Why can't Soldiers roll up their sleeves in uniform?

2016-04-03T03:30:16-04:00

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made Apr 3 at 2016 3:44 AM

2016-04-03T03:44:20-04:00

1SG Private RallyPoint Member unless, the regulation changed,I know you couldn't. Back when it was BDUs you could roll up sleeves, until the ACUs came out in 2005.

Response by LTC Jason Bartlett made Apr 3 at 2016 6:41 AM

2016-04-03T06:41:05-04:00

Easiest way to protect yourself from UV rays and reduce your risk of skin cancer. Why risk it? (My father served 25 years died of skin cancer after surgery to remove it was unsuccessful which led it to spread to brain)

Response by CW4 Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 3 at 2016 6:52 AM

2016-04-03T06:52:26-04:00

The first and most important why is:
DA PAM 670-1, 4-8(d) - Sleeves will be worn down at all times(not rolled or cuffed). The sleeve cuffs on the combat uniform coat are not authorized to be rolled inside the coat.
The second and debatable why is:
Sleeves protect against sunburn and insect bites.

Having come from the Air Force in the late 90's I enjoyed the flexibility of rolling up the sleeves in the Oklahoma summers. When I switched to the Army, I found myself in flight school at Ft. Rucker Alabama in the middle of the summer and decided to roll my sleeves up. (They do not go through all of the intricacies of AR or DA PAM 670-1 in Army Basic) So I just rolled up my sleeves and headed out to formation. Everyone looked at me like I had a penis growing out of my forehead. However, since I had already made a name for myself as the guy that came from the Air Force and still doesn't know shit about the Army, they just laughed and yanked my sleeves down.

This is just another example of how the Army does not allow the lowest level NCO's to make common sense choices for their teams, squads, or platoons. The Army does not trust anyone to think outside of the box, they train their NCO's to be inflexible robots, and force them to read and adhere to every reg by the letter. (See post about PT test scoring whether someone can stand up after three push ups if they get a cramp or need to go potty) This isn't a hit on NCO's, but a hit on how Army doctrine prevents NCO's from being all they can be. I would have never made it a day in the Army as an NCO. They don't let NCO's think and they force Commissioned officers to be responsible for every mistake grown adults (aka E-1 thru E-4) make. Warrant Officer Corps (I refuse to accept the term Cohort) is the last bastion of common sense left in the Army.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 3 at 2016 8:17 AM

2016-04-03T08:17:54-04:00

When the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps all allow their sleeves to be rolled under certain conditions, I have a hard time buying any of the reasons I've heard.

My guess, when the transition from BDU to ACU occurred, whoever was in charge didn't like rolled sleeves.

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Apr 3 at 2016 10:36 AM

2016-04-03T10:36:23-04:00

The policy when I was going to meetings during the summer was sleeves rolled up, unless otherwise stated by the 1st sergeant. Sleeves down in the winter months.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Apr 3 at 2016 10:41 AM

2016-04-03T10:41:58-04:00

Uniform: not varying or changing : staying the same at all times, in all places, or for all parts or members (Webster)

Remember it's called a "Uniform" not "MIL Loincloth". They regulate it because they can. It's one of those things they abhor if the SMs are left to their own devices. I've noticed a significant portion of the Army posts have to deal with a reg. Regs define a process, standard, or appearance most times. I think the logic behind them is to specify something so it's done the same way every time and, if you know it, you don't have to think about it. So the top brass concludes that by having them, the service is better off for it. I think it has a lot to do with having the same look and feel wherever you go. Don't worry, it's cyclical. The next group of whiz kids will "improve" things to what they were 20 years ago with their "new" idea they can take credit for.

Response by SSgt Dan Montague made Apr 3 at 2016 11:04 AM

2016-04-03T11:04:21-04:00

When did the Army stop rolling sleeves? Can you no longer roll them in garrison too?

Response by CPT Joseph K Murdock made Apr 3 at 2016 2:45 PM

2016-04-03T14:45:21-04:00

Because we like to sweat and become uncomfortable.

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 3 at 2016 3:10 PM

2016-04-03T15:10:39-04:00

I think the big thing is it changed when you guys went to ACU's. This is my thought we all had sleeves down when down range. The sun burn thing, keeping your core cool, and I think this is the big one a muscle memory thing keeping them down and I think because they wanted them down due to the IEDs and all the skin burns and someone felt this and the flame gear will slow the burning down. Everyone was deploying so Army felt to keep everyone in the mind set. They have not relooked that but I believe they will. We all need to remember it was a in theater thing sleeves down for all branches and this was probably their mind set behind it. When ever we were about a month out or in the field training we went sleeves down, so I believe that has something to do with it.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 3 at 2016 3:44 PM

2016-04-03T15:44:14-04:00

Could you imagine he chaos that would ensure?

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made Apr 3 at 2016 4:48 PM

2016-04-03T16:48:07-04:00

There would be no place for our pens.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 3 at 2016 5:14 PM

2016-04-03T17:14:32-04:00

I had the privilege of serving in the Air Force for over 14 years of active duty. During that time I was on a Army post twice, once as a lower enlisted in training at a school, and once as a LT also in in training at a school.

I can honestly say that I had to take more BS as an officer on an Army post than I took as a lower enlisted man in the Air Force.

