DAF publishes revised dress, personal appearance instruction

The Department of the Air Force republished its dress and personal appearance instruction to simplify, clarify and amplify many changes for Airmen and Guardians serving world-wide.

The revised DAFI 36-2903, Dress and Personal Appearance of Department of the Air Force Personnel, incorporates policy changes from the 102nd Air Force Uniform Board, incorporates all other guidance memorandums and features updated graphics for visual clarity.

“We’ve reviewed the policy in whole to make certain we are communicating standards clearly, making it an easier tool for commanders, supervisors, Airmen and Guardians,” said Lt. Gen. Caroline Miller, deputy chief of staff for Manpower, Personnel and Services. “Revisions were made over a number of years, but we felt the need to revisit the entire document to remove redundancies, out-of-date information and decrease subjectivity.”

The updated policy outlines:

• Religious Accommodation Process
• No-hat, No-salute areas
• Specialized nametag wear for DAF and Joint Chiefs support staff
• Two-piece flight duty uniform
• Bags, to include gym bag, backpack, handbags
• Flight duty uniform policy
• Female wear of mess dress trousers or slacks
• Wear of caps for baldness or hair loss due to medical conditions
• Permanent wear of EPME badge
• Security Forces shield on the OCP uniform
• Beverage consumption while walking in uniform
• Wear of cold weather headbands
• Authorized wear of commercial maternity cold weather outerwear
• Wing commander delegation to approve religious regalia
• Organizational emblems on the back of morale shirt
• Heritage morale patches on the flight duty uniform

It also highlights authorized and unauthorized examples of grooming standards for:

• Tattoo/brands/body markings
• Mustache wear
• Male and female hair standards
• Female nail polish colors and other cosmetics

It also clarifies duty badge guidance, explaining the wear and placement of up to three duty badges on male and female service, semi-formal, formal and mess dress uniforms. Lastly, it clarifies sister service/joint unit patch wear, and provides graduate patch criteria.

“When it comes to standards, our Airmen need the best guidance we can offer," said Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass. "These changes and updates to the publication are meant to clarify professional military appearance and uniform standards across the Air Force and empower all Airmen to hold themselves, and others accountable. Part of being a Profession of Arms is embodying the higher set of standards that comes with serving our great nation. Accountability matters. Standards matter — and the ones we walk by, the ones we ignore, are the ones we accept."

The updated DAFI 36-2903 can be found here.

U.S. Space Force Guardians must adhere to DAFI 36-2903 in conjunction with the Guardian-specific SPFGM2023-36-01.