By Sam Balch
There are two common schools of thought about uniforms and personal appearance. Some see them as walking résumés, proof of what we have accomplished. Others treat them like expensive pajamas we are forced to wear, a box to check because regulation requires it, and nothing more. Both miss the point. Our uniforms are not résumés, nor are they compliance metrics. I am offering a third view: our uniforms and personal appearance should be seen as commitments. They are symbols of discipline, trust, and pride that speak louder than words about who we are and what we stand ready to do.
The truth is, our appearance often speaks before we do. People may not know our character or competence in the first moment they meet us, but they see our uniform. If it is sharp, professional, and worn with pride, it signals discipline and readiness. If it is sloppy or careless, it sends the opposite message. This is why standards matter, not as vanity or box-checking, but as visible promises to our teammates and to the Nation we serve.
I was reminded of this the day I arrived to in-process my current unit. Standing in line at the medical center, I handed my records to a specialist behind the desk. His uniform told its own story: an upside-down flag patch, sleeves rolled halfway up his arms, hair unkept and far too long to be within regulation, and fabric that looked as if it had been stuffed in a duffel bag for a month. Yet above his nametape were the same airborne wings I wore, and on his right shoulder the patch of the 82nd Airborne Division.
He set my records down and said, “I’m about to go to lunch, but I got you, sir. I’ll make sure to process them later. You can trust me.”
But the honest truth is, I did not trust him.
Maybe that sounds harsh. I did not know his circumstances. Maybe he was late. Maybe he was struggling. Maybe no one had shown him what “right” looks like. But in that moment, nothing about his appearance or his actions inspired confidence. His uniform, meant to project competence and pride, did the opposite.
That moment reminded me that trust is fragile. It does not come automatically from rank, unit patches, or badges. It comes from the daily signals we send in how we carry ourselves. A uniform worn with discipline and pride says to others, “I can be relied upon.” A uniform worn carelessly says the opposite, no matter what the patches claim.
When we talk about standards of appearance, the answer cannot simply be, “Because the regulation says so.” That response enforces compliance but does not inspire commitment. The deeper reason is that our uniform is a symbol, a visible promise of trust, discipline, and commitment. When Soldiers ask why details matter, whether it is haircuts, grooming, or even something as small as blousing boots, we should be able to point beyond the rulebook. These details are not about vanity. They are about demonstrating care, pride, and professionalism in a way others can see and believe.
Science backs this up. Research supports the idea that our minds are wired to make judgments instantly, often before a word is spoken. Psychologists Janine Willis and Alexander Todorov at Princeton University found that people form judgments about traits such as trustworthiness, competence, and likability after viewing a face for just one-tenth of a second, and that longer exposure only reinforces those initial impressions rather than correcting them (Psychological Science, 2006). This helps explain why non-verbal communication accounts for more than half of the message we send and why the symbols we wear carry such disproportionate weight in shaping trust.
Symbols deliver information faster, and often with more weight, than words. Sometimes we struggle to explain why a symbol makes us feel a certain way. Symbols can bring peace or provoke anger. We feel far more offended when someone burns a flag than when they merely criticize the nation it represents. The symbol speaks faster and louder than the words.
A wedding ring signals commitment and faithfulness. Watch someone slip off a wedding ring before entering a bar, and we immediately judge them. When someone we love is injured, we run toward the building marked with a red cross, trusting the people inside to save their life, even though we know nothing about the doctors’ names, where they went to school, or what kind of morning they are having. We trust the symbol itself to tell us, “You are safe here.”
In the Army, we wear symbols that communicate countless messages in a single glance. The camouflage pattern signals our branch of service. Our rank tells a story of time served and leadership expectations. The patch on our left shoulder shows the unit we belong to; the patch on our right shoulder shows the unit we deployed with in combat. The badges over our left nametape speak of the aircraft we’ve jumped from, the skills we’ve mastered, and the moments we’ve survived enemy fire.
Tabs on the left shoulder often become the first place we look when meeting another Soldier. They proclaim toughness, expertise, and resilience. And let’s be honest: sometimes the absence of a tab provokes more judgment than the presence of one.
But those accomplishments, while meaningful, are not enough. What matters more is what we stand ready to do today. What others can trust us to do when it counts.
Airborne wings proclaim that, when ordered, we will jump from airplanes. The Expert Soldier Badge shows others can rely on us to perform the essential tasks of war. Red ball caps on Riggers in the PAX shed tell us that when they say our reserve parachute will deploy, we believe them without hesitation.
That is why our uniform and our appearance matters. We don’t just wear the symbol, we ARE the symbol. A sharp uniform, proper grooming, and a fit presence communicate discipline, accountability, and pride. It tells our teammates: I take this seriously. I am bought in. You can trust me to spend my own time and energy to make sure I represent you and the Army well.
Army regulation makes this clear:
“The Army is a uniformed service where discipline is judged, in part, by the manner in which a Soldier wears a prescribed uniform. Therefore, a neat and well-groomed appearance by all Soldiers is fundamental to the Army and contributes to building the pride and esprit essential to an effective military force.”
— AR 670-1, Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia
Standards are not about vanity or box-checking. They are not about pleasing an inspector or avoiding trouble. They are about trust. They are about the message we send, consciously or not, the moment someone sees us.
Appearance does not replace competence. It is not a substitute for character. But it is often the first signal of whether trust can take root. Adhering to uniform standards is not about superficial rules but about visible discipline that reflects a deeper commitment. It shows that I am willing to spend my own personal time and energy to present myself well, to communicate to you that I am bought in, that I care, and that I am ready. If we cannot be trusted to take something as simple as our own appearance seriously, how can others trust us to lead them when it matters most?
MAJ Sam Balch is a Field Artillery Officer in the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, currently serving as the Executive Officer of the Field Artillery Squadron. He is married to his best friend and partner, MAJ Sara Roger, who also serves as an Executive Officer in the 41st Field Artillery Brigade.
