The United States Marine Corps (USMC) adopted the green-dominant version as standard issue in South Vietnam in 1968, and later the U.S. Army introduced it on a wide scale in Southeast Asia.

[7] It was common for marines to wear mixes of ERDL and OG-107 jungle fatigues, which was authorized owing to periodic shortages.

Australian and New Zealand SAS members were also issued U.S.-spec tropical combat uniforms in ERDL during their time in the Vietnam War.

That year it officially introduced the M81 Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) in a four-color woodland pattern,[10] an enlarged and slightly altered version of ERDL, to supply all arms of the U.S. military.

Early production on the ERDL ran into problems due to roller slippage, which results in inconsistencies with the patterns that were printed.

On official aviation combat garments, the ERDL pattern was used on the USAF Type K-2B flying coveralls, in a cotton poplin textile version.

Additionally, some tropical combat uniforms were made by local tailors in the ERDL rip-stop material, which were particularly useful when a classified mission required the use of 'sanitized' or 'sterile' apparel, and equipment.