The Uniforms of the United States Coast Guard include dress uniforms, daily service uniforms, working uniforms, and uniforms for special situations, which have varied throughout the history of the USCG.
Historically, Coast Guard uniforms resembled U.S. Navy uniforms, but they began to diverge in 1974 under Admiral Chester R. Bender's leadership. Today, the Coast Guard has fewer uniform types and variations compared to other armed services. Notable uniforms include the Service Dress Blue, Tropical Blue, and Operational Dress Uniform. Special uniform situations apply to Coast Guard cadets, the Coast Guard Pipe Band, and other roles requiring non-standard uniforms or insignia.
History
For most of the Coast Guard's history its uniforms largely mirrored the style of U.S. Navy uniforms, distinguishable only by their insignia. In 1974, under the leadership of Admiral Chester R. Bender, the initial versions of the current Coast Guard Service Dress Blue and Tropical Blue uniforms (dubbed "Bender's Blues") were introduced. These uniforms not only differed from U.S. Navy uniforms, they deviated from several common conventions in naval/maritime uniforms generally; notably, they largely dispensed with distinctions between officer and enlisted uniforms other than in insignia, eliminating the sailor suit and sailor cap formerly worn by enlisted members in favor of a common service dress uniform for all ranks. Rank insignia remained consistent with the naval pattern and some distinctly-nautical items such as the pea coat, bridge coat, officer's sword, and dress white uniforms remained.
Today, the Coast Guard's uniforms remain among the simplest of any branch of the armed forces, with fewer total uniforms and uniform variants than the other armed services. There are only three uniforms that typically serve as standard uniforms of the day—the Operational Dress Uniform, Tropical Blue, and Service Dress Blue (Bravo).
Service uniforms
The Service Dress Blue is the standard uniform of the day for office environments and is considered equivalent to civilian business attire. The uniform consists of a blue four-pocket single breasted jacket, matching trousers, and a tie of the same shade as the jacket. There are two variants. The less common but more formal "Alpha" variant includes a combination cap (or "combo cover" in common Coast Guard slang) and a white shirt. The more common "Bravo" variant includes either the combination cap or garrison cap and a light blue shirt. Officer and enlisted rank insignia are sewn onto the jacket sleeve in the same manner as Navy uniforms. Rank insignia must also be worn on the blue shirt as part of the "Bravo" variant by officers (shoulder boards) and enlisted members (collar devices).
The Service Dress White "choker" uniforms for officers are identical to those worn by U.S. Navy officers (aside from service-specific buttons, insignia and sword design). These are typically used for formal parades and change-of-command ceremonies in warmer seasons and climates. Unlike the Navy, these uniforms are authorized only for officers and warrant officers, not chief petty officers. For similar occasions the enlisted members wear Tropical Blue, Service Dress Blue or Full Dress Blue, depending on the climate.
The Tropical Blue uniform is the standard uniform for office wear in warmer seasons and climates in lieu of Service Dress Blue (but not to functions where civilian dress is coat and tie, in which case Service Dress Blue should be worn). The Tropical Blue uniform omits the dress coat and instead features a short sleeve light blue shirt on which ribbons and devices are worn in the same manner as on the SDB coat, and rank is indicated on shoulder boards (officers and warrant officers) or collar devices (enlisted members). A "Tropical Blue Long Sleeve" uniform was approved in 2019, which includes a long sleeved shirt, necktie, and tie bar, and omits ribbons but allows one breast badge. While the name designates this uniform as a variant of Tropical Blue, it is essentially Service Dress Blue Bravo with the coat removed and the added requirement of a nametag above the right shirt pocket. Uniform regulations already allowed that where Service Dress Blue Bravo is the standard uniform of the day in office environments, the coat could be removed during the work day.