DPDU Bush Hat : Captain B Seesink, Australian Army Training Team Iraq

Disruptive Pattern Desert Uniform (DPDU) wide brimmed bush hat. The hat has a wide circular brim and an oval shaped crown which is worn fore and aft. A band stitched around the outside of the crown at 40 mm intervals creates loops for the insertion of camouflage materials. Inside, the crown of the hat and the front section of the headband are lined with light brown absorbent towelling and a maker's label with the size marking 'X-LGE' is sewn into the rear. The hat has a light brown cotton cord with a black plastic toggle attached. Handwritten in black ink inside the crown is "SEESINK".

This patrol hat was worn in Iraq by Captain Ben Seesink who served with the Australian Army Training Team Iraq (AATTI) from 3 May to 28 October 2004. The AATTI was formed specifically to provide advice and guidance to the officers and non commissioned officers in the Iraqi Army to enhance the training of their recruits. This type of desert camouflage uniform pattern was specifically researched and developed for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and introduced into the ADF in 2002 where it saw its debut during Operation Slipper in Afghanistan. A more yellow coloured base shade was introduced into this camouflage pattern in time for Operation Falconer in Iraq in early 2003.