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Air Force Delays Mandatory Wear-Date for OCP items, 2PFDU

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas (AFNS) —

In an effort to reduce unnecessary stress on Airmen and Space professionals during COVID-19 restrictions, several uniform changes scheduled to become mandatory for the Operational Camouflage Pattern and Two-Piece Flight Duty Uniform (2PFDU) on June 1, have been delayed to Sept. 1.

The changes for each uniform are detailed in Air Force Instruction 36-2903, “Dress and Appearance of Air Force Personnel.” Mandatory wear of the Operational Camouflage Pattern Uniform remains April 2021.

The changes that become mandatory on Sept. 1 for the OCP include:

– Officer rank insignia will be spice brown (exception: first lieutenant and lieutenant colonel rank insignia will be black).

– The U.S. flag patch will be mandatory and the only authorized color is spice brown (cloth). Airmen will wear the flag while in garrison and deployed. Infrared U.S. flags are not authorized.

– The authorized T-shirt color will be coyote brown (listed as Tan 499 per AAFES nomenclature) only. If purchasing coyote brown shirts from outside retailers, uniformed members should ensure the color matches the authorized coyote brown color (Tan 499).

– The authorized socks will be DLA-issued green socks or coyote brown only.

– The authorized boot color will be coyote brown only. The two exceptions are for Airmen with a medical condition as determined by medical authorities at a civilian or military treatment facility and approved by the commander, and those who must wear black combat boots in industrial areas.

The changes that become mandatory on Sept. 1 for the 2PFDU include:

– All mandatory wear badges must be in place.

– The cloth U.S. flag will be the spice brown color only.

– The authorized socks will be DLA-issued green socks or coyote brown only.

– The authorized boot color will be coyote brown only.

– The only authorized color for thermal undergarments will be coyote brown.

For more information, please review Air Force Instruction 36-2903, “Dress and Appearance of Air Force Personnel,” or visit www.afpc.af.mil/Career-Management/Dress-and-Appearance.

By SSgt Sahara L. Fales, Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs

8 Responses to “Air Force Delays Mandatory Wear-Date for OCP items, 2PFDU”

  1. Ed says:

    Spice brown, ain’t that cute?! Lol

    • SSD says:

      That ship set sail a long time ago. You’re even late to the guys who were late,
      talking about it the other day.

  2. Jason says:

    I am not Air Force, but I seem them every day. The spice brown feels like a complete disaster. Fortunatly they don’t seem to care that no one can read their rank and salute.

    • Ton E says:

      I don’t see how anyone who isn’t blind can’t make out the rank and render proper customs.

  3. Gator59 says:

    In an effort to reduce unnecessary stress… what stress??

    Perhaps the Chinese or Russians could cause some stress, but a uniform change? Am I missing something?

  4. Maskirovka says:

    DLA issue socks *only?* Huh.

    • GANDIS says:

      Those are the one available at every clothing sales shop. They are green cotton knee highs and cost like $1.50 a pair. Those or the coyote ones.

  5. EOD Fish says:

    Hold the fucking phone. The required shirts are coyote brown but not actually coyote brown? How in the actual fuck are they going to require a color by name but then say that it is actually an objectively different color. If they want us to have tan499 shirts, why isn’t that the requirement?