The United States Air Force’s Major rank insignia is a gold oak leaf, authorized as the insignia of grade at the time the Air Force was created as an independent branch of the United States Military in 1947. An oak was first used to denote the rank of Major in 1835 in the United States Army, but it was not until 1851 that the color was mandated to be gold.
Wear of the full-sized insignia is described in detail in AFI 36-2903, Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel. The primary uniforms on which this insignia is worn are the Men’s and Women’s Service Dress; it also serves as rank of insignia on outerwear garments such as the Topcoat and Lightweight Blue Jacket. The stem on the oak leaf will point away from the collar.
For veteran Air Force personnel, we also offer a “miniature” version of this insignia which Air Force regulations once permitted as optional war on shirt collars when shirts were worn as outer garments.
More USAF Major Insignias and Devices