From Military Patrol Covers to Baseball Caps: Major General Woods Pushes Back on Ongoing Uniform Changes

This Scuttlebutt Episode 11 clip features Major (GA – Retired) Beverly Shepard and Combat Veteran Major General (TX – Retired) Anthony Woods as they examine the growing nationwide transition of State Defense Force uniforms, specifically the shift from traditional OCP patrol covers to baseball caps. The discussion centers around the influence of the National Guard Bureau’s 2024 CNGBI 5500.01A policy, which encouraged Adjutants General across the country to implement more distinct uniform modifications to better differentiate their State Defense Forces from their National Guard counterparts. These changes go beyond headgear, including the adoption of bold or red nametapes, rank insignia, unit identifiers, and the now a red “SDF” patch.

Major Shepard and Major General Woods highlight how these uniform adjustments are being implemented at the state level, with organizations such as the Maryland Defense Force transitioning to an OCP-pattern baseball cap, and the Virginia Defense Force adopting an OD green baseball cap. The conversation also explores how other states are evaluating similar changes under the direction of their Adjutants General. Drawing on his lifelong military career, Major General Woods firmly opposes this nationwide uniform transition, warning that it undermines the professionalism, identity, and credibility of those who wear the uniform. He emphasizes that these changes negatively impact the perception and cohesion of personnel dedicated to serving their states and communities. In his view, this transition is a mistake, and State Guard soldiers should return to the previous uniform, which closely mirrored the Army National Guard, with the distinction of a state flag in place of the U.S. flag and the State Guard name replacing “U.S. Army” on the nametape.

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