The U.S. Air Force Airman Battle Uniform. (U.S. Air National Guard/Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith)
26 Jan 2021
It s almost time to say goodbye to the tiger stripe.
The U.S. Air Force is approaching its sunset date for the Airman Battle Uniform, known as the ABU, in favor of the Army s Operational Camouflage Uniform. The service approved the OCP to be worn full time beginning Oct. 1, 2018, with the expectation that all airmen and Space Force guardians would make the changeover by April 1, 2021.
The service asked airmen at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base in Tennessee whether they had any final words on the ABU, which has been their standard service duty uniform for more than a decade. Some said they aren t sad to see it go, while others saw its potential, according to a release.