Space Force Unveils New Dress and Appearance Policy as It Preps for Fresh Uniforms

Five and a half years in, the Space Force officially has its own dress and appearance policy. But a big revamp is likely coming soon. 

The new policy, Space Force Instruction 36-2903, officially went into effect Aug. 14 after years of issuing interim guidance while the service largely continued following the Air Force’s rules. The 114-page document largely mirrors the Air Force’s own regulations, with a few key differences. 

Appearance 

In years past, the Space Force approved grooming and appearance standards different from the Air Force to allow neck tattoos and slightly wider mustaches. But the Air Force has since updated its policy to allow those things, and the Space Force did not expand them any further. 

Meanwhile, the Space Force policy matches a recent change to Air Force policy that limits which colors of nail polish female service members can wear and how long eyelash extensions may be.

The basics of the Space Force policy match the Air Force’s—men’s hair is allowed to reach 2 1/2 inches from the scalp, while women are allowed 4 inches in bulk. The same kinds of hair styles are permitted, as well as tattoos and body piercings. 

However, the Air Force recently specified that male Airmen’s hair cannot touch their ears and that they must be clean-shaven at the start of each duty day. The Space Force policy does not contain such language, though it does continue to bar beards without a medical waiver or religious accommodation. 

Patches and Badges 

One of the few significant differences between the new Space Force policy and the Air Force instruction is their approach to patches. Starting Feb. 1, the Air Force cracked down on duty identifier patches, also known as career field identifier patches—such as “SF” for security forces, “MUNS” for munitions or “PA” for public affairs—leaving only a dozen approved arch-shaped tabs signifying a special, unique qualification or training. 

The Space Force instruction authorizes new “mission tabs” for Guardians to showcase what field they work in—though given the service’s small size, options are few. The policy authorizes 11 tabs, ranging from “OW” for orbital warfare to “MWT” for missile warning and tracking. There are no tabs for intelligence or acquisition personnel. 

“The Mission Tab will be positioned above the organizational unit patch and, if applicable, below the Commander’s Badge Insignia,” the policy states. “Tabs must be made of PVC, adhere to Space Blue color criteria on an OCP background, and remain within the Velcro boundary.” 

The instruction also continues to authorize occupational badges like the space operator and cyberspace “wings,” but notes that they are optional. Senior Space Force leaders have started dropping their operational badges as part of a push to de-emphasize specialization. 

Changes Coming? 

Notably, the new Space Force policy doesn’t say anything about the service dress uniforms that have been in development for four years now. The distinctive look features a dark blue jacket, with offset buttons and a band collar, dark gray pants and skirts, and a lighter gray shirt. 

Instead, the policy keeps the Air Force blues as the service dress uniform, with a few Space Force-specific tweaks like a hexagonal name plate and buttons with the Space Force insignia. 

That appears likely to change soon. Earlier this month, Lt. Gen. DeAnna M. Burt, the Space Force’s chief operations officer, said she expected the service to finalize and approve the new uniform for all Guardians in the “early spring, January, February time frame … and then we will have a full instruction that talks about exactly how you wear the uniform.”