Tabs of the United States Army

In the <a href="/facts/United_States_Army/WACWBEK9">United States Army</a>, tabs are cloth and/or metal arches that are worn on U.S. Army uniforms, displaying a word or words signifying a special skill. On the <a href="/facts/Army_Combat_Uniform/ret4UDf9">Army Combat Uniform</a> and <a href="/facts/Army_Service_Uniform/spB796yT">Army Service Uniform</a>, the tabs are worn above a unit's <a href="/facts/Shoulder_sleeve_insignia/feCsJgVj">shoulder sleeve insignia</a> (SSI) and are used to identify a unit's or a soldier's special skill(s) or are worn as part of a unit's SSI as part of its unique heritage. Individual tabs are also worn as small metal arches above or below <a href="/facts/Awards_and_decorations_of_the_United_States_Army/HoTHXJJS">medals or ribbons</a> on <a href="/facts/Uniforms_of_the_United_States_Army/qxVr9N1j">dress uniforms</a>.
Tabs are highly coveted in the U.S. Army. Unlike medals – which are only worn on a soldier's garrison or dress uniform – tabs are worn on a soldier's combat uniform. Moreover, tabs are worn above a soldier's SSI which rarely include words as a part of their symbolism. It is unique in that it identifies an individual soldier's or a whole unit's special skill using words rather than images to symbolize a skill. For example, while any member of a special forces unit will wear the unit's SSI that includes an arrowhead, sword, lightning, and Airborne tab, only soldiers who have completed special forces training will have been awarded and wear an additional tab containing the words "SPECIAL FORCES" (i.e. the Special Forces tab) that is worn above the unit's Airborne tab.
Some tabs are awarded to recognize an individual soldier's combat related skills or marksmanship and are worn by a soldier permanently. These tabs are also considered <a href="/facts/Badges_of_the_United_States_Army/NasGSyYV">special skill badges</a> and have metal equivalents that are worn on the soldier's chest of their Army dress uniforms. Other tabs recognize a whole unit's special skill and are considered to be part of a specific unit's SSI and are worn by a soldier only while they belong to that unit. The Jungle and Arctic tabs are unique in that while they are awarded to recognize an individual soldier's skill, it is only worn by soldiers while they belong to certain units. Similarly, tabs awarded at the state level by the <a href="/facts/Army_National_Guard/2dVom5w2">Army National Guard</a> can only be worn by soldiers while they are on state-level orders.

Tabs of the United States Army open-in-new

Tabs of the United States Army