Brassards are a method of identification used to designate personnel whose duties require them to perform a specialized task or involve interaction with the public.
Until January 2021, two conditions had to be met in order for a brassard to be authorized for wear: the Soldier had to be actively engaged in the duty associated with the Brassard, and there was a need for those around the Soldier to be able to identify them quickly. They are worn when a Soldier is performing daily duties or routine activities associated with their job, nor while performing staff activities, routine maintenance and prep, while in a stand-by or on-call status.
But recently a single exception was made to these long-standing regulations. On 7 May 2019, the Chief of the Ordnance Corps received confirmation that the full-time wear of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) brassard had been approved for all qualified EOD technicians.
The primary reason was the increased role EOD technicians played in dealing with the asymmetric warfare tactics employed by the Taliban in Afghanistan and insurgents in Iraq. Soldiers who discovered IEDs or suspicious devices needed to be able to notify EOD techs as quickly as possible, and the EOD brassard can be recognized at a distance much more easily than the EOD badge (despite its admittedly distinct appearance).
Brassards come in both nonsubdued (color) and subdued versions; nonsubdued brassards are worn on the Service and Maternity variations of the AGSU and ASU and are prohibited from wear on the Dress variants of those uniforms. Subdued (camo) brassards are authorized for the Army Combat Uniform, Army Aircrew Combat Uniform (A2CU), the Maternity Work Uniform, and other utility ensembles.
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