What Every Patch and Insignia Means on a U.S. Military Uniform

Military uniforms in the United States are as recognizable as they are iconic. Whether it’s in films such as Top Gun Maverick, television shows like M.A.S.H., video games like Call of Duty, or in real life, Americans are exposed to U.S. military uniforms on a regular basis. Most often represented is the active duty combat uniform which is officially called the battle dress uniform or BDU. This camouflaged uniform is complete with a series of patches indicating the identity of the soldier, the branch the soldier is enlisted in, their rank and so much more. What do all of those patches and pins mean? Luckily, the folks at Wizard Pins have created this ultimate visual guide to what every patch you might find on a military uniform means.

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Differences between military patches on Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and even the newly formed Space Force are surprisingly similar. Differences appear to be largely thematic between each military branch. For example, rank patches on U.S. Air Force uniforms resemble wings. Other patches are reserved for those belonging to special divisions, units, and those who have special skills. The visual does an exceptional job of explaining what each patch signifies and where they can be found.

On combat uniforms, rank patches are intentionally modest in appearance to prevent enemy combatants from being able to easily identify leadership from a distance. U.S. Army uniforms, U.S. Marine Corps uniforms, U.S. Navy uniforms, U.S. Coast Guard uniforms, U.S. Air Force uniforms, and U.S. Space Force uniforms may have subtle differences, but they are all uniforms representing one of the largest military forces on the planet.