Laundering ABU won’t make you a target

Laundering ABU won’t make you a target
Staff and wire report
Posted : Saturday May 24, 2008 7:54:22 EDT

Washing your Airmen Battle Uniform with detergents that promise to brighten colors won’t make you a target, the Air Force advises in a statement issued May 21.

The Air Force had told airmen not to wash ABUs with detergents that contained brighteners. The concern was that the brighteners would make airman wearing the ABU a target for gunmen.

The Army had the same worry tested its uniforms, the Air Force release said. In late March, the Army concluded that ABUs laundered with detergents containing optical brighteners did not increase the uniform’s visibility.

“After reviewing Army test results and conducting follow-on evaluations we have determined that changes from laundering ABUs in detergents containing optical brighteners are negligible,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Chuck Arnold, chief of the Air Staff’s uniforms branch at the Pentagon.

While regular detergent can be used to wash the ABU, still on the do-not-use list are fabric softeners and bleach. Airmen are also warned not to starch or hot iron uniform because that deteriorates the fabric.


Article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/05/airforce_detergent_abu_052308w/