Looking at older official Army photos with no nameplates. Are nameplates on service and dress uniforms really necessary?

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 04:36:59 -0500

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Jan 15 at 2018 5:02 AM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 05:02:20 -0500

"Will be worn..." Not can, or may, will be worn.

Someone should tell the Army about these awesome regulations, I keep finding the answers to all these questions in them. You'd think someone would publicize them!

Response by CW5 Jack Cardwell made Jan 15 at 2018 5:02 AM

CW5 Jack Cardwell — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 05:02:26 -0500

Yes, so you can remember your own name !

Response by SMSgt Lawrence McCarter made Jan 15 at 2018 6:37 AM

SMSgt Lawrence McCarter — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 06:37:17 -0500

I think on a day to day basis the nameplates should be worn. It helps in the learning process of knowing Who each person that met is by name and end awkward times of not remembering a persons name esp when You may have to introduce them to others. Having a last name and an apparent rank insignia helps a lot I feel. I always wanted to know people I dealt with by name and this helped a lot I felt esp when i have had hundreds of people to deal with and though it was important I knew who each one was.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 15 at 2018 8:19 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 08:19:06 -0500

I personally like having names and rank on all uniforms. That way you never hear "Do you know who you were just talking to?" This is my biggest pet peeve with the PT uniform. A 4-star general could walk by and I'd have no idea unless I just happened to know who he was.

Response by PO1 Barbara Matthews made Jan 15 at 2018 9:56 AM

PO1 Barbara Matthews — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 09:56:23 -0500

Here is my two cents. If wearing ribbons then they are ok. If wearing full sized medals maybe. If wearing miniature medals then not.

It would also depend on the occasion the uniform is worn.

Response by SMSgt Thor Merich made Jan 15 at 2018 11:36 AM

SMSgt Thor Merich — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 11:36:51 -0500

In the AF, formal versions of the uniform require that no nameplate be worn. I assume it’s to keep a cleaner appearance.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Jan 15 at 2018 7:29 PM

SSG (ret) William Martin — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 19:29:53 -0500

Uh because AR670-1 says so. That's so easy to answer even a caveman can answer it. I see that someone else has already given an exact answer right down to the page number.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 15 at 2018 9:31 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 21:31:12 -0500

"necessary" no, acquired by regulation, yes

I like it too

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 15 at 2018 11:27 PM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 23:27:20 -0500

Thanks for the constructive responses! Forgive me if the question was too ambiguous; I am well aware of current regulatory guidance concerning the wear of nameplates on uniforms. This question is purely hypothetical and out of academic curiosity. I'm taking a military history class, and throughout my research, I came across several photos of the "old days" and most of them did not wear nameplates in service uniforms. I was wondering when did the Army decide to do it, and was it truly necessary since not all branches do it (most notably the USMC).

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2018 3:41 AM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 03:41:25 -0500

I don't wear my name plate on mine...due to being on the honor guard team

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Apr 24 at 2018 5:43 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Tue, 24 Apr 2018 17:43:07 -0400

If no name- How do you talk with/identify who? Yo- SGT- Yeah you the one in glasses.

Response by SFC Robert Walton made Sep 20 at 2018 8:50 AM

SFC Robert Walton — Thu, 20 Sep 2018 08:50:31 -0400

Never wore a uniform with out a name plate or tape except PT.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 20 at 2018 9:56 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 20 Sep 2018 09:56:28 -0400

Why wouldn't you have a name plate on a uniform? I had to wear a name tag when I worked at Pizza Hut and at the nursing home before I joined the Army. I think pretty much anywhere you work (almost anywhere) you're gonna have a name tag.

I would like to know who I'm talking to at work. Even if I'm at a store and I get crappy customer service I'd like to know who to tell the manager about.

Response by SFC Robert Walton made Sep 21 at 2018 9:01 AM

SFC Robert Walton — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 09:01:07 -0400

What people wear in the Military is Called a Uniform. It would be my opinion that if a person looks up the word Uniform that this question would be easy to answer. Now at one time that was not the policy and Department of defense change that and then some where along the lines the Commander of the Marines Corp. Convinced The deciding bubble heads that Marines didn't need Name tapes or plates. During Viet Nam they work yellow or gold strips and name tapes as well. I would rather have my name on my uniform that stops things like hey Soldier and encourages others to refer to you by name and Rank. It would be of my Humble Opinion that we are back to the same old thing that has happened alot on RP where old Soldiers are okay with this neccesity but the new Soldier don't like it and want to question and change it. JMT

Response by SFC Robert Walton made Sep 21 at 2018 9:05 AM

SFC Robert Walton — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 09:05:18 -0400

In addition if I visit a person out side my chain of command and they tell me something like your arm is going to fall of if you do any more push-up the when I approach my chain of command with my profile and am ask who said that then I can leave them well briefed no just say ummm a LT.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Sep 21 at 2018 11:02 AM

CSM Darieus ZaGara — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 11:02:11 -0400

I say yes, based on my brothers comment below.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 5 at 2019 1:03 PM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 05 Feb 2019 13:03:28 -0500

Don’t know if anybody still cares about this post, but it’s possible that the SMA May have read it...

Response by MSG John Duchesneau made May 24 at 2021 12:31 AM

MSG John Duchesneau — Mon, 24 May 2021 00:31:01 -0400

Its a subject of debate. The Army has been wearing nameplates since about 1960.