Wear of Awards, Insignia and Accoutrements on the Uniform
The United States Army is a uniformed service where
discipline, esprit de corps and morale is judged by how
the individual wears the uniform. Therefore, there are
very precise regulations governing the wear of awards,
insignia and accoutrements on the uniform. Army regulation 670-1 is the governing military publication. The
following pages provide examples of insignia placement
on Army uniforms since World War I.
World War I
Wound Stripe
(gold), right arm
World War II
Service stripes, one
for each 6 month,
on the left arm
WW II officer insignia lined up as shown
U.S.
After WW II Overseas
bars were moved to
the right sleeve
Army Meritorious Unit
Commendation - Original
Configuration
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Unit Awards
over right
pocket
U.S.
WW II Enlisted
World War II
Korean and Vietnam War Era
Korean War
Officer uniform
shown
Vietnam War
Enlisted uniform
shown
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U.S. is worn 5/8" above
lapel notch and parallel to
the inside edge of the lapel
Uniforms - Male Officer
Branch insignia is worn 1
1/4" below U.S. insignia.
Align so center line of
branch insignia bisects
the center line of the U.S.
and is parallel to the inside
edge of the lapel.
Regimental insignia worn
centered 1/8" above pocket
or 1/4" above unit awards
Ribbons are centered
1/8" over the left breast
pocket, normally three to
a row; with no space
or 1/8" between rows.
Unit awards are centered
1/8" above the right
breast pocket
Combat and skill badges
are worn 1/4" above
ribbons or below top of
pocket 1/2" apart.
Identification badges are
centered on the pocket between
the bottom of the pocket and
the bottom of the pocket flap
Overseas bars are centered
on the bottom half of the right
sleeve 1/4" above the braid
Full size medals may
be worn on blue uniform
Foreign badges are
worn 1/8" above the
right pocket or 1/4"
above unit awards
Blue Uniform
Green shoulder
marks obsolete
as of Sept 1992
Regimental Crests
are worn 1/8"
above the right
pocket or 1/4"
above unit awards
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Black shoulder marks are
4" long while sweater
marks are 3 1/4" long
Up to three miniature
class1-5 combat or skill
badges may be worn
Regimental insignia worn
on right lapel centered
1/2" below notch.
Miniature medals
are centered 1/2"
below notch
Identification
badges are
centered
between the
first and second
button
Uniform - Female Officer
Womens ribbons and badges are
aligned with the plastic nameplate. The
plate is adjusted to individual figure
differences. The nameplate is centered
horizontally on the right side between
one and two inches above the top
button of the coat. Individual service
ribbons are aligned parallel to the
bottom of the name plate.
On the female blue uniform a single
branch insignia is worn on the left
lapel only 1" below the notch. Align
parallel to the inside edge of the
lapel. A single U.S. is worn on the
right lapel aligned as the branch
insignia.
Regimental insignia worn centered
1/2" above nameplate or 1/2" above
unit awards or foreign badges on
green and blue uniform
Combat and skill badges
are worn 1/4" above ribbons
or below 1/2" apart
Ribbons are centered as shown,
normally three to a row; with no
space or 1/8" between rows
Unit awards are centered
1/2" above nameplate
Identification badges are centered
across from the third button as shown
Overseas bars are
centered on the bottom
half of the right sleeve
1/4" above the braid
Wear of foreign
awards 1/2" above
nameplate
Full size medals may
be worn on blue uniform
Blue Uniform
Up to three miniature class 1-5
combat or skill badges may be worn
Green shoulder marks
obsolete as of Sept 1992
Regimental
Crest are worn
1/4" above the
nameplate or 1/2"
above unit awards
Black
shoulder marks
Regimental insignia
worn on right lapel centered
1/2" below notch.
Miniature medals
are centered 1/2"
below notch
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Uniform - Male Enlisted
US is worn 1" above the left
lapel notch and parallel to
the inside edge of the lapel
the branch insignia is worn
on the right lapel using the
same alignment
DUI (crest) is centered between
button outer edge and inside
edge of rank insignia
Combat and skill
badges are worn 1/4"
above ribbons or below
top of pocket 1/2" apart.
Ribbons are centered
1/8" over the left breast
pocket, normally three to
a row; with no space
or 1/8" between rows.
Regimental insignia worn
centered 1/8" above pocket
or 1/4" above unit awards
Unit awards are
centered 1/8" above
the right breast pocket
Rank is sewn on
the sleeve halfway
between the shoulder
seam and the elbow
Identification badges
are centered on the pocket
between the bottom of
the pocket and the bottom
of the pocket flap
Hashmarks are placed 4"
above the bottom of the
left sleeve centered
on the sleeve
Overseas bars are
placed 4" above the
bottom of right sleeve
centered on the sleeve
Blue Uniform
Pin on rank is
centered 1"
up from the
collar points
Green shoulder
marks obsolete as of
September 1992
Black shoulder marks are
4" long while sweater
marks are 3 1/4" long
Full size medals may
be worn on blue
or white uniform
Regimental insignia
worn on right lapel
centered 1/2" below notch
Mess Uniform
Miniature medals
are centered 1/2"
below notch
Old Blue Uniform
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Up to three
miniature class
1-5 combat or
skill badges
may be worn
Uniform - Female Enlisted
U.S. is centered on the
right collar 5/8" above lapel
notch and parallel to the
inside edge of the lapel
Branch insignia is centered
and is parallel to the inside
edge of the right lapel
DUI (crest) is centered between
button outer edge and inside
edge of rank insignia
Crest is centered 1"
from front crease on
the left hand side
Regimental insignia worn
centered 1/2" above
nameplate or 1/2" above
unit awards or foreign
badges
Bottom of name
tag lines up with
ribbon
Unit awards are centered
1/2" above nameplate
Rank is sewn on
the sleeve halfway
between the shoulder
seam and the elbow
Womens ribbons and badges
are aligned with the plastic
nameplate. The plate is adjusted
to individual figure differences.
The nameplate is centered
horizontally on the right side
between one and two inches
above the top button of the coat.
Individual service ribbons are
aligned parallel to the bottom of
the name plate.
Identification badges are
centered across from the
third button as shown
Hashmarks are placed 4"
above the bottom of the
left sleeve centered on
the sleeve
Overseas bars are
placed 4" above the
bottom of right sleeve
centered on the sleeve
Pin on rank is
centered 1" up from
the collar points
Green shoulder
marks obsolete as of
September 1992
Full size medals may
be worn on blue
or white uniform
These rules apply to the Blue uniforms
Regimental
Crest are worn
1/2" above the
nameplate or 1/2"
above unit awards
Regimental insignia
worn on right lapel centered
1/2" below notch
Miniature medals
are centered 1/2"
below notch
Black
shoulder marks
Up to three miniature
class 1-5 combat or skill
badges may be worn
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