SAA Uniform Guidelines

PERSONAL APPEARANCE

Overview

All third through eighth grade boys must wear one of several military uniforms on a daily basis, as prescribed in the Parents’ Club calendar.  In requiring that cadets wear identical, well-kept uniforms and maintain a specific standard of grooming, the military program also reinforces two cardinal principles that have served as part of the institution’s philosophical foundation: pride in personal appearance is a precursor to pride in performance; and all SAA boys are intrinsically equal. 

Uniforms

Daily Khaki Uniform: 

• Black, polished, lace-up shoes; black, calf-length (no ankle length or lo-cut) dress socks without logos
• Khaki trousers
• Black web belt with brass buckle (white belt for eighth grade cadets)
• Academy t-shirt with short-sleeved, khaki shirt with:
  • Polished round SAA brass collar ornament on right collar
  • Round crossed-rifles brass collar ornament on left collar
  • Nameplate on flap of right shirt pocket (centered, with top edge aligned with inside top seam, and shirt material smooth and flat beneath)
  • Flat black rank insignia are worn on the left and right collars in lieu of the SAA brass and crossed rifles once rank has been achieved

Camouflage Fatigue Uniform: 

• Athletic shoes (no cleats); white athletic socks, fatigue trousers
• Black web belt (white belt for eighth grade cadets)
• White Academy t-shirt or SAA Fall Family Fair t-shirt

Drill Blue Uniform: 

• Black, polished, lace-up shoes; plain black, calf-length (no ankle-length or lo-cut) dress socks without logos
• Blue issue trousers with black web belt with brass buckle (white belt for eighth grade cadets)
• Plain white t-shirt (NOT SAA t-shirt with school seal or any other logo or print); issue, dress blue, long-sleeve shirt with:
  • Polished brass rank insignia on the left and right collars (polished round SAA brass collar ornament on right collar and polished round crossed-rifles brass collar ornament on left collar before rank has been achieved)
  • Nameplate on flap of right shirt pocket (centered, with top edge aligned with inside top seam, and shirt material smooth and flat beneath)
  • Red-white-and-blue braid on right shoulder (yellow braid for eighth grade cadets)
  • Award ribbons centered over and resting upon top edge of left shirt pocket 
• Plain black necktie
• Dress saucer hat 

Dress Blue Uniform: 

• Black, polished, lace-up shoes; plain black, calf-length (no ankle-length or lo-cut) dress socks without logos
• Blue issue trousers with black web belt with brass buckle (white belt for eighth grade cadets)
• Plain white t-shirt (NOT SAA t-shirt with school seal or any other logo or print); plain white, long-sleeve dress shirt (NO button-down collars, colored buttons, or cuff links)
• Issue dress blue jacket with:
  • Nameplate on flap of right chest pocket (centered, with top edge aligned with inside top seam, and shirt material smooth and flat beneath)
  • Polished brass ranks centered on both epaulets
  • Polished round SAA brass collar ornament centered on upper right lapel and polished round crossed-rifles brass collar ornament centered on upper left lapel  (with apparent horizontal alignment when jacket is being worn)
  • School shields centered on lower lapels with apparent horizontal alignment with center of lapel
  • Red-white-and-blue braid on right shoulder (yellow braid for eighth grade cadets)
  • awards centered over top edge of left jacket pocket
• Plain black necktie
• Dress saucer hat.   

Black Uniform Shoes:  Shoes for the khaki and blue uniforms must be black, leather, lace-up, plain-toe, low-quarter style, and polishable with normal black paste or cream polish.  Suede, corfam, patent leather, and other synthetic or natural fiber shoes and boots are not acceptable with either the khaki or blue uniforms.  Uniform shoes must be kept polished and in good repair at all times;  shoes with holes, seams pulled apart or coming unstitched, soles or heels coming unglued and/or unstitched, missing, frayed or wrong length shoe laces must be repaired or replaced at the first opportunity but no later than one week following the occurrence of the damage. Also, “permanent” or paint-on “polishes” or other shining agents may not be used.  Depending on daily scuffing and wear, shoes may need to be polished several times per week or even daily. Note: The only authorized black, athletic-style shoes (for use with the khaki uniform only) are sold in the Uniform Store.

