No More Army Fatigues at the Pentagon

For years, soldiers assigned to the Army's Pentagon headquarters have worn combat uniforms as their daily attire. But no more. A new policy requires those assigned to the Pentagon to show up in the more formal Army service uniform.

"Our perspective is that this is the corporate part of the Army," Sergeant Major of the Army Raymond F. Chandler III told Army News Service. "The business part of the Army is done in the Pentagon, and as a professional there are certain standards of attire associated with certain activities. For the business aspect of the Army, it is the Army service uniform."

The change could take effect as early as October.

In servicewide uniform changes, Army leaders also announced that the default headgear will change from the black beret to the patrol cap. The Army had adopted the beret as the standard in 2001, saying that the headgear had become the "symbol of excellence of our specialty units," a standard that leaders wanted to spread service-wide. But soldiers have complained the beret is hot, fails to shade the sun and requires two hands to put on.

Soldiers also will be allowed to sew name tapes, service tapes, rank insignia and skill badges on to their combat uniforms, instead of using Velcro.

(Hat tip: ARLnow. Photo courtesy U.S. Army.)