cook whites

U.S. Army slang term referring to severely worn and faded BDUs (Battle Dress Uniforms). New BDUs start out with random black, loam, and green amorphous shapes that form the camouflage pattern. After several months or years of washing and dry cleaning the colors bleed out. Summer weight BDUs tend to fade faster than winter weight due to the fact that they are made out of a thinner cotton based material. The term is derived from the name of the all white uniform that Army Cooks wear.