Khaki Trousers: Since one of the purposes of our uniform is to ensure the uniformity of the dress code, the only authorized khaki trousers are sold in the Uniform Store. Students may not wear trousers of any different style, color, or other characteristic.

Ribbons, Medals, and Other Awards: Ribbons must be worn with the Drill Blue Uniform, neatly centered over, aligned with, and resting upon the top edge of the left shirt pocket; ribbons must be neatly and symmetrically arranged in rows of three.  Either medals or ribbons, but not both, must be worn with the Dress Blue Uniform. If ribbons are worn, they must be arranged above the left jacket pocket, as described above for the Drill Blue Uniform. If medals are worn, no more than six are authorized to be worn on the dress blue jacket without permission of the Commandant. Medals and ribbons are authorized to be worn together only by the members of the eighth grade class at commencement. Medals may not be placed on the back or on the sleeves of the dress blue jacket during commencement or at any other time. Authorization to wear other pins and awards is at the discretion of the Commandant.

Uniform Schedule: The annual uniform schedule is listed in the Parents’ Club School Calendar. Changes to the uniform schedule, as dictated by weather and events, will be announced in advance.

Unauthorized Uniform Modifications: Modifications to the uniforms described at the beginning of this section without prior approval from the Commandant are unauthorized. Specifically, this precludes the use of metal taps on shoes and wearing unauthorized amulets, chains, necklaces, earrings, medallions, or other jewelry, boots, berets, scarves, unauthorized patches and cords, etc. Exceptions will be granted on an individual basis as per demonstrated need.

Haircuts: 

Students are expected to keep their hair clean, short, and neat. Hair will be off the ears and above the collar, and the length will be such that a student’s bangs cannot be combed below the level of the eyebrows. Novelty haircuts and extreme modifications to traditional haircuts (including hair coloring and a shaved head) are not permitted unless approved by the Commandant or the Head of School.

Uniform and Supply Lists.  All uniforms and most uniform accessories may be purchased at the Academy’s Uniform Store.  Items on the following list not sold at the Uniform Store are listed below with asterisks (*).

RECOMMENDED #               ITEM

          1                           Coat, dress blue

          1                           Trousers, dress blue

          1                           Shirt, dress white, long sleeves (no button-down collar)

          1                           Shirt, drill blue, long sleeves

          2 or 3                     Shirt, khaki, short sleeves

          2 or 3                     Trousers, khaki

          1                           Camouflage trousers (jacket optional)

          1                           Black, four-in-hand tie

          1                           Dress saucer hat

          1                           Cord, citation (red-white-and-blue)

          1                           Emblem for dress saucer hat

          1                           SAA school patches sewn on shirt

          2                           SAA crest, red-white-and-blue

          1                           Pair SAA ornaments, round

          1                           Pair rifle ornaments, round, infantry

          1                           Belt, web, black (white for eighth graders) with brass buckle/tab

          2 or 3                     Handkerchief, plain white*

          1                           Pair lace-up shoes, black, low-quarter style

          1                           Pair athletic shoes*

          5                           Pair socks, plain black, calf length (no logos or other designs)*

          3                           Pair socks, white, athletic (SAA socks optional)

          5 or 6                     SAA t-shirt, white with blue emblem

          1                           Undershirt, plain white

          2                           SAA t-shirt, blue with white emblem, gym

          2                           SAA shorts, blue with white emblem, gym

          1                           Jacket, outer, light

          1                           Bag, gym

          1                           Bag, book

          1                           Pair gloves, white, cotton

The student’s name should be written on all articles of clothing, gym bags, and book bags.