Why do we wear rank twice in the army? Patrol cap and blouse. Should we change this?

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 07:43:50 -0500

Maybe this is just me but I do not see any point besides that it is in the regulation that we wear our rank on the patrol caps in the army. You can clearly see the rank on the blouse or combat shirt depending on the situation. Although it gives you a second place to look for the rank it seems as if this could be changed. Why not your branch of the Army ie. medic, infantry, ordnance.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2016 7:47 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 07:47:36 -0500

I would not choose any of the polls choices. I do think that since we have/are going away from the mandarin style collar of ACUs that we should go back to rank on collar instead of chest, and officers wearing rank and branch on their collars.

Response by SGT Benjamin Lindsey made Mar 2 at 2016 7:49 AM

SGT Benjamin Lindsey — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 07:49:28 -0500

If it ain't broke don't fix it. There are plenty if more pressing issues that should be addressed besides rank on pc.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2016 8:04 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 08:04:33 -0500

You know that years ago when we had BDU's we had rank on both collars and the PC. Officers had there rank an branch on there collar. years before that NCO's had there rank on there sleeves and officers on the top of there shirt. Things change I still miss having rank on our collar but that is just me.

Response by Col Joseph Lenertz made Mar 2 at 2016 8:06 AM

Col Joseph Lenertz — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 08:06:13 -0500

AF is same, rank on cap and blouse. I always thought it was because outside, you salute, and so you wanted to be able to look the person in the face, see rank, and make the salute. I don't know why I think this or where I picked it up. Could have been a zoomie school lesson.

Response by SSG Ed Mikus made Mar 2 at 2016 8:13 AM

SSG Ed Mikus — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 08:13:32 -0500

I like it this way

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2016 8:30 AM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 08:30:24 -0500

I'd rather go back to wearing rank and branch insignia on the collar. The chest rank always looked rather silly.

Response by CSM Richard StCyr made Mar 2 at 2016 8:52 AM

CSM Richard StCyr — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 08:52:58 -0500

Not so big an issue now with the IBA and the Velcro patch allocated for rank, but when we used to wear the flak jackets there wasn't any other place to see the rank other than the head gear.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2016 9:45 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 09:45:21 -0500

No, it is good. We need to know rank, and there are situations when you will not see the chest rank.. especially since the terrible location. Redundant maybe, but effective... and last I checked the uniform wasn't a fashion statement - but work clothes with functionality.

Response by SGT Bryon Sergent made Mar 2 at 2016 9:47 AM

SGT Bryon Sergent — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 09:47:24 -0500

For one reason if you are carrying something in your arms and it cover your chest rank! that is simple enough! If it ain't broke leave it alone!

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2016 9:51 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 09:51:11 -0500

I don't mind the rank on the cap. I do not like, however, the rank on the chest. My paranoid self still thinks to this day it is a harassment complaint waiting to happen.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2016 9:58 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 09:58:41 -0500

Picking at something that doesn't really matter. Plus the cheat really isn't that great to pick out rank. Many times I've made an ass of myself by saluting that old ass looking e4 cause all I could see was a black smudge on his chest that looked like a LtCol.... I myself I guess look like old too from the amount of times I've had people salute me and realize I'm just a spc.

Response by CSM David Heidke made Mar 2 at 2016 10:03 AM

CSM David Heidke — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 10:03:19 -0500

We used to wear the rank on both sides of the collar, the Marines still do.

We used to wear the rank on each sleeve, the Air Force still does, and we do on the dress uniform.

Perhaps we should do as they did in "Universal Soldier" and tattoo the name and rank on the face?

Leave the minutia to officers... We've had enough uniform changes in the last 10 years.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2016 10:31 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 10:31:14 -0500

We have had a long run of changing things just to change it. Berets, PTs, ACUs, ASUs, OCP, boots... all for what?
Some of these have been real improvements (PTs). Others were questionable from the get go (ACUs). Frankly, I am tired of sr leaders who change stuff just to have a "legacy".

Response by 1SG Todd Sullivan made Mar 2 at 2016 11:22 AM

1SG Todd Sullivan — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 11:22:02 -0500

How about we quit reinventing the wheel... It's in 2 places, your cover, and your blouse, if people want cool little things on their cover tell to move to France.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2016 11:24 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 11:24:30 -0500

Sometimes there are details where you just wear your head gear and no blouse. It makes perfect sense to have rank on headgear.

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 3 at 2016 6:46 AM

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 03 Mar 2016 06:46:31 -0500

I think a sillier thing you guys do, is having the last name of the member on the back of the hat but have the rank on the front. so if you come up on someone you don't know from behind, you can read their name but not know to address them as private/Soldier, Sergeant or Sir/Ma'am.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 4 at 2016 3:15 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 04 Mar 2016 15:15:58 -0500

It is the small things like this, that would save the Army Millions of dollars a year - What does the Army pay to give Soldiers new rank via Supply? Maybe a Dollar Ea. - Still couple thousand get handed out every month or so, plus replacing damaged ones...It adds up, and would be an EASY, SIMPLE Fix with Minimal Impact to Daily Ops.

