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contenders and, during
October 1990 and early January 1991, procurement gears began to turn with the first 5,000 pairs delivered on January 15, 1991. Eventually all of General Schwarzkopf's concerns were met and the updated version was made by four manufactures. Wellco Enterprises, Altama Delta Corp (Georgia), Belleville Shoe (Illinois), and McRae Industries (North Carolina). To this day, several of these companies continue to manufacture the original issued "Boots Combat, Mildew & Water resistant, Direct Molded Sole", the leather and nylon "Boots, Hot Weather, Black" Jungle boot, and the original Desert Combat boots in the Panama sole style and other tread styles.
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219:. Schwarzkopf, being a very public figure, was noted as sporting a pair of Saudi-made desert boots and was seen wearing the American-made desert combat boot during the final phase of the war. The first American-made versions came into existence due in part to input and opinion by Schwarzkopf's experience wearing the Saudi boot.
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Initially, General
Schwarzkopf was not happy with the prototype desert boots he received from Wellco or with the other commercial and prototypes reviewed. Development of the desert boot was briefly halted while waiting on a decision on how to proceed. The Wellco ND914 Desert Boot was chosen from nine
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At the same time, the high rate of mobilization called for continued orders of the standard jungle boot, as well as all versions of the black all-leather combat boots, with overlapping manufacturing of the older models and the development of the new boot. By
November 1990, the rate of use in the Gulf
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The development of the
American desert boot dates back to 1989, in conjunction with the development of a new simple all-black leather and nylon jungle boot to replace the vast quantities of Vietnam War-era black and olive green boots that had been issued since 1967, many of which were reaching the
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combat boot might be deemed uncomfortable or unnecessary. Like jungle boots, desert boots may implement similar designs; such as nylon canvas sides, speed lacing, and drainage vents on the instep. Boots made for desert warfare may commonly come in colors such as
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end of their service life after over twenty years of use. Wellco
Enterprises of North Carolina was awarded a contract by the U.S. Army Natick Laboratory to assist with a new desert boot concept, an initiative backed by Norman Schwarzkopf, the U.S. Commander of
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began experimenting with boots that would require less maintenance. The Corps became the first branch to completely abandon the traditional all-black combat boot, in favor of a simple tan, hot weather or temperate weather rough-out boots manufactured by
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was so high that an all-out acceleration of the Desert Boot was demanded from Wellco. By
December a pair of prototype boots was finished and delivered personally to Schwarzkopf along with commitments to high-rate manufacturing in the coming months.
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commonwealth forces of North Africa in WWII, current modern incarnations of the boot did not come until the 1970s from nations like Saudi Arabia, who fielded the first traditional direct molded sole, camel-skin beige style boot for use by the
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in early World War II. The majority of the boots available at the start of the Gulf War were not suited for the harsher desert conditions of the
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After the Gulf War, the desert boot became a common staple among U.S. troops deployed to the
Persian Gulf, when worn in conjunction with the
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Elimination of the steel protection plate, which caused heat to be retained when the boot came into contact with hot sand.
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required a large ground force to operate in desert conditions, an environment not encountered by U.S. troops since the
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During trial and fielding, Schwarzkopf requested several features of the new
American desert combat boot, including:
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The elimination of the drainage vents at the instep to prevent sand from entering the boot.
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While the history of the desert boot can trace its lineage back to the basic brown leather
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Use of the distinct
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is a type of combat boot designed specifically for use in humid or arid regions for
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By 1993, the Army had adopted the desert boot in large quantity for operations in
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instead. The Army later followed suit a few years later with the adoption of the
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In 2001 and 2003, when
American troops deployed to places like
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A rough tan suede material with tan nylon siding and laces.
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Modular lightweight load-carrying equipment (MOLLE)
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326:. In 2015, with the eventual adoption of the new
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50:. Unsourced material may be challenged and
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390:Uniforms of the United States Armed Forces
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114:Learn how and when to remove this message
229:5-6 speed-lace eyelets for faster tying.
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500:Army Physical Fitness Uniform (APFU)
322:, which were accompanied by the tan
48:adding citations to reliable sources
564:Desert Battle Dress Uniform (DBDU)
379:Uniforms of the United States Army
270:Later development, 2000s and today
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130:Beige desert boots in the sand
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290:when wearing of the woodland
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191:wearing desert boots during
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276:Desert Battle Dress Uniform
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558:Battle Dress Uniform (BDU)
465:Army Green Service Uniform
307:United States Marine Corps
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841:Distinctive unit insignia
459:Army Blue Service Uniform
442:Army Combat Uniform (ACU)
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280:Desert Camouflage Uniform
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830:Shoulder sleeve insignia
264:Operation Gothic Serpent
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863:Overseas Service Bar
699:Mountain Combat Boot
292:Battle Dress Uniform
260:75th Ranger Regiment
63:"Desert combat boot"
44:improve this article
704:Modular Boot System
605:White Dress Uniform
593:Tan Service Uniform
320:Army Combat Uniform
167:type boots worn by
1011:M-1952 Flak Jacket
808:Medals and ribbons
714:Desert Combat Boot
316:Belleville Shoe Co
311:United States Army
258:. And worn by the
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189:Norman Schwarzkopf
136:desert combat boot
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59:Find sources:
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29:This article
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17:
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959:PASGT helmet
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658:Garrison cap
332:Coyote brown
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42:Please help
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949:(1942–1983)
930:IHPS helmet
912:MICH helmet
885:Beret flash
724:Tanker boot
709:Jungle boot
678:Service cap
624:(2000–2017)
607:(1954–2014)
601:(1954–2015)
595:(1937–1985)
589:(1937–1958)
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548:(1943–1953)
415:Coast Guard
299:Afghanistan
217:Middle East
1120:Categories
1015:PASGT Vest
955:(WWII era)
953:M1C helmet
924:ECH helmet
918:ACH helmet
673:Patrol cap
648:Boonie hat
173:Australian
74:newspapers
1043:Equipment
1013:(1952-?)
1008:Retired:
947:M1 helmet
943:(WWI Era)
719:Jump boot
410:Air Force
256:UNOSOM II
31:does not
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938:Retired:
773:Enlisted
733:Insignia
687:Footwear
668:Jeep cap
636:Headgear
615:Exercise
580:Garrison
532:uniforms
493:Exercise
452:Garrison
426:Uniforms
309:and the
209:Gulf War
187:General
1105:Commons
1045:carrier
905:Helmets
896:Dog tag
751:Officer
530:Retired
510:Special
400:Marines
254:during
252:Somalia
202:CENTCOM
195:, 1991.
169:British
144:leather
88:scholar
52:removed
37:sources
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552:OG-107
539:Combat
517:Flight
476:Formal
434:Combat
288:Kosovo
284:Bosnia
165:Chukka
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969:Armor
153:beige
95:JSTOR
81:books
994:SPCS
988:MBAV
981:IOTV
874:Tabs
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405:Navy
395:Army
303:Iraq
286:and
207:The
171:and
67:news
35:any
33:cite
1032:OTV
1029:w/
1027:IBA
1000:MSV
978:w/
976:IBA
301:or
278:or
262:in
151:or
149:tan
46:by
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134:A
371:e
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