Enough said.

Response by SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 3 at 2016 10:43 PM

2016-04-03T22:43:26-04:00

You won't cool down as much as one would think and a higher risk of sunburn, bites, etc

Response by Capt Tom Brown made Apr 4 at 2016 9:48 AM

2016-04-04T09:48:24-04:00

Each service seems to have their own standards which opens up a lot of questions by SMs. The MC has recently come up with what appears to be a happy medium on both sleeves and tats. Perhaps the Army will come around under the auspices of the new Sergeant Major, even if he doesn't have any tats.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 4 at 2016 10:36 AM

2016-04-04T10:36:37-04:00

I personally regardless of regs roll my cuffs inside once for two reasons. 1. So I don't have to constantly move the sleeve out of the way just to see time. 2. Whether someone agrees or not air flow is greatly increased. If I'm not mistaken command can adjust to conditions and make temporary situational changes

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 4 at 2016 7:48 PM

2016-04-04T19:48:56-04:00

It's because the Army wants us to look professional everywhere we go, imagine going to a business meeting with executives and your sleeves are rolled up

Response by SPC Rory J. Mattheisen made Apr 4 at 2016 8:23 PM

2016-04-04T20:23:00-04:00

I asked right after AIT in 03 and while I did push-ups for asking a stupid question I was reminded that I didn't join the Marines. Ya know in that nice, being showered in spit, and taught new ways to group cusswords kind of way. My question is when did the Army start issuing opinions?

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 4 at 2016 8:23 PM

2016-04-04T20:23:07-04:00

Trust me, I'm in the Navy, sleeves rolled does not look good in my opinion and it does not help you keep cool like you might think.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 4 at 2016 8:47 PM

2016-04-04T20:47:30-04:00

I think it would look quite nice...

Response by SFC Joseph Dunphy made Apr 4 at 2016 9:05 PM

2016-04-04T21:05:28-04:00

Whatever the regulations say now, it is important to consider the medical aspect of sleeves up or sleeves down. A short look at the effects of Vitamin D3 deficiency is that a body receiving less than 600 International Units per day of Vitamin D 3 is at increased risk of a lot of things, including knee and hip pain, cancer, etc., all of which can increase the risk of sick days, injuries, that are otherwise avoidable, and thus increase the costs of medical treatment, in essence taking money away from veterans that might need it more. With the introduction of more females into the service, including combat roles, the potential exists for more Vitamin D3 deficiency in females leading to osteoporosis, which at some point could be lablelled service-connected, if the prolonged deficiency were so judged. Dosage exposure measurements are common in radiation control environments, like X ray machines, power plants, etc. With the advances in medical techonolgy in the past 15 years, health effects are becoming easier to measure, and IMO, should be part of the mix in decision making. One size doesn't necessarily fit all. But in Drill and Ceremony, everybody needs to do the same thing, to look sharp.

Response by SSG John Jensen made Apr 5 at 2016 1:31 AM

2016-04-05T01:31:53-04:00

Go Back To The Jungle Fatigues - they looked good and were comfortable

Response by Cpl Rc Layne made Apr 5 at 2016 5:55 PM

2016-04-05T17:55:19-04:00

Suns out, guns out.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 22 at 2016 4:16 PM

2016-04-22T16:16:47-04:00

Personally, with all the concern about gun violence in the country right now...I wouldn't want to walk around with these GUNS in plain view.

Response by 1stSgt Troy Seals made Aug 24 at 2016 9:50 AM

2016-08-24T09:50:20-04:00

The Army is considering it as we speak.

Response by CWO2 Shelby DuBois made Aug 24 at 2016 11:57 AM

2016-08-24T11:57:46-04:00

There are no directions on the cuff?

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 16 at 2017 9:40 PM

2017-04-16T21:40:29-04:00

I'm in the guard and there was an aleract that came out about 9 months ago that the ocp sleeves could be rolled at the commanders discretion.

Response by COL Charles Williams made May 25 at 2017 1:42 PM

2017-05-25T13:42:08-04:00

Why would you want to? It serves no purpose?

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made May 29 at 2017 12:36 AM

2017-05-29T00:36:16-04:00

Apparently they forgot. Before Vietnam the prescribed roll was.
1. take the cuff all the way up to the shoulder
2.bring the shoulder back to the elbow
3. bring the top down to the elbow.
4. I always had to repeat 3. because I am small
This way only the outside of the blouse is exposed and one pull brings an arm down.
You can see by my sleeves I needed another roll so they would look like the Colnels does

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 25 at 2018 1:03 AM

2018-10-25T01:03:19-04:00

Based on the responses, you don't roll them up because AR 670-1 states it isn't authorized.
My period of service was during BDUs, and with the exception of Ft Ord, CA, which was never sleeves up, every other installation had a policy describing the time period sleeves could be rolled up.
I don't recall rolling sleeves up to help with relief from the heat. I recall sleeves down protecting from the sun in the desert, and preferred them down.
Based on the posts it appears a change is under consideration. A very minor thing, until the 1SG or CSM catch you wrong regardless of the current policy.

Response by SGT Layne Mullins made Oct 27 at 2018 7:50 AM

2018-10-27T07:50:29-04:00

5years Army and we were always allowed to roll our bdu’s