Guyana

Co-operative Republic of Guyana

The South American nation of Guyana is officially named the Co-operative Republic of Guyana. Originally settled by the Dutch in 1616, Great Britain assumed control of three separate contiguous colonies in 1831 and named them British Guiana. The agricultural economy of this era was largely supported by African slaves and indentured laborers from Europe and Asia, the descendants of whom make up a significant portion of the population in Guyana today. The nation became independent from Britain in 1966, but remains a member of the British Commonwealth.

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) was formed in 1965, its members being drawn from the British Guiana Volunteer Force (BGVF), the Special Service Unit (SSU), and the British Guiana Police Force (BGPF). The GDF has primarily dealt with internal security issues arising from the indigenous population, although it has also been forced to expel Surinamese forces on a couple of occasions. The GDF also plays a role as part of the Caribbean Community (intergovernmental organization), and took part in the international intervention in Haiti (Operation Uphold Democracy) in 1994. It consists of the Ground Forces, Coast Guard and a small Air Corps.

• Early elements of the GDF adopted a tiger stripe pattern of undetermined origins, having unique elements that do not appear to be based on the drawings developed during the Vietnam War. This appears to have been adopted in the mid to late 1970s, although many elements of the GDF simply wore solid green fatigues during this period.

• Since the 1990s, the standard camouflage uniform of the GDF Ground Forces and Coast Guard has been a tiger stripe pattern with a distinctive bright green tone. It is worth noting that the shapes remained the same as the earlier tiger pattern from the 1970s, and only the coloration changed. Early versions of this design are printed on a cotton twill blend fabric.

• Later versions of the green tiger pattern camouflage (still in use in 2024) are printed on an enhanced ripstop cotton poplin fabric, although the coloration appears to be almost identical.