SPECIAL FORCES jacket made in Lithuania

Soldiers of 36th Commando Battalion before a joint operation at FOB Duke, An Najaf, 11 August 2004 USMC Photos by Gunnery SGT. Chago Zapta

Man on the right has a helmet cover of different design than the others seen before in this thread.

Iraqi Special Operations Soldiers during a training exercise 28 Jan 2006 near Baghdad by SPC Earnest A. Christian

Brigadier General Haydr, commander of Iraqi Special Forces and 1st Battalion 1st Brigade 6th Iraqi Army along with US soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division visits a MEDCAP in Baghdad 17 January 2006 photo by SSG Kevin L. Moses Sr.

Also interesting is the men behind General Haydr are wearing KA2 Digital Desert camouflage, designed by Hyperstealth for Jordan. I believe it is extremely likely these soldiers are members of ISOF who acquired the uniforms while training in Jordan in November 2005. There are several photos in this series which show soldiers wearing KA2 Desert, and the one below shows KA2 Royal Guard, the only Iraqi soldier I have seen wearing this camouflage. If anyone has any additional information on Iraqi use of KA2 I'd love to hear it.

zvez wrote:here are pics of the 36 cdo bn insignia, commando school and uniform in use.

This photo, along with the two below, show the 9th Regional Commando Battalion conducting marksmanship drills in Al Asad on June 9th 2009. The second photo shows a different combat shirt modification, the third a more common velcro pockets uniform.







These two photos were taken the next day on June 10th. They show two combat shirts similar the the one in the first photo with a tan body and pockets on the sleeves with velcro on them as well as a shirt with lower pockets with velcro above them.


This photo, taken on June 8th shows a few interesting green t-shirt based modifications. At least two of the other soldiers are in the preceding images.



This photo from April 14th shows an unmodified uniform as well as one with a large rectangle of velcro above the sleeve pocket.


This photo from June 3rd is of a 9th Regional Commando soldier saluting vistors to the ribbon cutting ceremony officially opening Camp Bawari. He has a large tan rectangle of velcro above the pocket sporting an Iraqi Special Forces patch.


April 4th during CQB training conducted by USSF. This uniform has large amounts of velcro added to accommodate an iraqi flag tape, paratrooper wings, commando school, SGT, and 36th commando BN circular insignia patches, with room for another tape.

All of the above photos are of the 9th Regional Commando Battalion, ISOF, at Al Asad, all taken by Sgt. Brandon Pomrenke.


The photographer and unit of this ISOF photo at Al Asad on May 21st 2009 is not listed, however this helmet can be recognized in two of the above photos, but at this time the soldier is wearing a shirt with velcro both on and above the sleeve pocket, rather than a combat shirt.


This unit and photographer are also not listed for this May 2nd photo taken at Al Asad, but I think it's pretty safe to assume its the 9th bn, one soldier had a rectangle of velcro above the sleeve pocket, the other is wearing an interesting grey-tshirt and DCU combat shirt with a different Maltese/iron cross design, possibly with a red punisher skull inside.

Cap Camouflage Pattern I wrote:



This photo from April 14th shows an unmodified uniform as well as one with a large rectangle of velcro above the sleeve pocket.

I say unmodified but now I realize the cuff has been modified to adjust with velcro rather than buttons

6th Regional Commando Battalion at a school in Basra on April 19th 2009. Photos by SPce. William Hatton.
He has a rectangle of tan velcro above the pocket on each shoulder for the ISOF and 36th Commando patch.


B Company, 6th Regional Commando Battalion, ISOF, in a shoothouse in Basra, April 4th 2009. Photo by SPC. William Hatton.

This soldier has a similar modification with velcro above the sleeve pockets for a 36th commando battalion circular patch, and velcro cuffs, but also has velcro closures on the sleeve pockets and something on the flap of his right sleeve pocket.

Iraqi Army Civil Affairs soldiers open boxes of gifts for the Iraqi Family Village School in Baghdad during a joint mission with the US 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion and HHC, Special Troops Bn, 3rd ID. March 19th 2008 photo by Sgt. April Campbell.

One soldier has a uniform very similar to one of the 9th Regional Commando soldiers with the rectangular velco above both tapes and on both sleeves above the pockets, but with the addition of even more velcro, one on each pocket flap. The other soldier has higher sleeve pockets with velcro on the body and flap, and has a pen pocket either in or next too the elbow patch. Based on the lack of buttons visible though the button holes on the cuffs both soldiers have Velcro cuffs as well.

Baghdad, ISOF search for 3 captive soldiers, unknown date. Photo by MC1 Michael B.W. Watkins.
This one is a bit unusual because rather than the more typical rectangular velcro on the sleeves the solider has a round circle of velcro, I assume for a 36th commando battalion patch, and on the other sleeve it looks like it is contoured to the ICTF shield as I can't see any velcro visible.

Nkomo wrote:Great detective work as usual, Cap!  Looking at the last picture you posted, I'm wondering if that soldier is American or Iraqi?  The gear looks very American.

I see what you mean, but with a PASGT I doubt it.

3rd Support Battalion weapons course in Baghdad on March 23rd 2009 by Sgt. Jeff Ledesma

ISOF soldier tests a pair of NVGs at the 3rd Support battalion's new night vision repair shop in Baghdad May 19th 2009 by Sgt. Jeff Ledesma.

Iraqi Special Operations Forces soldiers listen to leadership speak after receiving their certificates of training for the completion of the small-arms weapons maintenance course during a graduation ceremony in Baghdad May 19th 2009 by Sgt. Jeff Ledesma

I never considered ISOF support units but it makes total sense now that I think about it. Mods are all similar to ones seen with other units.

Balad Iraq September 1st 2009 by TSGT Renee Crisostomo.

A field cap in the camo which I have not seen before. He also has some variation of the Troop Spaclel Focas patch on velcro.