6667 - Green (Chlorophyll Type)")
Experimental dye packets for for field dyeing of personal items (handker chiefs, underwear, etc) - Olive Green 109
Non-individual items tested:
Experimentally patterned General Purpose Small Tent - Nature pattern
Experimentally patterned General Purpose Small Tent - MERDC pattern (Winter Verdant colorway, except Dark Green instead of Forest Green)
Experimentally patterned General Purpose Medium Tent - Nature pattern
Experimentally patterned General Purpose Medium Tent - MERDC pattern (Winter Verdant colorway, except Dark Green instead of Forest Green)
Experimental recoloring compound for tentage
Experimentally camouflaged packaging materials - Forest Green colorant finishes applied to cardboard, wooden crates, polyethylene film for food packaging, and tin cans
Full solid olive green soldier remained standard until . Following the trials, a new pattern, NLABS-2 (a.k.a. Final ERDL), was created and went on to be produced until 1981 with the Battle Dress Uniform's adoption. ERDL usage continued even during the temperate weather Battle Dress Uniform (TWBDU) until a proper hot weather-climate Battle Dress Uniform was created in 1985.
Dual-texture Gradient (DTG) camouflage, or Dual-tex for short, was originally intended as a possible vehicle camouflage replacement for MERDC camouflage.
During August 1976 to February 1977, the colorslide series test was held at West Point, New York, and was conducted by selected members of the Psychology and Leadership Committees, Office of Military Leadership, United States Military Academy.[5]
Photographs of Stewart Army Subpost forest and plains during the summer were utilized.
During ~1979 to 81, , was tested on uniforms at Fort Benning, Georgia ..?.
However, from 1979 into the early to mid-1980s, in Germany, a later iteration of Dual-tex camouflage was standardized in the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, painted on M60 tanks, M113 APCs, 5-ton trucks, and M151 MUTTs.[6]
^"The results of the earlier, somewhat limited efforts, culminated in the Phase I Camouflage Test which was performed during FY 1973" (p 1)
^The 1975 date is from the date of completion of the US Army field manual for proper application of the MERDC pattern and also a list of individual pre-determined vehicle-specific schemes, known as TC 5-200.
^All model designations are noted on uniform labels
^ abcdRizzo, F. J.; Ramsley, A. O.; Campbell, A. M.; Bushnell, W. B.; Natsios, B. A.; Merola, A.; Kidder, G. (April 1976). "Support to MASSTER Phase II Camouflage Test"(PDF). (MASSTER) Modern Army Selected Systems Test, Evaluation, and Review (65 pages, Appendixes A–C, 29 figures, 23 tables). NARADCOM, MERADCOM, and MASSTER. ADA029072, TR 76-38-CEMEL, CEMEL 159, 62723A, 1Y762723AH98-AB-002. Archived(PDF) from the original on 22 August 2024. Retrieved 22 August 2024 – via Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC).
^ abcdRizzo, F. J.; Ramsley, A. O.; Campbell, A. M.; Bushnell, W. B.; Natsios, B. A.; Merola, A.; Kidder, G. (April 1976). "Support to MASSTER Phase II Camouflage Test"(PDF). (MASSTER) Modern Army Selected Systems Test, Evaluation, and Review (65 pages, Appendixes A–C, 29 figures, 23 tables). NARADCOM, MERADCOM, and MASSTER. ADA029072, TR 76-38-CEMEL, CEMEL 159, 62723A, 1Y762723AH98-AB-002. Archived(PDF) from the original on 22 August 2024. Retrieved 22 August 2024 – via Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC).
^Bradford, George. "Cavalry Scout Version M113A1 Carrier". AFV News. Archived from the original on 28 October 2004. Retrieved 22 October 2024. The official colors for "Summer use in the U.S. and Europe-verdant" were shown in TC 5-200 (28 August 1975).
^Causley, Chris (11 September 2008). "US Army's Dual Texture Gradient Camouflage". militarytrader.com. Archived from the original on 11 August 2023. Retrieved 27 March 2025. Finally, in 1979, the pattern was adopted by the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment." "In the 1986-87 timeframe, the 2nd ACR switched from the M60 to the M1 tanks and Col. Wagner moved on. The 2nd ACR removed Dual-Tex from its vehicles to conform to the new NATO 3-color standard.
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