Hard shoulder boards are worn by Coast Guard Admirals with four white Dress and Service uniforms—Dinner Dress White Jacket, Dinner Dress, Full Dress, and Service Dress—with four stars indicating specific rank and a silver, fouled anchor emblazoned with a silver Coast Guard shield on its shank denoting General Officer classification.
Hard boards are issued in Large and Small sizes to provide the best fit possible on the wearer’s shoulder, and are quickly attached by sliding the board’s hasp through shoulder loops and securing the board with a snap-button. Besides white Service and Dress uniforms, they’re authorized for wear on legacy Reefer coats (their sale was discontinued in 2011) and on Bridge Coats with shoulder loops.
Enhanced shoulder boards are intended for wear on more functional and casual uniform components, with the snap-button attachment replaced by an elastic loop on the board’s bottom through which shoulder epaulets can be inserted. Enhanced boards are worn on the shirts (and in some case’s women’s overblouse) worn with the Service Dress Blue “Bravo” and Tropical Blue uniforms, as well as on Bridge Coats made with epaulettes rather than shoulder loops. Cardigan and Wooly-Pully Sweaters feature epaulettes to accommodate Enhanced boards, but the boards are not allowed when wearing the Winter Dress Blue uniform.
More Coast Guard Admiral Insignia / DevicesGarrison Cap Rank Insignia
Coat Rank Insignia
Collar Rank Insignia
Sleeve Lacing
O-10 Tie Tack/Clasp
More Devices / Accouterments for Coast Guard Admirals
Admiral Combination Cap
Officer Cap Device
USCG Sleeve Device
Officer Belt Buckle
Officer Cuff Links
Officer Tie Tack/Clasp