Over the next year, America’s largest fighting force is swapping its camouflage pattern. The move is a quiet admission that the last uniform — a pixelated design that debuted in 2004 at a cost of $5 billion — was a colossal mistake.

“Essentially, the Army designed a universal uniform that universally failed in every environment,” said an Army specialist who served two tours in Iraq, wearing UCP in Baghdad and the deserts outside Basra. “The only time I have ever seen it work well was in a gravel pit.”.

“Brand identity trumped camouflage utility,” Graves said. “That’s what this really comes down to: ‘We can’t allow the Marine Corps to look more cool than the Army.’ ”

To display its gratitude for more than six decades of community support, the Nevada Air National Guard invites all to attend its Open House set for June 9 from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. The Open House will take place at the Nevada Air National Guard Base in Reno with more than a dozen types of aircraft on display, including the Nevada Guard's own C-130 cargo aircraft and MQ-1 Predator.

In addition to myriad aircraft, the Open House will feature a wide spectrum of military exhibits and displays. Visitors will have the opportunity to see the resources and capabilities of several specialized Nevada Guard units including the 152nd Civil Engineer Squadron, the 152nd Medical Group and the 92nd Civil Support Team. The Nevada Guard's Chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive enhanced response force package (CERFP team) will demonstrate its catastrophe rescue and evacuation abilities.

The event is free. In cooperation with the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino, 2500 E. 2nd Street, Reno, attendees should park at the resort and take a free shuttle to the air base.

'Parents should know better'

Erik Pakieser, the association's safety officer, said that with paintball parks and other private places to play Airsoft, "there's no excuse to go and play in your back yard or in a park."

"I really have to take parents to task on this," he said. "Parents should know better. ... I don't know what they're thinking, giving kids the guns as gifts and saying, 'Here, go play in the street' and thinking nothing will happen."