The insignia on the shoulder boards worn by Assistant District Staff Officers (ADSO) in the Coast Guard Auxiliary—a pair ofhalf-inch laces and the Auxiliary shield with a red “A”—is also used for the appointed positions of District Commodore Aide (D-AD), Branch Assistant (BA), and Academy Admissions Partner.
Auxiliary members appointed to these offices and positions wear Hard shoulder boards with the Service Dress White and Dinner Dress White Jacket uniforms. Hard boards are designed with a hinged bottom, secured with a snap-closure button, that’s opened and inserted through the shoulder loops on the jacket/coat of these two uniforms. Large and Small shoulder boards are the same width, but the Large board (5-1/2 inches) is one-half-inch longer than the Small version.
Enhanced shoulder boards are smaller, more lightweight versions of the Hard board and are designed for wear on shirts and sweaters made with epaulettes; these include the men’s and women’s versions of the Tropical Blue and Service Dress uniforms. Enhanced boards are also authorized for the Cardigan and Wooly-Pull sweaters.