JOINT BASE LANGLEY–EUSTIS, Va. – The U.S. Army announced a historic uniform change that will officially retire the women’s bush hat and designate the campaign hat as the single standard for all drill sergeants beginning January 2, 2026. The move ends a more than 50-year distinction in headgear between male and female noncommissioned officers and marks a significant step toward uniformity across the force.
Army officials confirmed that all future procurement of the women’s bush hat has been canceled. The change follows years of feedback from drill sergeants and leadership seeking consistency in appearance and standards within the Drill Sergeant Program.
“There’s a single standard when screening and certifying Noncommissioned Officers for service as a drill sergeant, a single standard that we hold all serving drill sergeants to,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Michael McMurdy, Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Center for Initial Military Training. “Moving forward, there will be a single standard drill sergeant uniform.”
The campaign hat, first worn by U.S. Soldiers in 1872 for protection from the elements, has been the official headgear of drill sergeants since the establishment of the program in 1964. Female drill sergeants were first authorized to wear their own distinct version—the bush hat—in 1972, when six Women’s Army Corps NCOs graduated from the Drill Sergeant School at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
Since then, over 142,000 NCOs have served as drill sergeants, with roughly 38,000 women donning the bush hat. However, production challenges, cost concerns, and consistency issues have plagued the hat in recent years. No manufacturer has agreed to produce the hat under current Army specifications, prompting the service to consolidate around a single, reliable option.
Data collected from 2023 onward showed that roughly 70% of surveyed drill sergeants supported adopting the campaign hat, and over 60% believed it projected a more professional image. That feedback guided the Army Uniform Board’s 158th session in 2025, which formally recommended the transition.
The change has drawn praise from current and former drill sergeants who see it as a long-overdue update. “When I was the Maneuver Drill Sergeant of the Year, the bush hat distinguished female drill sergeants who were held to the same standard as their male counterparts yet had a separate uniform,” said Sgt. 1st Class Sarah Escarcega of Fort Moore, Georgia. “Standardizing the headgear for all drill sergeants aligns with every other standard that NCOs are held to. I’m glad the Army listened to us.”
Sgt. Maj. Melissa Solomon, the 2010 U.S. Army Reserve Drill Sergeant of the Year, echoed that view. “With deep respect to the bush hat’s history, I believe this change reinforces uniformity during the critical transformation of civilians into Soldiers,” she said.
Female drill sergeants currently serving will be issued two campaign hats to begin wearing immediately after the effective date. The Army says the update will eliminate trainee confusion and enhance visual consistency across basic training installations nationwide.
The U.S. Army retires the women’s bush hat after more than five decades, making the campaign hat the official headgear for all drill sergeants beginning January 2026.
