The Air Force is allowing its pilots, navigators and airmen who wear flight suits to roll up their sleeves whenever they're not on in-flight duty, according to a new memo.
The latest policy, first published on the popular Air Force blog John Q. Public, mimics what airmen who wear the Airman Battle Uniform are already allowed to do when they're not performing official duties, said Air Force spokesman Maj. Bryan Lewis.
"The flight suit sleeve policy was updated to align with the Airman Battle Uniform coat [shirt] wear policy," Lewis said in an email Monday.
The change amends Air Force Instruction 36-2903, "Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel," which already states in the case of the ABU that "commanders may authorize sleeves to be rolled up on the ABU coat; however, the cuffs will remain visible and the sleeve will rest at, or within 1 inch of, the forearm when the arm is bent at a 90-degree angle."
"Regardless as to whether the sleeves are rolled up or unrolled, the cuffs will remain visible at all times," the AFI says.
Similarly, airmen who wear a Flight Duty Uniform or Desert Flight Duty Uniform can roll or tuck their suit sleeves under, Lewis said, and "are now approved to pull the sleeves up to within 1 inch of the elbow using the Velcro, already incorporated in the suit, to hold them in place."
Lt. Gen. Mark Nowland, deputy chief of staff for operations, enacted the change -- effective immediately -- on Jan. 23, according to the memo.
Airmen "will still be required to have sleeves rolled down to the wrist when performing aircrew duties in-flight," Lewis said -- for example, while flying or on the flight line.
The previous policy for flight suits stated airmen could have their sleeves rolled under "if not performing in-flight duties." However, the rolled-under sleeve "will not end above the natural bend of the wrist when the wearer's arms are hanging naturally at their side."
Lewis could not say if similar provisions for flight suits were made in the past.
-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.
