United States Air Force uniform regulations mandate the wear of a U.S. AIR FORCE tape with the Airman Battle Uniform (ABU) and the Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) uniform that became available in limited quantities on 1 October 2018. Name tapes and the U.S. AIR FORCE tape are mandatory for all personnel.
For the ABU, Airman may choose a sew-on or hook-closure (Velcro) U.S. AIR FORCE tape, name tape, and insignia of rank, but they may not mix the two styles—all tapes and ranks must either be sewn on or attached with hook closures. The U.S. AIR FORCE tape is either cut or folded so it is the same width as the ABU breast pocket, then attached immediately above it. The wear-out date for the ABU is 31 March 2021.
The same rules for tapes and rank apply for OCP uniforms. While regulations call for names and U.S. AIR FORCE tapes to be manufactured in space brown, guidelines released by the Air Force Personnel Center prior to the 1 October 2018 rollout of the OCP state that “serviceable OCPs may be worn with current patches and badges.”