Have you, or another soldier you known, not worn your awards on your uniform?

I've read a good bit thru the different posts on this thread and just shake my head about "I don't like to pin on badges"; my PSG told me my badges were part of my daily uniform; someone quoted the DA policy- local cdr can make wearing badges mandatory for etc, etc etc; I'm now wondering out loud, REALLY, this is the attitude. To me it's much to do about nothing, and yet much to do about something that no one has mentioned. What happened to Soldiers doing their best everyday, what happened to pride in their uniform; what happened to "I don't give a damn what he or she does, I'm gonna do what's right! Doing whats right is not always written in the manual; in the AR or passed on from some unit shit house lawyer. Some will say Im in Fk'd up unit, so I'll say, why does that make you choose to be fk'ed up right along with them. Here is a little secret for the "individuallsts", changes begin one Soldier at a time. Have the balls and fortitude to be a part of making that trasnsition is a helluva lot harder than it is to be a follow along jackass! For the ones who are in an Airborne unit and don't wear their badges, that represents a lack of individual fortitude, a lack of pride in the their unit, a lack of respect for those who came before them in that organization and remember it when it was a great unit. I hear a lot from Soldiers today, " I don't think that's right or I don't like to do this, they don't have the right to make us do ......etc...etc! These will be the same Soldiers who will be complaining when they get the letter that says, your services are no longer required, you will ETS in the 30-60 days! This will be the same Soldiers who will say, "They screwed me over and gave me a Bar to Renlistment"...or "They gave me a bad NCOER!" Bullshit, the whinning asses got exactly what they deserved, why because they wanted to be individual players and have it their way, and felt little to no inclination to considering what's best for the UNIT, or considering, what can my individual contribution be to better the UNIT! Things of this were NEVER an issue in my days (70s, 80s thru mid 90s). Seems to be a lack of leadership development, which actually begins with a PVT....and to much mollycoddling. The conflicts are winding down, everyone is coming home, the old peacetime rules, traditions, values, etc that Keeps a peace time Army on its toes till the next sounding of the charge is coming back. Either get with the program, times are gonna get tougher in the Army. Either Adjust fire with your individualists (It's about me) attitudes or don't blame anyone but yourselves when you go home and the next time you want it your way, it will be at Burger King. It's much easier to be an individualist then it is to be a team player.

I always wore everything I had earned, but that was my choice and I never had an issue with those that chose not to wear theirs. It only bothered me when someone who chose not to wear theirs made derogatory comments about those who did, just because we chose to wear ours didn't make us glory-hounds or badge-chasers or any of the other labels I heard over the years. If you wear them good for you, be proud and show it, if not, same thing be proud of your accomplishments!

3 things:

1. I knew a guy who walked around Afghanistan with the regulations in his pocket so when asked why he did not have his combat patch on his uniform. He simply did not appreciate how he was being treated by the unit and was not proud to be in the unit which seemed to be all about who can get a bronze star in this group and prevent others from it as well as setting up only some people for promotions.

2. I have a SSG now who does not wear a combat patch as he says that some people automatically give you respect because you have a combat patch, but you can have knowledge even if you did not deploy.

3. I do not wear my jump wings most of the time. I started back when I was doing change of command inventories during my first command and I just forgot to put them back on after doing laundry. Then it became a pain putting them on and off and then they scratched. I do not like how the ACUs look with everything sown so I wear them when I wear my "nice" uniform for CAO duties or special events or classes. I do not feel the need to brag about having the opportunity to go to the school and graduating. I know I have them and if people pay attention they know I have them. If not they are surprised when I put on a good uniform or my ASUs.