Emblem Color Palettes

Introduction

The Institute of Heraldry (TIOH) TIOH is a US Army organization that is responsible for providing heraldic services for all branches of the federal government to include designing and producing official renderings of seals and emblems for the USAF and USSF. These renderings use a color palette developed by the TIOH for the services. TIOH also establishes the standards for USAF insignia worn on official uniforms, to include patches, and the enforces strict quality standards on officially certified manufacturers.

When TIOH completes an official US Air Force or US Space Force organizational emblem package, it includes: 1) an official rendering, 2) an emblem significance statement or description, and a 3) manufacturing drawing (also referred to as a “cartoon”). The cartoon is used by approved insignia manufacturers to produce an embroidered patch and includes specifications such as the colors and type of yarn (also referred to as “thread” or “cable”) to be used, dimensions and other manufacturing instructions such as the type of border to be used.

USAF Color Palettes

USAF Color Palette

A version of the TIOH USAF color palette has been used since at least the 1960s as indicated by emblem significance statements from that period. For official emblems, the USAF currently uses a color palette consisting of 40 colors that was developed by TIOH (while the TIOH’s official USAF color palette indicates there are 41 colors, #21 is omitted). Emblems rendered and patches produced using from the 40-color palette are known as “full color”. This palette is pictured in the figure to the right.

USAF Subdued Palettes

TIOH also developed color palettes that are used to convert full color emblems/patches to “subdued” colors. While TIOH develops the color palette, the actual responsibility for choosing the subdued coloring scheme falls to the Air Force Clothing Office and its predecessor organizations. There are five subdued palettes that have been or are currently in use by the USAF:

1. Woodland/Forest Subdued [Discontinued]
2. Desert Subdued [Discontinued]
3. Airman Battle Uniform (ABU) Subdued [Discontinued]
4. Operation ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF) Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) Subdued [Discontinued]
5. Spice Brown (OCP) Subdued [Current]

U.S. Space Force Color Palettes

Information on the Palette Tables

TIOH provides the following specific information for each color in the palette:

• Swatch – sample of the actual color.
• Name – TIOH’s name for the color. This may differ from the name used by other entities.
• “Yarn” Number – Also referred to as the “Cable” or “Thread” number, this number corresponds to thread that is used in the production of patches.
• “Textile” Number – This number corresponds to fabric use in manufacturing items of clothing and gear.
• Pantone Matching System (PMS) Color Number – PMS is a proprietary numbering system for colors used in graphic design developed by Pantone, LLC. By using the PMS number, you can use ensure that correct color is reproduced accurately. PMS “Coated” (the color as printed on “coated” paper resulting in glossy finish as found in magazines) are used for the color swatches in the tables below. In
• Hexadecimal Color Code – Also referred to as a “Hex Code”, this is a common format used to represent colors on websites. Hex codes listed “unknown” were converted from PMS on the Pantone website.

While the TIOH’s official USAF color palette indicates there are 41 colors, #21 is omitted.

For the tables below, the following additional information is provided:

Palette Tables

U.S. Air Force

• Full Color [Current]
• Woodland/Forest Subdued [Discontinued]
• Desert Subdued [Discontinued]
• Airman Battle Uniform Subdued (Not Currently Available) [Discontinued]
• Operation ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF) Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) Subdued [Discontinued]
• Spice Brown (OCP) Subdued [Current]
• Conversion Chart, Full Color to Woodland/Forest and Desert Subdued [Discontinued]

U.S. Space Force

• Full Color [Current]

USAF Color Palette [Current]

Sources: g, h, i, j

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USAF Woodland/Forest Subdued Palette
[Discontinued]

Sources: a, b, c, g, h, i

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USAF Desert Palette
[Discontinued]

Sources: b, c, g, h, i

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USAF Operation ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF) Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) Palette
[Discontinued]

Sources: g, h, i, k

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USAF Spice Brown (OCP) Subdued Palette
[Current]

Sources: d, e, f, g, h, i

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Palette Conversion Table – Full Color to Woodland & Desert
[Discontinued]

Sources: a, b, c

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SOURCES

a. Consolidated Base Personnel Office Letter (CBPOL) 79-002, Subdued Configuration of the Utility Uniform, 10 January 1979.

b. Controlled Multiple Address Letter (CMAL) 95-32, Insignia, Shoulder Sleeve (Subdued Unit Patches), NSN 8455-00-941-2272, 1 November 1995.

c. CMAL 01-02, Insignia, Shoulder Sleeve (Subdued Unit Patches), NSN 8455-00-941-2272, 30 March 2001.

d. CMAL 18-01, OCP Tactical Flag, Name and USAF Tapes, Organizational Patches, Occupational Badges, Skill Badges, Identification Badges and Rank Insignia, 20 September 2018.

e. CMAL 20-01, OCP Tactical Flag, Name and USAF Tapes, Organizational Patches, Occupational Badges, Skill Badges, Identification Badges and Rank Insignia, 2020.

f. CMAL 22-01, OCP Tactical Flag, Name and USAF Tapes, Organizational Patches, Occupational Badges, Skill Badges, Identification Badges and Rank Insignia, 25 May 2022.

g. Pantone Connect, Pantone, LLC, accessed 4 September 2023, https://www.pantone.com/pantone-connect/.

h. The Institute of Heraldry (TIOH) Color Palette, date unknown.

i. TIOH Color Conversion List, 14 August 1995.

j. TIOH Common Colors Conversion Chart, 2023.

k. United States Air Forces Central Command, Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) Conversion Guidelines [Powerpoint Presentation], date unknown.