USPHS COMMISSIONED CORPS FLAG OFFICER SOFT SHOULDER BOARDS

Per U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps uniform regulations, our Flag Officer soft shoulder boards—often called shoulder marks—are manufactured at 3/4-scale of the male hard shoulder boards and feature a Corps device 7/8-inch in height and width.
 
Soft shoulder boards are most commonly worn on the white dress shirt that is part of the blue and white Dinner/Full/Service Dress uniforms. But the men’s choker-style coat worn with the white variation means they do not wear an epauletted shirt under it, while the single-breasted SDW worn by females requires a white dress shirt and thus the shoulder marks. (The old female SDW coat is being phased out by 2020 and replaced with a choker-style coat).
 
Soft shoulder marks are also worn on the Black Army Cardigan and the Black Navy Sweater.