U.S. Army rolls out new uniform wear guidelines

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U.S. Army
Image: U.S. Army

The U.S. Army on January 26, revealed its new uniform wear guidelines, including the World War ll-style Army Green Service Uniform and a new name for the combat patch.

To allow the soldiers and leaders to become familiar with the new policy, the revised AR 670-1 will not be made official for another 30 days.

“It’s been almost five years since we made an update, so it was definitely time. There have been a lot of changes; we have added new uniforms,” Sgt. Maj. Brian Sanders, Army G-1, Uniform Policy Branch sergeant major, told reporters at a roundtable.

Ever since the Army Green Service Uniform (AGSU) was approved for every day wear as a replacement for the blue Army Service Uniform (ASU), soldiers have been wearing them.

After October 1, 2027, the ASU will become the Army’s optional dress uniform.

“With the implementation of the Army Green Service Uniform, which is extremely important as we try and shift our culture and pay respect to the World War II generation, that really prompted the update to occur,” Sanders said.

A big change was also made to the patch soldiers wear on their right shoulders to show wartime service. It is also called as Combat Patch.

The Shoulder Sleeve Insignia Former Wartime Service is now called the Shoulder Sleeve Insignia Military Operations. It is authorized for wear to soldiers who served in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, and those who served in countries with hostile areas.

“Sometimes, we go to certain locations, and we don’t plan on that to be hostile conditions, but it may turn hostile,” Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Grinston said. “How do we recognize those soldiers who are out doing what we have asked them to do? So, we allow them to wear the shoulder sleeve insignia for the unit. I think that is appropriate.”

The new Combat Patch is currently authorized to be worn in Somalia, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Jordan, and Syria.