Troops Are Uniform in Complaints : Military: Stylish, desert-ready combat clothing draws poor reviews from American forces in Mideast.

American troops are clad in the latest in combat clothing--stylish two-piece suits specially designed for desert duty--but some soldiers are not convinced their fashionable duds are functional.

“They’re very hot and very uncomfortable,” said Army Lt. Col. Gene W. Cole, clad in his jumpsuit.

“It’s hot and it makes me sweat,” Lt. Col. Ned Longsworth complained.

Said Air Force Capt. Becky Colaw: “There’s a big difference wearing it for work and wearing it to be cool.”

The uniforms--with a pattern called “chocolate-chip camouflage”--are 50% cotton and 50% nylon, a combination designed to make the material tough but breathable.

They come in varying tints. The lightest blends in well with the sand and is the most popular. But the fabric is too heavy for the 100-plus desert temperatures, troops say.

GIs generally keep their tunics on when they’re outside, to prevent sunburn. American women have been told to stay covered so as not to offend Saudi sensibilities about bare skin.

A rumpled forage hat, visored cap or jaunty beret is de rigueur . A cotton scarf to wipe sweat from the brow or guard against a sunburned neck is another must.

Slung around the soldiers’ waists are the trappings of desert life: chemical gas mask, canteen, flashlight, knife. An M-16 slung over the shoulder is part of the uniform for some soldiers.

The uniform’s baggy trousers have six pockets, including cargo pockets for notebooks and assorted items. The tunic top has four pockets.

“They’re designed to wear well even when they’re dirty,” said Maj. Peggy Sweet, an Air Force logistics officer based at Myrtle Beach, S.C.

But the fit can be a problem for some.

Like couturier outfits from France and Italy, the outfits hang best on those who are tall and thin.

“It’s a problem if you’re short and fat,” Colaw said.

Troops from all services were issued two or three uniforms before they left the United States. The outfits were designed for desert situations, and this is the first time they have been used in a deployment.

T-shirts and underwear were not part of the package provided soldiers. So, Colaw said, she bought herself male boxer shorts because “they’re cooler than the women’s kind.”