Where the OCP Name Tape, USAF Tape and Blue Name Tag Go

Name and service identification is one of the first things anyone checks on a uniform, and one of the easier things to order wrong. Lions Industries for the Blind makes three of these items for the Air Force: the embroidered name tape and USAF tape for the OCP uniform, and the engraved plastic name tag for the blue uniforms. This post covers where each one goes and how big each one is, as we publish them.

A word on scope before we start. We make these items. We don't write the rules for wearing them. For the regulation that governs your uniform, go to your own unit or supply channel.

The OCP name tape and the USAF tape

Both OCP tapes are embroidered in Spice Brown, color 67196, on OCP material. Each finishes at 5 inches long and 1 inch tall. On our product list, the name tape is worn on the upper right of the OCP uniform coat and the USAF tape on the upper left. The name tape is also worn on the back of the patrol cap.

They are two separate items with two separate stock numbers: the name tape is 8455-00-NIB-0153 and the USAF tape is 8455-00-NIB-0154. Each is issued individually, so a pair for one uniform means one of each. How many of each a person needs, including a name tape for the cap, is your unit's call, not ours.

Embroidery is stitched into the fabric, not printed on top of it, which is why tapes like these hold their lettering through washing and daily wear. In Kinston, our Military Embroidery department runs the embroidery machines, along with specialized fusing and velcro equipment.

The color number is worth keeping. Spice Brown, 67196, is the one to quote when you need to confirm a match: a tape from stock against a replacement, or an order against what arrived. Saying "brown" over the phone leaves room for error, and a color number doesn't.

The engraved blue name tag

The blue uniforms use a different kind of name identification: a plastic tag, engraved, with beveled edges. It measures 3-3/16 inches by 5/8 inch. On our product list it is worn on the long- and short-sleeve Service Dress (Class A) uniforms and the Blue Service (Class B) uniforms, and on the Maternity Dress uniform and the Long-Sleeve Maternity blouse.

In the supply system the item is described as Name Tags, Plastic, Engraved, USAF, Blue, and its stock number is 8455-00-NIB-0141. It is issued each. An engraved tag and an embroidered tape are made by different processes and are separate items, so one does not substitute for the other on a requisition.

Beveled edges mean the border of the tag is cut at an angle rather than square. That gives the plastic a finished look and takes the sharp corner off a piece that sits on a uniform all day. The tag is blue, and it is engraved, so the lettering is cut into the plastic and not stitched or printed.

All three at a glance

• OCP name tape, 8455-00-NIB-0153: Spice Brown (67196) on OCP material, 5 inches long, 1 inch tall. Upper right of the OCP coat, and on the back of the patrol cap.
• OCP USAF tape, 8455-00-NIB-0154: same color and material, same 5 by 1 inch finished size. Upper left of the OCP coat.
• Engraved USAF name tag, blue, 8455-00-NIB-0141: 3-3/16 inches by 5/8 inch, beveled edges. Service Dress, Blue Service, Maternity Dress and Long-Sleeve Maternity blouse.

Mixing up the services

Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas, is the buying office for the Air Force items, and we've supplied them since 2002. The Marine Corps tapes we make are a different product for a different buyer: Desert MARPAT and Woodland MARPAT name and service tapes that finish at 7 inches long and 1 inch tall, against 5 by 1 for the OCP tapes. If you work in a supply room that handles more than one service, the length is an easy way to tell the two apart before you pull the wrong item.

A short checklist before you order

• Which uniform is the item for? The OCP coat takes the two tapes, and the blue uniforms take the engraved tag on our list.
• Is it the name tape or the USAF tape? They have different stock numbers, and you may need both.
• Is a name tape also wanted for the patrol cap?
• Has your own unit or supply channel confirmed the item and the quantity?

Regulations belong to your unit

We can tell you where our product listing says each item is worn and how big each one is. We can't tell you what your regulations require today, and we wouldn't want to guess. Uniform standards are written and revised by the service, and your unit or supply channel has the current version. Check there first, then order.

For product questions such as sizes, stock numbers or units of issue, call (252) 523-1019, Monday through Thursday, 7 AM to 5:30 PM, or find these items on the products page.