The swimmer Noè Ponti during his entry into the army.Image: keystone
The Swiss army abolishes “Tenue A”. From a fashion point of view, it’s not a big loss. But where do all the hard-earned ribbons of distinction go now?
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“The best army in the world” now renounces the gray 95 exit uniform, the famous “Outfit A”. New recruits will only receive this outfit if they need it for performance reasons. Thus, the Swiss Army will save up to 55 million francs by 2035.
The blazer that doesn’t suit anyone
No one will probably miss the “going out outfit”. The co-editor-in-chief of the military magazine Swiss soldier and sergeant, Cécile Klusák, posted a video on TikTok about removing the “going out outfit”. The reactions speak for themselves: “Thank God” and “Finally” are the most present comments. No wonder: who likes to wear a blazer that looks straight out of the 80s and hangs over the chest?
Outfit A.Image: KEYSTONE
But the army forgot one detail
Until now, “Outfit A” had to be worn during promotion ceremonies and during holidays. With the removal of this outfit, soldiers will now be able to wear “Outfit B” on these occasions.
This is a camouflage uniform. It’s much more comfortable and actually almost resembles “Outfit C”, which recruits wear when crawling through mud. It’s just a little more elegant.
This already looks more like a serious army.Image: media library VBS
So, everyone should rejoice at the removal of the exit uniform. But there’s a catch: the camouflage uniform doesn’t have room for insignia. These are ribbons of distinction which are awarded for particular merits. For example, “military sports awards” for exceptional physical fitness, “shooter awards” for good shooting performance, “training awards” for specialized military training, or “mission badges” for missions inside or outside the country.
And to prevent someone from wandering around indiscriminately, some of these colored pins are awarded simply for periods of service. For example, because we spent 90, 170, 250 or even 950 days (!) in the Swiss army.
Like everything that happens in the army, badges are of course governed by specific regulations.
Image: Screenshot Swiss Army Regulations
One could of course simply attach the insignia anywhere on the camouflage uniform jacket. But that would be too easy. “Insignias must only be worn on the Jacket/Blazer of Outfit A, 0.5 cm above the left chest pocket,” states regulation 51.009 “Clothing and Packing.”
The ribbons should be placed above the left breast pocket (number 2).Image: screenshot “clothing and equipment” regulations of the Swiss army
The space available in the intended location is limited. But anyway, according to the regulations, you can only display a maximum of nine badges. It’s probably better this way. But in what order should you decorate your chest? Don’t worry, there are guidelines there too:
Image: screenshot “clothing and equipment” regulations of the Swiss army
A working group to fix it
All of this is no longer possible now that “Dress A” only exists for important military personnel and the military band. For all other soldiers, it is urgent to find a solution. Legends say that decorations considerably improved the chances of flirting. Finally, distinctions are synonymous with particular ability, exceptional perseverance and diligence.
So far, the army does not yet have an idea where the insignia could be attached in the future. Questioned by 20 minutes, the DDPS indicated that a working group would examine different options. It is not yet clear when a concrete solution will be presented.
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Translated and adapted by Noëline Flippe
