Posted on Apr 22, 2015
LTC Senior Observer   Coach/Trainer
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I was rocking it out at the Halestorm and the Pretty Reckless concert in Nashville when I realized the guitarist from The Pretty Reckless was wearing an old Vietnam era OD green uniform jacket complete with sergeant stripes. Recently I've seem a trend in Urban Culture with people wearing military uniform style clothing. Is this wrong, disgraceful, or disrespectful to service members or is it just am acceptable fashion tend? Thoughts? To me personally it depends, but I still don't really like it.
Posted in these groups: 4276e14c UniformsMilitary leadership skills civilian employment CiviliansF811e08a MusicCorporate culture 492 Culture
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CW4 Larry Curtis
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Edited >1 y ago
Hey can you blame them for wanting to look as cool as us? I mean REALLY? LOL. I have no problem with casual wear of uniform items, some of them are really quite functional for many things. The ones I have the problems with are those who are posing and mucking-up the uniform thinking they are impressing someone. Posers need their collective butts kicked.
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CPT Jeff Robinette
CPT Jeff Robinette
6 y
PO2 Hauke Powers oh I'm sure they do! Is have to drive about 100 miles to find a surplus store in my area. But what I want, 8 Round En-bloc clips for my M1, are hard to find.
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CWO2 Network Operations and Systems Officer
CWO2 (Join to see)
6 y
Not so hard to find, Larry. I picked up a few bandoliers of surplus ammo years ago at a gun show. I just re-fill them with my re-loads. Or you can use factory or surplus ammo for re-fills. You just have to keep an eye on where they fly after the last round and pick them up and maybe clean them up a bit. Now, I've 'heard' that there can be a problem with the primers on factory ammo backing out on recoil, but I've never had an issue with my re-loads. YMMV.

Disclaimer: Sorry to the forum, but Cee-Wo Larry led this off topic...

As to the OP, I don't have problem with civvies wearing some things. I gave my pops a cover I wore in Iraq. He's former Navy, and old, so whatevs. My nephews got my boonies and some of my cammies. As long as they (anyone) isn't/aren't trying to represent themselves as somethin they aren't, I'm ok with a boonie cover or some Cammie pants, or whatever. No dress anything, no bling at all. And, I did remove my last name and USMC name tapes from the cammies, of course. I would, however, like to find the jerk that snuck into my Ooh-Rah closet and sprayed everything down with some sort of shrinking solution...
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CWO2 Network Operations and Systems Officer
CWO2 (Join to see)
6 y
CWO2 (Join to see) - Oops, apologies to CWO Curtis. It was CPT Jeff that led me down the M1 Garand rabbit hole. The M1 is a fantastic rifle for it's time, and I'm easily led astray on all things weapons related... Now back to our program!
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SFC James Beason
SFC James Beason
6 y
agreed
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MSgt Michael Durkee
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I'm not bothered by mix em' up ensembles, when someone attempts to recreate an entire uniform and pose as a Service Member...THAT gets under my skin.
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LTC Paul Labrador
LTC Paul Labrador
>1 y
Bingo.
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MSgt Richard Hubbard
MSgt Richard Hubbard
6 y
Totally agree.
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SGT Joshua Bressel
SGT Joshua Bressel
6 y
I think Stolen Valor crosses a big line, from wearing a couple of uniform items, to trying to claim a false identity. That's a big, fat, distinctive, hard to miss, line to cross. I agree 100%
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COL Robert Davies
COL Robert Davies
6 y
Please don't make turn in my Stetson, I worked way too hard to earn it.
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CMSgt Senior Enlisted Leader
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I don't mind it. I think it is a flattering fashion statement when worn in pieces and worn respectfully.

As a teenager, I used to wear OD-green epaulet-style shirts, black pants, actual combat boots with a biker jacket. It looks very cool! (And likely a foreshadowing of my career. :))

As long as it doesn't bleed into full uniform wear, a la Stolen Valor.
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SGT Joshua Bressel
SGT Joshua Bressel
6 y
I was, likewise, guilty of wearing fatigue pants, and my stepdad's old field jacket, and camo shirts. Then again, I also wanted to be a soldier, more than anything, and I achieved that. Also, CMSGT McGuire, I doubt any of us looked as cute as you did, doing it, lol.
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SGT Joshua Bressel
SGT Joshua Bressel
6 y
CMSgt (Join to see) I'd love to see the pic too, lol. Maybe something good can come from the 80's!!!! Lol
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CMSgt Senior Enlisted Leader
CMSgt (Join to see)
6 y
SGT Joshua Bressel -
Well something good came from the 70s--ME!! Lol!!

Thank you for the kind words. :)

I will have to look for the pic. It was not as popular to have a camera at the ready back then. ((cough**thank goodness*cough)) :):)
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COL Robert Davies
COL Robert Davies
6 y
Anyone been to Berlin lately? You can get your pictures taken with a "real" GI Jane, for a price. The old B's.
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