Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia

(1) Low-waisted. The low-waisted blue trousers are straight-legged without cuffs, with side and hip pockets. The left
hip pocket has a buttonhole tab and button.
(2) High-waisted. The high-waisted blue trousers are authorized for wear with the Army blue uniform instead of
low-waisted trousers. The high-waisted trousers are required for wear with the Army blue mess and evening mess
uniforms. High-waisted trousers are cut along the lines of civilian dress trousers, with a high waist, and without pleats,
cuffs, or hip pockets.
(3) Trouser leg ornamentation. Ornamental braid is worn on each outside seam of the trouser leg, from the bottom
of the waistband to the bottom of the trouser leg, as follows:
(a) General officers have two, 1 ⁄2-inch, two-vellum gold, synthetic metallic gold, or gold-colored nylon or rayon
braids, spaced 1 ⁄2 inch apart.
(b) All other officers have one, 1 1 ⁄2 inch, two-vellum gold, synthetic metallic gold, or gold-colored nylon or rayon
braid.
(c) Enlisted personnel have one 1 1 ⁄2 inch gold-colored nylon or rayon braid.
20–7. Shirt, white
A commercial long-sleeved white shirt with barrel or French cuffs and a standard turndown collar is worn with the
Army blue uniform. (See para 27–22c for a complete description.)
20–8. Service cap, Army blue
a. Design. The cap will be made from an approved specification or pattern, in a standard Army design. Officers
have the option of wearing the cap frame with a removable cover made of the same material as the rest of the uniform.
b. Visor and visor ornamentation. The visor is plain black leather, or poromeric with a leather finish. The visor
ornamentation is as follows:
(1) General and field grade officers. The top of the visor is black cloth with two arcs of oak leaves in groups of two,
embroidered in gold bullion, synthetic metallic gold-colored yarn, or manufactured from anodized aluminum in
24–karat gold color.
(2) Company grade officers, warrant officers, and enlisted personnel. The top of the visor is plain black shell
cordovan or shell cordovan-finish leather, resin treated, with a waterproof edge.
c. Chinstrap and chinstrap ornamentation. The chinstrap consists of two straps, each 1 ⁄2 inch in width by 10 inches in
length, with one end of each strap forming a slide, and the other end of each strap fastened to the cap at each end of
the visor. The chinstrap ornamentation is as follows.
(1) Officers. The chinstrap is natural or light brown, full-grain pigskin or sheepskin, non-bleeding, with pointed ends
covered with two-vellum gold wire lace, synthetic metallic gold-colored lace, or a one-piece strap manufactured from
anodized aluminum in 24–karat gold color.
(2) Enlisted personnel. The chinstrap is plain black leather matching the visor in appearance, with rounded ends.
Poromeric with a leather finish is authorized.
d. Hatband. All personnel will wear an outside hatband, 1 3 ⁄4 inches in width, around the entire outside rim of the
cap. The hatband ornamentation follows.
(1) General officers. The band is blue-black velvet with two arcs of oak leaves in groups of two, 1 inch long and 3 ⁄4
inch wide, embroidered in gold, synthetic metallic gold-colored braid, or gold-colored nylon or rayon.
(2) All other officers. The band is grosgrain silk of the first-named color of the officer’s basic branch, with a band
of 1 ⁄2 inch, two-vellum gold, synthetic metallic gold, or gold-colored nylon or rayon braid, placed at the top and bottom
of the hatband. If the officer’s branch has two colors, 1 ⁄8-inch piping of the second color is placed on the inside edges
of the gold braid.
(3) Enlisted personnel. The band is basket-weave mohair braid matching the shade of the cap material, with a 1 ⁄2inch
band of two-vellum gold-colored nylon, rayon, or polyester braid placed at the top part of the hatband.
e. Cap insignia. Insignia is worn on the Army blue service cap secured through the front eyelet. The service cap
insignia is described in paragraph 28–3b.
f. Wear.
(1) All male personnel will wear the Army blue service cap with the Army blue, blue mess, and blue evening mess
uniforms.
(2) Personnel are not required to wear headgear when wearing the Army blue uniform to evening social functions
(after retreat). However, on all other occasions, personnel will wear headgear with this uniform.
g. Proper wear position. The service cap is worn straight on the head so that the braid hatband on the service cap
creates a straight line around the head, parallel to the ground. Such positioning automatically positions the visor
correctly, so that it does not interfere with vision or ride up on the forehead. Personnel will not alter the shape of the
service cap in any manner.
20–9. Cape, Army blue
As an option, all officers are authorized to wear the Army blue cape instead of the black all-weather coat, when
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