by nkomo Thu Apr 16, 2009 8:22 pm
The Propper DCU jacket with the pockets on the sleeve that Bravo posted is quite an enigma. I have at least two and they are identical to the one Bravo posted. IF I am not mistaken, mine came out of the Virginia area. As a matter of fact, one of mine has velcro name tape and US NAVY tape. I had thought it might have been a SEAL jacket but was never able to ascertain that for sure. I had thought maybe a private purchase deal or maybe a unit buy.
I have several regular Propper jackets with the Honduras tags that were used by soldiers in OIF/OEF. I have pulled them out of huge piles of used DCU's with patches still attached. I would say these jackets were private purchase pieces, since they are commercial. So, some Propper jackets with Honduras tags have been used by soldiers.
Like Steve, I think the tag with the DLA number is fishy. In 1994, the modified jackets were still being done by SF units on a unit level. They did have glint tape, but never had any kind of attachment to cover it like the one shown in Bravo's picture. To me, I think Propper added these military-type tags to the jacket to boost the sales to the US market. That being said, I am not counting this jacket out as being possible military used.
In a nut shell, there has been no comprehensive book written on modified jackets thus far. To most collectors, they are just surplus and nothing more. I have been collecting modified jackets for over 11 years now and have "accumulated" quite a few. The jacket Bravo posted appears to be a much later version of the modified jacket. BUT....since it was not modified by the soldier, then it technically isn't a modified jacket; rather it is a something between an ACU and a modified DCU. Sort of betwixt and between.
Last edited by nkomo on Thu Apr 16, 2009 8:25 pm; edited 1 time in total