Random thought: In your opinion, what is the more tactical and professional appearing display of rank on a uniform?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 16:41:23 -0500

A hook and loop style patch as in the style of the army? Or pin on the collar rank in the style of the Marines? Why do you think so?

Response by CW5 Jack Cardwell made Mar 7 at 2019 4:45 PM

CW5 Jack Cardwell — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 16:45:02 -0500

I liked it when the Army did the pin on collar !

Response by LTC Jason Bartlett made Mar 7 at 2019 4:55 PM

LTC Jason Bartlett — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 16:55:31 -0500

I would prefer we go back to sew on the collar (rank and branch for officers). Main reason: Visibility and I can tell a lot about who I am
talking to just by seeing what branch they are in.

Response by SMSgt Thor Merich made Mar 7 at 2019 5:03 PM

SMSgt Thor Merich — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 17:03:22 -0500

Tactical and professional are like apples and oranges. Two different situations.

From a combat standpoint, Velcro rank is preferable. But from a professional looking standpoint, sleeve rank looks the best.

Response by SSG Kasius McCall made Mar 7 at 2019 5:35 PM

SSG Kasius McCall — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 17:35:58 -0500

Army but sewn on.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Mar 7 at 2019 6:17 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 18:17:07 -0500

Honestly, in a tactical setting anyone who needs to know my rank does (and vice versa). It's just one more thing that can get me shot.
Having rank on collar was easy enough to take off. It was also easy enough to hide under body armor.
All that said, I just assumed anyone older than me outranked me (not that I didn't know every O in the BN). Never steered me wrong.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 7 at 2019 7:18 PM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 19:18:47 -0500

I'm Navy, attached to USCG. We sew our patches for working uniforms.

However, back in the day when I did Army ROTC, i enjoyed the pin or patch system on BDUs. Do miss the corps device on the collar for officers. And to be honest, i kinda like the patches on sleeves like USAF (for work, not for field necessarily).

Though i recall being told that the working/field uniform was the equivalent of ripped jeans, a sleeveless shirt, and dirty tennis shoes not to be worn to an office. So for "professional", id have to go with Class As (Service Khaki, Service Charlie, Trops, whatever the service equivalent is). And yes, I wore the pickle suit for 4 years. Actually thought it looked sharp.

Maybe, in whole, I'd say pins. But then, i also think in the Navy we dont wear sleeve braid (very nautical looking) and full rating badges enough. So maybe im just twisted. :D

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 7 at 2019 7:23 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 19:23:22 -0500

I'd like to see subdued rank on the sleeves, like the old khakis.

Response by MSgt Gerald Orvis made Mar 7 at 2019 8:42 PM

MSgt Gerald Orvis — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 20:42:16 -0500

Being a traditionalist, I prefer the Marine-style pin-on-the-collar rank insignia for the utility/battle-dress uniform. When I was in Vietnam, those of us who still had pin-on rank insignia usually wore it on the front of our utility caps. Some of the grunts I saw wore it on the pocket on the front of their flak jackets. It wasn't really that important, since Marines knew who was who in their units. I now work as a DoD civilian in a joint command, and I find the Army-style loop-style rank insignia on the front of the utility jacket hard to read sometimes - and if the soldier (and sailor in their new digital cammies) has a security badge lanyard on, the rank insignia is usually obscured. That does not happen with collar-worn pin-on insignia. The Air Force seems to be pretty traditional - sleeve rank insignia for enlisted and loth sew-on collar insignia for officers - now if I could only learn to read the USAF enlisted rank insignia....

Response by MAJ Javier Rivera made Mar 7 at 2019 8:49 PM

MAJ Javier Rivera — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 20:49:00 -0500

Am old school, collar pin and branch in insignia for officers!

Response by Maj John Bell made Mar 7 at 2019 10:34 PM

Maj John Bell — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 22:34:39 -0500

Ever try to quietly separate the hook from loop quietly. You can't unless there is so much crap caught up in it that it can't hold anything anyways.

Response by LCDR Joshua Gillespie made Mar 8 at 2019 8:01 AM

LCDR Joshua Gillespie — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 08:01:14 -0500

I think it all depends on who, what, when, where. If you're a sailor stationed in Norfolk on an amphib that deploys to the Indian Ocean... I don't think you need Velcro. If you're an operator going deep into the AO... why do you need insignia at all? If you're an aviator serving as an embedded trainer to LN personnel, maybe it's a good idea to be able to remove all the bling when you're outside the wire...maybe even SEALs need to dress it up a bit for a change of command. I think the problem is that the services are always seeking a "do all, be all" in the interest of lowering costs (admittedly to include the cost to the member). I don't think we need the latest/greatest in high-speed when in garrison, stateside, or getting Green Beans while on staff duty.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 8 at 2019 3:04 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 15:04:57 -0500

I personally like the sew on rank. The Velcro rank (and patches) don't look as good and are easily ripped off when putting gear on and taking it off. The pin on rank can be painful/cause issues when worn under gear. Plus, it gets easily scratched.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 8 at 2019 5:15 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 17:15:46 -0500

The rank on the collar was always better, no clue why big Army moved away from it. At least then, you never get accused of inappropriately looking at the wrong thing while trying to read the rank. Lol

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 8 at 2019 11:57 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 23:57:25 -0500

Having been in both branches they both have pros and cons. Pin on collar I feel looks allot better however patches (velcro or sewn) are more practical. With the Marine style you are constantly worried about chipping and its uncomfortable when wearing body armor if your rank slips below the straps. Perhaps a good comprise would be the sew on collar style the Army used to have. Also with branch insignia on officers you could tell who you need to salute without feeling like you're staring everyone down since the Army uses subdued rank in garrison.