Select Page

AR 670-1: Chapter 8: Hospital and Maternity Uniforms - Female

8-1: Classification

The female hospital uniform is the daily work uniform for all female officers in the Army Nurse Corps, the Army Medical Specialist Corps, and by enlisted females with medical, dental, or veterinary MOS (see fig 8–1). The hospital duty dress, hospital duty pantsuit, and hospital maternity uniforms are variations of the female hospital uniform.

8-2: Composition

The female hospital uniform consists of:

a. Dress.

(1) Dress, women’s. The dress will be of an approved specification or pattern. It is knee-length with short sleeves and has a front button closure system, wing-tip collars, and a belt (see fig 8–1).
(2) Dress, maternity, white. The dress is any plain, white, unadorned commercial design, in an easy-care, durablepress and soil-release material, with wing collars suitable for placement of rank and branch insignia, as prescribed. Fabric content must comply with NFPA standards. Any closure method is acceptable, but it may not cause safety hazards or degradation of appearance.


b. Slacks and tunic.

(1) Uniform, women’s, tunic and pants, hospital duty. The uniform will be of an approved specification or pattern. The tunic is an over-the-hip style with winged collars, short sleeves, and side pockets; the pants are straight-legged (see fig 8–2).
(2) Slacks and tunic, maternity, white. The slacks and tunic may be any plain, white, unadorned commercial design. The fabric is an easy-care, durable-press, and soil-release material, with wing collars suitable for placement of rank and branch insignia, as prescribed. Fabric content must comply with NFPA standards. Any closure method is acceptable, but it may not cause safety hazards or degradation of appearance.

Note: Not all components listed in paragraphs a and b are worn together. Either the dress or the slacks with tunic are worn.

c. Smock, physicians, white. The smock is knee-length, with a front button closure and upper and lower pockets.

d. Undershirt, white (see para 20–28).

e. Undergarments (see para 20–28).

f. Footwear (see para 8–3f).

g. Headgear, beret (see para 4–10b).

8-3: Accessories

The following accessories are normally worn with the female hospital uniform:

  • a. Belt, web, with open-faced black buckle (see paras 20–2d through e).
  • b. Coat.
  • (1) Black, all-weather (see para 20–7).
  • (2) Coat, cold-weather (field jacket) (see paras 4–3h and fig 4–2).
  • c. Windbreaker, black (see para 20–30).
  • d. Gloves (see para 20–11).
  • e. Scarves (see para 20–21).
  • (1) Black (with black overcoat only) (see para 20–21a).
  • (2) Olive-green 208 (with field jacket only) (see para 20–21b).
  • f. Shoes (see para 20–23).
  • (1) Oxford, black (see para 20–23a).
  • (2) Oxford, white (see para 20–23d).
  • g. Socks (see para 20–24).
  • (1) Black, dress (see para 20–24b).
  • (2) White (see para 20–24c).
  • h. Sweater, cardigan, white, unisex (see para 20–26b).
  • i. Handbags (see para 20–12).
  • (1) Black, clutch-type, optional purchase (see para 20–12a).
  • (2) Black, shoulder (see para 20–12d).
  • j. OCIE as determined by the medical facility commander for wear within the medical treatment facility, according to CTA 50–900 or CTA 8–100.

8-4: Materials

The fabric is white, durable-press, cotton and polyester.

8-5: Insignia and accouterments

The following insignia and accouterments are authorized for wear on the female hospital duty uniforms:

  • a. Branch insignia, nonsubdued (see para 21–9 and 21–10).
  • b. Grade insignia, nonsubdued (see paras 21–5 through 21–8).
  • c. Headgear insignia (see para 21–3).
  • d. Nameplate (see para 21–25c).
  • e. Organizational flash (see para 4–10b).

8-6: General guidelines

a. The dress is worn when prescribed for wear. The length of the dress will be no longer than 2 inches below or more than 1 inch above the bend in the back of the knee. The dress is worn with the belt at all times. Only the domeshaped, white polyester shank-type buttons issued with the dress are authorized for wear on the belt (secured with safety pins on the back of the belt). The white maternity dress does not have a belt.

b. The tunic-and-pants uniform is worn when prescribed for wear. The tunic is worn outside the pants.

c. The following pertains to both the dress and the tunic-and-pants uniforms. Officers will wear the white oxford shoes and white stockings with these uniforms. Wearing the white oxford shoes and stockings by enlisted personnel is optional. Enlisted personnel will otherwise wear black oxford shoes and sheer stockings with the hospital duty dress, and the black oxford shoes with black socks when wearing the tunic-and-pants uniforms.

d. Soldiers may wear the white unisex cardigan sweater as an outer garment with this uniform while on duty. Personnel may wear the white unisex cardigan buttoned or unbuttoned while indoors; when outdoors, all except pregnant Soldiers will wear the cardigan buttoned. Personnel will wear the collar of the dress or tunic outside the sweater so the rank is visible. The black windbreaker is authorized for wear with the tunic-and-pants uniform and the hospital duty dress.

e. When the cold-weather coat or other authorized cold-weather outer garments are worn, personnel may wear the olive-green scarf and utlity gloves, but they are not required to do so. Soldiers may wear the black scarf with the black all-weather coat.

f. Depending upon the uniform fabric, starching and pressing may damage the uniform material. Soldiers must exercise caution.

g. The commander may authorize warrant officers and commissioned officers to wear the physician’s white smock over the service or utility uniforms (except the hospital duty dress and tunic and pants) in a medical treatment facility.

h. The issue of the hospital maternity uniform to hospital duty female personnel has no bearing on the issue of the maternity service uniform (see chap 15) or the maternity work uniform (see chap 5). Personnel should exercise caution because some of the materials used in these uniforms are inappropriate for use in areas where flammable gases are employed. Commanders will prohibit the wear of hospital duty dresses and polyester pantsuits in flammable, anesthetizing locations and mixed facilities (as defined in NFPA standards) or in any area where easily ignitable substances are present (such as anesthetizing agents). This restriction does not apply to inhalation therapy areas where oxygen is administered, providing that easily ignitable substances such as ether, cyclopropane, alcohol, acetone, oils, greases, or lotions are not present. The presence of such flammable substances in oxygen-enriched atmospheres is prohibited by NFPA standards.