Tabs of the United States Army

In the United States Army, "tabs" are small cloth and/or metal arches displaying a word or words signifying a special skill that are worn on U.S. Army uniforms. On the Army Combat Uniform, the tabs are worn above a unit's shoulder patch and are used to identify a unit's or a soldier's special skill(s) or are worn on shoulder patches as part of a unit's unique heritage. Individual tabs are also worn as small metal arches above or below medals or ribbons on the Army Service Uniform.

Tabs are valued uniquely in the U.S. Army because images rather than words are traditionally used for the symbolism of the shoulder patch worn to identify a soldier's unit. It is only to identify an individual soldier's or a whole unit's special skill that an additional shoulder patch is worn that uses words rather than images to symbolize this skill. For example, while any member of a special forces unit will wear the unit identifying patch that includes an arrowhead, sword, lightning, and Airborne Tab, only soldiers who have completed special forces training will have been awarded and wear an additional tab containing the words "SPECIAL FORCES" (i.e. the Special Forces Tab).

Some tabs are awarded to recognize an individual soldier's combat related skills or marksmanship and are worn by a soldier permanently. These tabs are also considered special skill badges and have metal equivalents that are worn on the soldier's chest if their uniform does not have a place for shoulder patches (e.g. the Army Service Uniform). Other tabs recognize a whole unit's special skill and are considered to be part of a specific unit's shoulder sleeve patch and are worn by a soldier only while they belong to that unit. The Jungle Expert Tab is unique in that while it is awarded to recognize an individual soldier's skill, it is only worn by soldiers while they belong to certain units. Similarly, tabs awarded at the state level by the US Army National Guard can only be worn by soldiers while they are on state-level orders.

There are currently four permanent individual skill/marksmanship tabs authorized for wear by the U.S. Army. In order of precedence, they are the Special Forces Tab, the Ranger Tab, the Sapper Tab, and the President's Hundred Tab. --The Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab and Sapper Tab are all considered group 4 skill badges while the President's Hundred Tab is defined as a marksmanship badge/award.-- Only three skill tabs may be worn at one time.

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