Response by SSgt GG-15 RET Jim Lint made Mar 5 at 2016 12:42 AM

SSgt GG-15 RET Jim Lint — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 00:42:10 -0500

https://www.rallypoint.com/branches/army/answers/why-do-we-wear-rank-twice-in-the-army-patrol-cap-and-blouse-should-we-change-this#

Why do we wear rank twice in the army? Patrol cap and blouse. Should we change this? | RallyPoint...

Response by SSgt GG-15 RET Jim Lint made Mar 5 at 2016 12:45 AM

SSgt GG-15 RET Jim Lint — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 00:45:56 -0500

Collars are much easier to see.

Response by SPC(P) Alexandra Hinds made Mar 7 at 2016 10:39 PM

SPC(P) Alexandra Hinds — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 22:39:01 -0500

I do apologize if this offends fellow Army person(s), however I have always been a fan of the Marine Corps Uniform. Not particularly the camouflage, but the way their PCs' crease and not to mention, how they are only required to wear one rank which is displayed on their cover. Also, the Navy Uniform is almost identical (if not) as far as the PC goes.
I do not get much enjoyment out of the fact that our head gear is less "attractive", not to mention how many different ways you can mold them from one Soldier to another.
If the Army could do away with the rank insignia on the blouse and perhaps look into the ideal of swapping our floppy covers for the molded Marine/Navy style, we would not only be happier (or I would), but we would also look a lot more professional as a whole when looking from Soldier to Soldier and not seeing many different "molds" or ways of wearing them.

Response by 1SG Todd Sullivan made Jan 8 at 2018 11:14 PM

1SG Todd Sullivan — Mon, 08 Jan 2018 23:14:32 -0500

Is this an issue that effects Soldiers health, morale, or welfare negatively? Does it have a negative impact on training? Does it effect leaderships ability to effectively lead? If you answer no maybe the next question is why is this an important issue? Not to be a downer, but I think the force as a whole has a lot larger issues to deal with? Just my opinion, playing devils advocate not trying to be negative.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 10 at 2018 4:34 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 16:34:03 -0500

I say we don't display our rank in enough places! In fact, the camo pattern of our uniforms should be comprised entirely of our current rank insignia.

In all seriousness, the only issue I have with the current rank is that I can't tell if I'm approaching an MAJ or 2LT until I'm right in front of them. Brighten it up or wear Sta-Brite rank on headgear in garrison or something like in the BDU days.

Response by SFC Francisco Rosario made Jan 12 at 2018 12:53 PM

SFC Francisco Rosario — Fri, 12 Jan 2018 12:53:38 -0500

The reason you wear the rank in both locations is so that it can be seen and you person can be identified by the rank property. Now having said that, there are a few who like to flatten the head gear to look cool. I ran a cross one of these individuals who was a 1st Lt, he was mad because i did not salute. I told him then he needs to wear his headgear so that his rank can be seen if he wants to be saluted. He realized that his rank was not recognizable due to how his headgear was worn at the time. He was wearing his ACU top. But things like this happen all the time, more so when we can't see the rank properly. So keep it the way it is.

Response by SGT Carl Blas made Mar 20 at 2018 12:02 AM

SGT Carl Blas — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 00:02:54 -0400

We did when in the Army, because sometimes you have gear on that doesn't show you rank.

Response by Maj John Bell made Mar 20 at 2018 4:58 AM

Maj John Bell — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 04:58:03 -0400

Honestly, I can't get past the Velcro. My wife bought me some boots with Velcro closures. The first time I put up hay with them on, out came the pocket knife, hole punch and baling twine for some field expedient modifications. In some of the crap I crawled through in the infantry, I would assume that it would be hours with tweezers picking the miniscule detritus out.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 20 at 2018 5:04 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 05:04:43 -0400

Seriously? This is not even in the top 1,000 things the Army needs to worry about.

Response by Maj John Bell made Jun 26 at 2018 6:00 PM

Maj John Bell — Tue, 26 Jun 2018 18:00:00 -0400

Sorry, GOTTA do it!!!

You know I was just thinking it has been almost a week since I saw a post from a soldier about changes to the uniform. I don't know teenage girls who worry as much about what they are going to wear to the prom. Life must be good in a service when "what are we going to wear to the dance?" is such a prominent topic.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 3 at 2018 7:01 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 19:01:42 -0400

Probably because we don't have our rank on our sleeve.. and thus.. you don't have to stare a female soldier chest.. or maybe it's so they can give you 100 dollars and take back 99.75 lol

Response by SFC Jeffrey VanBeekum made Jun 1 at 2020 6:04 PM

SFC Jeffrey VanBeekum — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 18:04:46 -0400

Used to wear two on the shirt (one each collar) and one on the cap (80's and 90's)