ARLINGTON, Va. — The Army is introducing a new logo to help soldiers buying commercial gear choose pieces with their service’s official nod of approval for durability and safety, instead of knock-offs.

The trademarked tag, which the Army unveiled Friday during its 233rd birthday celebration at the Pentagon, has the words "Team Soldier Certified Gear" circling the Army’s official logo: a black-and-gold star with the words "U.S. Army" underneath.

The new logo is making its debut in two product categories: fire-resistant combat gloves and flashlights.

More categories will follow soon, according to Lt. Col. John Lemondes, leader of the Product Manager Clothing and Individual Equipment section of Program Executive Office Soldier at Fort Belvoir, Va., where the logo initiative was developed.

The logo was developed to help soldiers make "intelligent choices" when they decide to spend their own money on military equipment, instead of falling prey to clever advertising, or buying on impulse, Lemondes said.

"Team Soldier," offers a clear landmark in what can be a very confusing market for the average military buyer, who doesn’t understand how language is used in advertising.

Just because a product is labeled by a manufacturer as "Army-approved," it hasn’t necessarily been certified for military use, Lemondes said.

Similarly, "not everything that is labeled by manufacturers as ‘ballistic’ or flame-resistant’ meets the Army standard of protection in a combat environment," Lemondes said.

That’s particularly important for deploying soldiers, where it’s critical for any protective gear to meet Army standards, Lemondes said.

"The certification logo will clearly identify [commercial] gear that meets the highest [Army] standards," he said.

Manufacturers who want their products to sport the "Team Army Certified Gear" logo must submit the gear to PEO Soldier for Army-specific safety and performance testing.

If the gear passes, the logo will either be incorporated onto the tag, or branded directly on the equipment. Manufacturers can also tout the "Team Army" certification in their advertising.

The Army intends to legally pursue any manufacturer who uses the logo without approval, officials said. Punitive actions could include debarment from future contracts.