U.S. Air Force authorizes new rust-colored berets for EOD Airmen

Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force David R. Wolfe has announced that explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) Airmen will be authorized to wear a distinctive rust-colored beret. This recognition designates EOD as a specialized conventional combat-arms career field, joining a small group of Air Force roles authorized to wear specific colored berets.

The rust color was selected because it is historically associated with explosive hazards. The beret will also feature a metallic flash incorporating EOD and Air Force symbolism.

The announcement was made during the inaugural graduation of the Project MAMBA (Multi-domain Airmen for Modern Battlefield Application) course at Tyndall Air Force Base. This redesigned pre-deployment training pipeline is intended to prepare EOD technicians for complex, contested environments and modern battlefield applications.