Air Force OKs Unit Patch Sleeve Swap on New OCP Uniform

The Air Force will relocate unit patches on its Operational Camouflage Uniform from the left sleeve to the right, the service announced Tuesday.

"During the initial rollout of the OCP, we originally matched our sister services regarding patch configurations as we sought to emphasize our role as a joint warfighting force," said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein.

"In response to overwhelming feedback received from airmen, we will make an easy 'sleeve swap' of the patch configuration to further elevate our focus on honoring the heritage of squadrons as the warfighting units of the world's greatest Air Force," he said in a news release.

"We will now place the squadron patch on the right sleeve along with the U.S. flag and move the higher headquarters patch to the left sleeve of the OCP."

The update comes as the service works to transition fully to the OCP uniform by April 1, 2021.

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In December, the service began reminding airmen who had already started wearing the new battle dress uniform that they can wear their current subdued patches until new patches are manufactured in the approved, limited color schemes.

The new, four-color patch scheme will include spice brown, Bagby green, olive drab and black.

The service updated Air Force Instruction 36-2903, "Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel" in July to give airmen guidance on how to properly wear OCPs.

For the initial OCP uniform rollout, major commands, centers and wings will see patches first, "with groups and squadrons a possibility in the future," according to the Air Force release.

The OCP was approved to be worn full-time beginning last Oct. 1.

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.