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Sleeve & collar enlisted US Army rank question


VolunteerArmoury
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VolunteerArmoury

I understand the pin on rank insignia came in about '68 or so but when were the sleeve chevron wear out date?

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VolunteerArmoury

Thanks. I'll keep looking for the period document which we'd call ALARACT.

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It was like this, after a certain point in 69-70 the full color ranks both for Enlistedmen's sleeve ranks and Officer's ranks and branch of service badges just faded away from wear on fatique items, there were several bulletins, memorandums printed Army wide reminding the troops of the no longer autherization of these full color ranks and shoulder sleeve insignia's for wear, but it took alot of time for them to upgrade to complete subdued insignia's. Now this will ONLY pertain to areas outside of South Vietnam and Thailand, those guys over there completely switched over to all subdued as early as mid/late 1966, early 1967, and excepting for the few units that contiuned to wear as the norm their shoulder patches in full color, or the odd wear of full color U.S.ARMY tapes, or even White name tapes the subdued was basically the standard, Tapes, Sleeve ranks et all.

 

But having said, that well in to 1968, even later in some cases, some officers and men could still be seen wear full color Qualification and skill cloth badges above their subdued U.S. ARMY tapes, it is as you can see, this was a period with numerious variations that were seen. My suggestion as a starter is get at least Shelby Stantons Uniforms of the Vietnam War, it has loads of photos as well as dates and Insignia regulation change orders not mention equipment info. It will go along way as a start in understanding the great flux in insignia's on the Army's fatique and field uniforms that were seen in the 1965-1970 period.

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  • 2 weeks later...
VolunteerArmoury

Thank you. I'm looking for the official documented dates Army wide (NOT just Vietnam)

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VolunteerArmoury

Thank you. I'm looking for the official documented dates Army wide (NOT just Vietnam).

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Thank you. I'm looking for the official documented dates Army wide (NOT just Vietnam)

 

 

Right, but be aware as mentioned, despite any official document and or uniform regs pertaining to the mandating of all subdued insignias to include Officers and Enlistedmen, it took a around a year and half or so give or take for some Officers and Enlistedmen alike to go all subdued, this being strictly in areas Army wide outside of Southeast Asia. Shirts and Field Jackets with full color shoulder patches and EM ranks and or Officer Rank and Branch of Service badges ( but not U.S.ARMY and Name tapes, they were subdued) were routinely seen well into 1970, but by that time less so than the previous year, in late 68 throughout 1969 you will see men in the very same unit with mixed insignias, some all subdued and some with color patches.

 

There have been loads of earlier topics here on this Forum as well as the other two related forums, Uniforms, with the other being Shoulder patches that discuss the Army's all over the road insigina on fatque and Field items during the period of 1965-1970-71. Give a search on these two other sites, I sure you will find some interesting talks as well as actual photos from the period not to mention photos of original items that are in the hands of Forum members.

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