The Air Force released guidance on its dress and personal appearance policy Jan. 9 providing updated standards for Airmen.
The new guidance memorandum for DAF Instruction 36-2903, Dress and Personal Appearance of Department of the Air Force Personnel, clarifies rules on mandatory uniform items and personal appearance while adding visuals to reduce ambiguity.
The reinstatement of duty identifier patches is one of the most significant changes, intended to honor the skills and heritage within the force. A list of approved duty identifier patches and qualification tabs can be found here.
"I've decided to bring duty identifier patches back because the Air Force is made up of many different specialties, each with a unique role in our mission to generate airpower," said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach. "We are a unified force working together to win."
Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force David R. Wolfe emphasized that the patches are a visible symbol of an Airman's contribution to the larger mission.
"Your expertise matters. These patches are a reflection of the skills you earned, and every patch tells a story that ends with AIRPOWER," Wolfe said. "They connect your role to the larger mission. We trust you to wear them correctly and help your wingmen do the same - we owe each other accountability every day."
Additional key updates in the new guidance include the following:
Operational Camouflage Pattern uniforms: There is no longer a requirement for all officers to maintain a full set of OCPs. Only those individuals performing assigned duties and mission requirements that necessitate OCPs must maintain a full set.
Earbuds: The wear and use of an earpiece, headphones, or any Bluetooth wireless technology while in uniform, indoors or outdoors, is only authorized for official duties. The use of personal electronic media devices, including earpieces, speaker phones or text messaging while walking in uniform is limited to emergencies or when official notifications are necessary. Exceptions include, but are not limited to, authorization of headphones and earphones during travel on public transportation and while wearing the physical training gear during individual or personal fitness training. Military customs and courtesies take precedence.
Eyewear: Authorized frames for eyeglasses and sunglasses include black, brown, white, dark blue, gray or transparent material, or gold or silver wire. Authorized sunglass lenses must be traditional gray, brown, or dark shades. Authorized eyeglass lenses must be conservative, clear, slightly tinted, or photosensitive lenses. It is unauthorized to wear mirrored lenses or smart glasses with photo, video or artificial intelligence capabilities while in uniform.
Bags: The new standardized list of colors for authorized bags includes solid black, brown, dark blue, olive drab green, and OCP-patterned. The full details on authorized bags are published here.
Watch cap: The watch cap may be worn during Oct. 1 to March 31, cold weather conditions, or as determined and approved by the installation commander. It will be solid black or coyote brown knit or fleece material and not include rank insignia. The black watch cap may be worn with Class A and B uniforms, OCPs, or PT gear. The coyote brown watch cap may be worn with the OCP uniform or PT gear.
These updates are designed to uphold military professionalism and recognize the specialized contributions of Airmen, directly supporting a more effective and mission-ready force.
