SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- U.S. Air Forces Central Command published an update Aug. 28 to USAFCENT Instruction 36-2903 that outlines the dress and appearance guidelines for those within the USAFCENT area of responsibility.
According to Col. Devin Statham, USAFCENT Shaw director of Manpower, Personnel and Services, the update condensed the instruction from 31 to 19 pages, providing more visual representations of the guidelines.
One big-ticket item involved the expansion of the proper wear for the Airman Combat Uniform, or ACU. The uniform was previously referred to as the OCP (Operational Camouflage Pattern) which applied to the pattern and not the uniform, Statham added.
“Major revisions include [but are not limited to]: clarified guidance for ACU wear of patches, badges and insignias; clarification on the prohibition to mix and match camouflage patterns; authorized ball caps with ACUs; and mandated wear of Commanders Insignia Pin,” according to the instruction.
Another item explained in the instruction entails the use of identifier tabs in Table 3.1 “Authorized Duty Identifier Tabs” and Table 3.2 “Prohibited Duty Identifier Tabs” which clearly list and define identifier tabs that can and cannot be used.
Leadership recommended all Airmen within the USAFCENT AOR, or those who will soon deploy, review the instruction in its entirety.
“This is the most significant re-write in the history of the [USAFCENT] dress and personal appearance instruction,” Statham explained. “It should be completely reviewed as it provides uniform wear guidance for every deployer.”
Wear of the ACU will be mandatory USAFCENT-wide by the end of 2018. Statham said the timeline is currently being worked and guidance will be published once it becomes available.
Airmen can locate the instruction via AEF Online or the USAFCENT SharePoint, both of which can only be accessed with a Common Access Card.