Posted on Jan 17, 2020
Why is the U.S. Army the only branch that wears the full-color U.S. Flag?
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I've consistently wondered why the U.S. Army is the only branch that wears the full-color U.S. Flag patch on the combat uniform. Marines don't wear anything on their combat uniform, but Navy and Air Force both wear the subdued U.S. Flag patch on theirs. AR 670-1 Ch 19-18 states "All soldiers will wear the full-color U.S. Flag embroidered insignia utility and organizational uniforms, unless deployed or in a field environment. Soldiers will wear the subdued tactical flag insignia while deployed or in a field environment." While I understand the regulation, it seems to me that wearing the subdued flag insignia would make more sense because it matches the uniform pattern. What are your thoughts? PFC (Join to see) SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SFC James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" LTC Stephen F. CPL Dave Hoover SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SSG (Join to see) Capt Dwayne Conyers CPT Jack Durish SGT Ben Keen CPT (Join to see)
American Flag
Uniforms
Soldiers
DA Pam 670-1
Army Regulations
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 89
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Because why not?
There is no reason to wear a subdued flag in peacetime garrison environment.
They attach with velcro, so they are easy enough to swap out with subdued flags for field or operational duty.
So why not? The Navy and the USAF aren’t impressing anyone with their camouflage flags in the mess hall on base.
The US flag is Red, White and Blue. There is no good reason to not proudly display those colors in a non-tactical environment.
There is no reason to wear a subdued flag in peacetime garrison environment.
They attach with velcro, so they are easy enough to swap out with subdued flags for field or operational duty.
So why not? The Navy and the USAF aren’t impressing anyone with their camouflage flags in the mess hall on base.
The US flag is Red, White and Blue. There is no good reason to not proudly display those colors in a non-tactical environment.
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Dates to the 1990s during the Bosnia and Serbia operations. Those deployed he region of the former Yugoslavia wore the US Flag patch to distinguish them from other NATO forces as many wore a similar BDU style uniform. As Soldiers had to remove them upon return there was the issue of cost. These deployments the flags were not subdued. Then Afghanistan kicked off. Again, wearing flag patches became the norm, removed upon return. So it was decided to make it permanent about a year before the ACUs started to come out. Color when Garrison, subdued when deployed/field.
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Wow, I’m jealous! As retired USAF, would have loved to have worn a fully colored US Flag! During my Service time, the only time we wore a subdued flag was when we were on deployment. Wore subdued on a deployment to Bosnia during Operation Joint Forge and 9/11. I chose military service after having been held hostage twice in childhood under military coupes in Peru and Libya. Wish I could have done 28 yrs wearing a fully colored US flag on my uniform! It becomes even more meaningful as our citizens refuse to respect the flag, trample on it or burn it! I learned early in life and before military service that freedom isn’t free and often comes at a price and not everyone or every country has freedom! You US Army folks are really, really, really lucky to wear a colored US flag!!!
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Lt Col Leslie Bryant
Meant to say we never wore a flag on our USAF uniform unless we were deployed and it was subdued on deployment overseas!
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When I was in Vietnam our unit patch( First Air Cav on helicopter, was painted the correct color so the enemy knew who was giving them hell. I see the full colored flag as showing pride.
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Sgt Dennis Doty
SP5 Lynn Adams - And we appreciated the assist. Marines were never intended to garrison fortifications. Our role is offensive ops at the pointy end of the spear.
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Showing the US Flag is part of the mission of the US Army when deployed or at home. Yes, wear the subdued version when practical, STARS AND STRIPES FOREVER! God Bless America and Troops everywhere!!!
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I just saw this question and I am curious why anyone would question or wonder about it. 1. The reg you quoted says to and also says not in field environment or while deployed. 2. What good soldier would not be proud to wear it in full color. 3. Had it been in the regs when I served I would have danced with joy when it was introduced as well as feel bad the other branches weren't allowed the same privilege.
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1SG Alan Boggs
I was going to stay silent but your post prompted me to offer my suspicion. I have worn the subdued IR flags while deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and of course the full color back here at home. It becomes a status symbol, "I'm deployed". Pictures taken posed with their weapon just dont look as heroic with a full color flag... Its kinda like having a blank firing adaptor on your rifle when your trying to look all gung-ho for the camera.
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SSG Sam Jackson
1SG Alan Boggs I appreciate that aspect. You are definitely right about trying to take a pic with the blank adapter. I was only referring to the in garrison color patch. Since the subdued patch is worn in field environment or deployment it would be difficult for an uneducated civilian to tell the difference. But I would wear either patch proudly. I love my country and it's flag which represents our Republic. Anyone privileged enough to wear it as part of the uniform should consider it an honor.
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I certainly concur with you my friend SSG(P) (Join to see) that instead of a full color patch on "combat uniforms " "it seems to me that wearing the subdued flag insignia would make more sense because it matches the uniform pattern."
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Why not wear full color with pride? Wish we could have in the 60's. Foreign countries did and still do. Wear it, you earned it, you are a 4%er
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why does it matter. I'm no longer in the army but fly my flag each day, proud and in full color
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