If you've got 'em, wear 'em! Published Sept. 4, 2007 By Susan Burritt Nucleus Staff KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, New Mexico -- According to the Air Force Contact Center, if you have the Airman Battle Uniform, you are authorized to wear the uniform. The expected mandatory wear date for the new ABU is October 2011. Brighteners and the Airman Battle Uniform Laundry instructions for the Airman Battle Uniform specify not using any laundry detergents that contain "optical brighteners." Optical Brighteners make the ABU more detectable by night vision equipment and more visible in a low-light environment of any kind, by reflecting more of any available light. Optical brighteners are chemicals that absorb the ultraviolet and violet region of colors in a fabric. They "trick" the eye into seeing a brighter shade and reflect more light. Near Infrared capability of the ABU is degraded when washed with optical brighteners. Most commercial detergents contain optical brighteners. There is generally no indication on the packaging, so there is no way to tell whether a product has optical brighteners by the labeling alone. The impact of optical brighteners is permanent; it cannot be "washed out." Some laundry detergents that do not contain optical brighteners and are OK for use with Airman Battle Uniform: · Cheer (liquid and powder), Cheer Free · Exchange Select Cold Water Wash · All Detergent Free Clear · Country Save liquid detergent · Allen's laundry detergent (power and liquid) · Bi-O-Kleen laundry detergent (powder and liquid) · Charlie's Soap (powder and liquid) · ECOS Free and Clear laundry detergent · Mountain Green Liquid laundry detergent · Nature Clean (liquid and powder) · Oxy-Prime powder · Planet Ultra (liquid and powder) · Seventh Generation laundry detergents · Sportwash · Sun and Earth liquid · Surf powder (not Surf liquid) · Washeze · Woolite, original and dark