Army gives green light to rolling up sleeves at one military base

The US Army Chief of Staff is giving the green light to a pilot program at Fort Hood that would allow soldiers to roll their sleeves up on their uniform for the first time since the passing of the Battle Dress Uniform (BDU).

According to the Army Times, the long sought-after option to roll up sleeves was announced by Army Chief of Staff General Mark Milley during his Thursday visit to Fort Hood, Texas, albeit with one catch- it is a 10-day pilot program exclusive to Fort Hood.

Milley’s announcement has proven so popular, that many soldiers are already rolling their sleeves at the Texas-based installation.

“Feedback from soldiers resulted in us wanting to do a trial over the next 10 days to see the feasibility of updating [Army Regulation] 670-1 and incorporating these changes in the future to give commanders flexibility in wear based upon their unit’s mission,” said Lt. Col. Jerry Pionk, an Army spokesman.

While the US Marines have been able to enjoy rolled sleeves, the US Army soldier’s forearms have not seen the light of day in an authorized fashion since 2005, when the service replaced the venerable Battle Dress Uniform with the Army Combat Uniform (ACU). The Army’s official logic behind the change was that the top was designed to protect the soldier from the sun, and other environmental factors. In addition, the cut and add-ons to the ACU -such as a pen holder- made rolling the sleeves difficult when it came to maintaining a professional appearance.

“For now, sleeves will be rolled with the inside facing out, similar to the Marines,” Pionk said. “Future updates to AR 670-1, if any, will further specify the exact manner of how the sleeves can be rolled.”

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