Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia

26–3. Occasions for wear
The following are appropriate occasions for personnel to wear the Army black mess and black evening mess uniforms:
a. Social functions of a general or official nature, held after retreat.
b. All private, formal social functions held after retreat.
26–4. Materials
a. Wool tropical, 8.5-ounce weight, black, Army shade 149.
b. Polyester and wool blend fabric in tropical 10-ounce weight, black, Army shade 332.
26–5. Jacket, Army black mess
a. Design. The jacket is made from an approved specification or pattern.
b. General description. The jacket is single-breasted with a natural-waist length and a shawl-type collar. It has a
two-piece front on each side, and a two-panel back. The front pieces have three 20-ligne buttons on each side, and the
shoulders have two loops for the attachment of shoulder boards or shoulder knots.
c. Shoulder ornamentation and insignia.
(1) General officers. Detachable shoulder knots are worn on each shoulder, fastened to the shoulder loops and
positioned with the button on the inside shoulder seam nearest the collar. A description of shoulder knots is provided in
para 25–5d(1). All general officers will wear the shoulder knots attached to the shoulders of the Army black mess
jacket.
(2) Other commissioned and warrant officers. Detachable shoulder boards are worn on each shoulder snapped to the
jacket through the shoulder loops, with the square end of the shoulder board positioned on the outside shoulder seam.
(See para 28–8c for a general description of shoulder boards.)
d. Sleeve ornamentation.
(1) General officers wear a cuff of blue-black velvet braid, 4 inches in width, positioned 1 ⁄8 inch from the bottom
edge of each sleeve. A band of oak leaves in groups of two, 1 inch in width, are embroidered on each cuff of braid, 1
inch below the upper edge, in gold bullion, synthetic metallic gold, or gold-colored nylon or rayon. General officer
grade insignia is centered on the outside of the sleeve, 1 inch above the upper edge of the cuff braid. When general
officers wear their branch insignia, it is centered on the outside of the sleeves 1 inch above the upper edge of the cuff
braid. Grade insignia is positioned 1 inch above the branch insignia. If branch insignia is worn, general officers will
wear the non-subdued, metal pin-on insignia. Grade insignia is embroidered silver bullion. General officer stars are 1
inch in diameter and are worn with one point facing upward. The following describes general officer stars:
(a) General insignia is four stars, with 1 1 ⁄4 inches between the midpoints, centered horizontally on the outside of the
sleeves (see fig 25–4).
(b) Lieutenant general insignia is three stars, with 1 3 ⁄8 inches between the midpoints, with the middle star centered
horizontally on the outside of the sleeves (see fig 25–5).
(c) Major general insignia is two stars, with 2 inches between the midpoints, centered horizontally on the outside of
the sleeves (see fig 25–6).
(d) Brigadier general insignia is one star centered horizontally on the outside of the sleeves (see fig 25–7).
(2) Other commissioned and warrant officers wear a band of black mohair braid or black mercerized cotton braid, 1 ⁄2
inch wide, sewn on each sleeve, with the lower edge parallel to, and 3 inches above the bottom edge of each sleeve.
Detachable shoulder boards are worn on each shoulder, snapped to the jacket through the shoulder loops, with the
square end of the shoulder board positioned on the outside shoulder seam. (See para 28–8c for a description of
shoulder boards.)
26–6. Skirts
a. The Army black mess skirt is the same skirt worn with the white mess uniform. It is a black knee-length skirt,
with a one-panel front and four-panel back of straight design, with a waistband and a zipper closure on the left side.
b. The Army black evening mess skirt is a black full-length skirt, with one-panel front and four-panel back of
straight design, with a waistband, a zipper closure on the left side, and an overlapped center back pleat.
26–7. Blouse, white formal
The blouse is a tuck-in style made of polyester and cotton fabric, with a front closure containing seven removable
dome-shaped buttons. On each side of the front opening, there are three vertical rows of ruffles. The blouse has short
sleeves and a rounded collar.
152 AR 670–1 3 February 2005