Army regulations describe the Specialist insignia of grade as “shaped like an inverted chevron at the bottom, with an eagle device in the center.” It is the only rank insignia to not feature a traditional chevron—a distinguishable, inverted “v”—and could just as easily be described as an angular, inverted teardrop.
The Specialist insignia of grade is also one of only two (the other being Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, or SEAC for short) to feature an “eagle device,” which is referred to but never defined in DA PAM 670-1 or at The Institute of Heraldry. It’s essentially the imagery from the Coat of Arms of the United States minus the cloud or “glory” above the eagle’s head that has 13 stars on a blue field. While the the SEAC also has an eagle device, the design of the eagles on the two insignias is not identical.
More Items for E-4 Specialists
Referred to as “nonsubdued” because the eagle device is gold instead of the black used for utility uniforms such as the ACU, the Specialist rank insignia is sewn onto both sleeves of the jackets of the Army Green Service Uniform, the Army Service Uniform, the Blue Mess / Evening Mess, and White Mess / Evening Mess Dress Uniforms. A golden eagle device on a blue Fabric (see selection box to the right) is worn on the Army Service Uniform Coat and Blue Mess Dress Jackets; choose White Fabric for an insignia with a gold eagle, which is worn only on the White Mess Dress jacket. Choose the Heritage Green Fabric for the E-4 Specialist Insignia worn on the sleeves of the Army Green Service Uniform.
We also offer the Specialist rank insignia on a green background for wear on the sleeves of the Class A/B Army Green Uniform, which was replaced by the Army Service Uniform in 2015. Though no longer authorized for wear by Soldiers actively serving on active duty or in the Army National Guard or Army Reserves, the Class A “Army Greens” are a popular selection not only for veterans, but also for uniform collectors, military re-enactors, and movie and film studios seeking authentic uniforms for their production