Specialists - different shapes?

[EmeraldBat]

What do the different shapes mean? Thanks!

[Captainofthe7th]

Take a look at this website, it should answer all these questions and more:

http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Uniforme...ed_history.aspx

 

The 'clipped' chevron is the first style instituted in 1955...I think in 1958 or maybe the early 60s they changed to the nicer looking full chevron style for male personnel only. These being merrowed edge they are post 1968. I think they've recently omitted the female ranks like this...I am not sure.

 

I would give you more info but I am not sure if I am 100% correct and that page is loading quite slowly for me.

 

Rob

[4STARCHRIS]

What do the different shapes mean? Thanks!

 

The one on the left is female. The one on the right is male. This is a Specialist 4 or E-4 Rank.

4starchris

[Salvage Sailor]

Not female,

 

That looks like the smaller version of the specialist rank used between 1955-1958

 

Compare it to this one which is on an ID'ed 1956 uniform I have

[atb]

No, Salvage Sailor, it is a female chevron. As already stated earlier in this thread, when the larger ones were adopted for males, the smaller ones were retained for females until they too were later dropped in favor of the male design. The one shown in post #1 has post-1968 merrowed edges which makes it one of the female chevrons.