Recently, US Army Lt Col Rachel Hoagland had to relocate her insignia on their combat uniforms.
This was not the problem, the problem was that there are increased factors of “sexual harassment and assault factor.”
By moving her rank insignia, men often ask “May I touch you?” during ceremonies to move it to the middle of a woman’s chest.
Hoagland comments that this question can put the female soldier in a position where she is inclined to say yes, because she cannot say no even if she is uncomfortable with the touching.
Hoagland has been in the military for 20 years, saying that the Army had altered its design as a “well-intentioned shift.” In previous designs, the rank insignia had been placed on the uniform’s collar when putting it on a battle dress uniform, more known as a BDU in the Army.
With the new design of the rank insignia on the chest, it is to improve convenience and comfort for soldiers through the velcro strip. Before, soldiers complained that the pins would dig into their necks.
Though there are complications with the new design that Hoagland wants to address, asking for the rank to be placed back at the collar.
As seen in a Youtube video of the process of moving the rank insignias, the current placement of the rank forces soldiers to stare at an officer’s chest to see whether they need to offer a salute, since lower ranks have to salute those who are of a higher rank.
In ceremonies, officers need to physically remove and replace the old insignia, inciting awkward touching between the two soldiers. Hoagland states that this might make the female soldier uncomfortable.
Hoagland comments that the “brushing of a hand on the breasts could be perceived as a sexual assault.” There are also ways around the issue, such as the female soldier placing the rank on her own. Though some may argue that it will break tradition and show the differences between genders.
She also acknowledged that it is not the uniform’s fault for the rise in sexual assault, that there is a larger issue at hand that goes past that factor.
Even female Navy soldiers have had problems that are uncomfortable for them since the rank insignia is placed on the center of their chest for them.
In recent months, the sexual assault of Spc. Vanessa Guillen has brought light to the news, and it is a horrific story to hear about, wanting to change the ways in which they operate for it to be a safe place for everybody.