One of just two Coast Guard grades defined as “Senior Officers,” both male and female USCG Commanders wear their three gold stripes and gold Coast Guard shield on Hard shoulder boards when wearing the Dinner Dress White Jacket, Dinner Dress White, Full Dress White, and Service Dress White uniforms. Hard shoulder boards are offered in Regular and Small (3/4-size) versions that are not associated with gender—both male and female Commanders may either size depending on which one makes for the best appearance. Commanders also don shoulder boards when wearing Reefer or Bridge Coats if their version of the Coat comes with shoulder loops to accommodate the hasp-style attachment method used for Hard boards.
Worn on less-formal garments, Enhanced shoulder boards are designed for shoulder epaulets to slide through a semi-tubular swatch of open-ended elastic material. Uniforms on which Coast Guard Commanders wear Enhanced shoulder boards include the Service Dress Blue “Bravo,” where it is worn on the epaulets of the short- and long-sleeve Light Blue Shirt, and the Tropical Blue (with the short-sleeve Light Blue shirt or the women’s overblouse).
Enhanced boards are also prescribed for wear with sweaters (Cardigan and Wooly-Pully), but not if those are worn as part of the Winter Dress Blue uniform; they’re also authorized for wear on Bridge Coats made with epaulets instead of shoulder loops. Enhanced boards are also available in regular and 3/4-size versions.
More Coast Guard Commander Rank Insignia / Devices
Garrison Cap Rank Insignia
Coat Rank Insignia
Collar Rank Insignia
Sleeve Lacing
O-5 Tie Tack/Clasp
More Devices / Accouterments for Coast Guard Commanders
Senior Officer Combination Cap
Officer Cap Device
USCG Sleeve Devices
Officer Belt Buckle
Officer Cuff Links
Officer Tie Tack/Clasp