Updates to Dress & Appearance AFI

  • Published
  • By Public Affairs
  • 315th Airlift Wing
Air Force officials, July 13, published an update to Air Force Instruction 36-2903, Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel, addressing items including female hair standards and further guidance on the occupational camouflage pattern uniform. 

"By Order of the Secretary of the Air Force, this Air Force Guidance Memorandum immediately changes AFI 36-2903, Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel. Compliance with this Memorandum is mandatory. To the extent its directions are inconsistent with other Air Force publications, the information herein prevails, in accordance with AFI 33-360, Publications and Forms Management." 

Female Hair Changes

3.1.3 “No minimum hair length to a maximum bulk of 3 ½ inches from scalp and allows proper wear of headgear.”
Female hair still must be above the bottom edge of the collar. Also, black hair accessories (i.e. scrunchies, hairpins, barrettes) may be worn regardless of hair color.

3.1.3.3 “Locs, braids, twists, micro-braids, french braids, dutch braids and cornrows are authorized.”

3.1.3.4 Mohawk, mullet or etched designs in hair are still not authorized.

Operational Camouflage Pattern
5.2 Beginning Oct. 1, 2018, Airmen are authorized to wear previously–owned, serviceable OCPs or they may purchase OCPs at authorized military clothing stores. The OCP is mandatory beginning April 1, 2021. 

“The OCP may be worn off base for short convenience stops and when eating at restaurants where people wear comparable civilian attire. Do not wear OCPs off base to eat in restaurants where most diners wear business attire or at establishments that operate primarily to serve alcohol. Do not starch or hot press the OCP. Light ironing authorized, however, repeated hot pressing or heavy ironing will accelerate the overall wear of the fabric. … If personnel choose to use personal funds to purchase from non-AAFES suppliers, the Air Force is not responsible if the uniform is not fully compliant. Females may wear the male version of the OCP.”

5.4 “Accoutrements. Airmen will wear a basic configuration until organizational patches and badges are developed or reconfigured. Organizations are required to contact The Institute of Heraldry for assistance on development or reconfiguration of organizational patches and badges.”
“Effective April 1, 2019 officer rank insignia will spice brown; first lieutenant and lieutenant colonel rank insignia will be black. Enlisted rank will be spice brown. Name and USAF tapes are mandatory for all personnel. Name and USAF tapes embroidery will be spice brown.”

5.4.4 Organizational and unit patches. 5.4.4.1 A maximum of two patches may be worn on the right sleeve. 5.4.4.1.1. A subdued cloth spice brown U.S. flag patch is mandatory. It will be centered at the top of velcro and worn while in–garrison and deployed. 

5.4.4.1.2.1 A higher headquarters patch or a directorate patch (when authorized) maybe be worn below the flag. Both will be subdued cloth using the spice brown criteria.

5.4.4.2 A maximum of two patches may be worn on the left sleeve. 5.4.4.2.1. “When authorized and worn, subdued spice brown color criteria duty identifier tabs and functional badges (e.g. Inspector General, Security Forces, Fire Fighters, Missile Operations) will be centered at the top of the velcro area." [NOTE: MAJCOM, Combatant AFGM2018-02 July 13, 2018 Commanders and equivalents are the approval authority for identifying what duty identifier tabs are authorized for wear on the OCP within their area of responsibility.]

5.4.4.2.2 “Organizational unit of assignment will follow the subdued spice brown color criteria patches and will be centered at the top of the velcro area unless authorized functional badges or joint qualification tabs are worn.”

5.4.4.2.3 “Awarded, joint qualification tabs (subdued using spice brown color criteria) may be worn above the unit patch as a third patch (e.g., Army Ranger, Sapper, Air Commando, SERE, etc.) 

5.4.4.2.4 “No other types of patches are authorized on the left sleeve.”

For more details on these and other dress and appearance changes visit: Dress and Appearance AFI 36-2903

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