Wear Of Jewelry And Accessories
 

Posted Friday, October 7, 2005

Soldiers may wear a wristwatch, a wrist identification bracelet, and a total of two rings (a wedding set is considered one ring) with Army uniforms, unless prohibited by the commander for safety or health reasons. Any jewelry soldiers wear must be conservative and in good taste. Identification bracelets are limited to medical alert bracelets and missing in action/prisoner of war (MIA/POW) bracelets. Soldiers may wear only one item on each wrist.

No other jewelry will appear exposed while wearing the uniform; this includes watch chains or similar items, pens, and pencils. The only authorized exceptions are religious items described at the beginning of this section. Other exceptions are a conservative tie tack or tie clasp that male soldiers may wear with the black four-in-hand necktie and a pen or pencil that may appear exposed on the hospital duty, food service, combat vehicle crewman (CVC), or flight uniforms.

Body Piercing

When on any Army installation or other places under Army control, soldiers may not attach, affix, or display objects, articles, jewelry, or ornamentation to or through the skin while they are in uniform, in civilian clothes on duty, or in civilian clothes off duty (this includes earrings for male soldiers). The only exception is for female soldiers as follows (the term “skin” is not confined to external skin, but includes the tongue, lips, inside the mouth, and other surfaces of the body not readily visible):

• Females are authorized to wear prescribed earrings with the service, dress, and mess uniforms, or while on duty in civilian attire.
• Earrings may be screw-on, clip-on, or post-type earrings, in gold, silver, white pearl, or diamond. The earrings will not exceed six-mm or ¼ inch in diameter, and they must be unadorned and spherical.
• When worn, the earrings will fit snugly against the ear. Females may wear earrings only as a matched pair, with only one earring per ear.
• Females are not authorized to wear earrings with any Class C (utility) uniform (BDU, hospital duty, food service, physical fitness, and field or organizational).
• When females are off duty, there are no restrictions on the wear of earrings.

Ankle bracelets, necklaces, faddish (trendy) devices, medallions, amulets, and personal talismans or icons are not authorized for wear in any military uniform, or in civilian clothes on duty. Soldiers may not wear these items when doing so would interfere with the performance of their duties or present a safety concern. Soldiers may not be prohibited, however, from wearing religious apparel, articles, or jewelry meeting the criteria of AR 670-1 simply because they are religious in nature, if wear is permitted of similar items of a nonreligious nature. A specific example would be wearing a ring with a religious symbol. If the ring meets the uniform standards for jewelry and is not worn in a work area where rings are prohibited because of safety concerns, then wear is allowed and may not be prohibited simply because the ring bears a religious symbol.

Eyeglasses and Sunglasses

Soldiers may wear conservative civilian prescription eyeglasses with all uniforms. Conservative prescription and nonprescription sunglasses are authorized for wear when in a garrison environment, except when in formation and while indoors. Individuals who are required by medical authority to wear sunglasses for medical reasons other than refractive error may wear them, except when health or safety considerations apply. Soldiers may not wear sunglasses in the field unless required by the commander for safety reasons in high-glare field environments.

Eyeglasses or sunglasses that are trendy, or have lenses or frames with initials, designs, or other adornments are not authorized for wear. Soldiers may not wear lenses with extreme or trendy colors, which include but are not limited to red, yellow, blue, purple, bright green, or orange. Lens colors must be traditional gray, brown, or dark green shades. Soldiers will not wear lenses or frames that are so large or so small that they detract from the appearance of the uniform. Soldiers will not attach chains, bands, or ribbons to eyeglasses. Eyeglass restraints are authorized only when required for safety purposes. Soldiers will not hang eyeglasses or eyeglass cases on the uniform, and may not let glasses hang from eyeglass restraints down the front of the uniform.

Contact Lenses

Tinted or colored contact lenses are not authorized for wear with the uniform. The only exception is for opaque lenses medically prescribed for eye injuries. Additionally, clear lenses that have designs on them that change the contour of the iris are not authorized for wear with the uniform.