Subdued grade insignia embroidered on camouflage-patterned cloth is sometimes referred to as “ACU rank” or “ACU insignia.” This association of subdued cloth insignia with a particular type of uniform is understandable because the Army introduced a new hook-and-loop fastener system (Velcro) for the insignia to be attached to pads on the Army Combat Uniform, or ACU, which the Army began to issue in 2004.
Here at The Salute Uniforms, we offer three styles of subdued cloth rank insignia in either the ACU's original camo Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP) or the Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) introduced in 2015; each of the three are designed for a specific type of uniform or uniform component.
Please ensure your camouflage selection matches that of the uniform on which the insignia will be worn.
Rank with Velcro: Velcro backing for attachment to hook-and-loop pads on Utility uniforms and other garments.
Cap Rank: Embroidered rank on UCP cloth with no hook-and-loop fasteners; must be sewn directly onto headgear (Patrol Cap, Sun Hat) or optionally in place of Rank with Velcro insignia on Utility uniforms.
GorTex: Open-ended cloth rank insignia tab that slides over the tab found on the front of the ECWCS parka, referred to in Army regulations as the “Gore-Tex® parka.”
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The Army introduced subdued cloth insignia in June 1966 in response to the close-quarters combat that characterized the fighting in Vietnam. The yellow letters/black background of the “US ARMY” tape and the black letters/white background of the nametapes created such a jarring contrast that they were redesigned to feature black print letters on olive-drab tape.
In July 1968, the Army authorized the wear of pin-on subdued rank insignia, in part to make it easier for Soldiers to stay in clean uniforms while still wearing the subdued insignia: a shortage of the subdued embroidered insignias had arisen fairly soon after the new regulations went into effect.
More Army Brigadier General Insignias