What crosses your mind when you see someone with a uniform item (e.g. ACU jacket) w/ civilian clothes?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 20:21:26 -0400

Response by SGM Billy Herrington made Mar 13 at 2019 8:35 PM

SGM Billy Herrington — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 20:35:11 -0400

Dumbass

Response by Lt Col Charlie Brown made Mar 13 at 2019 8:37 PM

Lt Col Charlie Brown — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 20:37:23 -0400

I wonder if they are military or a wantabe shopping at the Army Navy surplus

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Mar 13 at 2019 8:39 PM

SGT Ben Keen — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 20:39:48 -0400

Well I still wear my gortex jacket. I can careless what some thinks of me wearing it.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Mar 13 at 2019 8:44 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 20:44:29 -0400

It bothers me as it ruins the sense of purity.

Response by SSG George Holtje made Mar 13 at 2019 8:49 PM

SSG George Holtje — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 20:49:14 -0400

Rambo wannabe

Response by SSgt Terry P. made Mar 13 at 2019 8:52 PM

SSgt Terry P. — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 20:52:25 -0400

SPC Private RallyPoint Member Actually,my first thought goes to --Why?
Personally,i wore camos(woodland and tigers) while working as a hunting guide.
I have multiple camouflage clothes,but the old woodland and tiger stripe fit better into the surroundings here in early fall and late spring.

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 13 at 2019 9:00 PM

Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 21:00:43 -0400

Homeless guy

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 13 at 2019 9:07 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 21:07:07 -0400

Could be prior service and sergeant major can't jump his crap because that stuff is going obsolete shortly. Recently, they were talking here about wearing PT to the International Airport. I say they can wear the old PT uniform that went away two years ago and they can't say anything about that either! And if you're worried about terrorism, both the Canadian and the American airport police walk around with M4 Remington rifles.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 13 at 2019 9:07 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 21:07:40 -0400

The first amendment but mostly an egregiously poor sense of fashion.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 13 at 2019 9:08 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 21:08:22 -0400

Oh gosh what have I stirred up lol

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 13 at 2019 9:17 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 21:17:13 -0400

Poor fashion sense mostly for uniform shirt. Wearing old gortex in the rain, no problem!

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Mar 13 at 2019 9:22 PM

SSG (ret) William Martin — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 21:22:37 -0400

I once wore a red coat like one the British Revolution War soldiers wore at a 4th of July celebration that was biker orientated. I was actually expecting to be accused of stolen valor but I just caught a bunch of dirty looks.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Mar 13 at 2019 9:34 PM

CPT Jack Durish — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 21:34:39 -0400

What were they thinking? No one would wear any uniform for "style". They're not stylish. And taken in combination with other "pieces", they are the anti-style. Those of us who wear/wore them, wear/wore them with pride, but not for style.

Response by PO3 Donald Murphy made Mar 13 at 2019 9:44 PM

PO3 Donald Murphy — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 21:44:51 -0400

I first saw Gary Moore and Phil Lynott of the rock group Thin Lizzy wearing dress uniforms. Granted, they were British dress uniforms, but dress Army uniforms none-the-less. Next thing ya know, every guitarist appeared to be wearing one, including American Eric Johnson. I've seen Alice Cooper wearing Navy uniforms, etc. So this has been going on for some time.

What do you say? Well...firstly, its legal to buy them (morally correct or not) and secondly, as long as you're not collecting money from wearing them (the stated purpose of 'stolen valor'), then really, there's not much that can be done about it. Me personally? I find it flattering that someone wants to "dress up" as a soldier, sailor, airman, marine, coastie, etc.

Some people might say "well maybe the person wearing it is wearing it to honor her father who passed away from cancer last week" or some other spirited excuse. Hard to say. But this has been going on for as long as I can remember. In fact, as a frequent thrift store shopper, I can honestly say that military uniforms don't "stay on the shelf" very long.

Response by SPC Casey Ashfield made Mar 13 at 2019 9:57 PM

SPC Casey Ashfield — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 21:57:51 -0400

I admit, if it is raining hard enough I will still pull out my Gore-tex jacket.

Response by 1SG Dennis Hicks made Mar 13 at 2019 10:02 PM

1SG Dennis Hicks — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 22:02:10 -0400

As long as nobody is attempting to use a uniform for personal gain as in impersonating a Serviceman or Servicewoman then I have zero issues with folks wearing old uniforms. I grew up in the 60's and 70's and it was normal to see hippies and reg folks wearing cast off uniform parts. I wear old uniforms minus US Army name tapes I never wear enough to look like I m currently in. Some folks need to reevaluate their need to regulate everything, life is to short to worry about some dip shit with purple hair wearing an old ACU uniform with a gut that is straining the waistband and a pair of ratty sneakers. Now some ass wipe wearing a complete uniform that's jacked up telling war stories at the bar about his space shuttle door gunner duties or his 1000 confirmed kills is fair game :)

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 13 at 2019 10:16 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 22:16:02 -0400

Paintball.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 13 at 2019 10:59 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 22:59:24 -0400

Homeless, or very good Dining Out!

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 13 at 2019 11:06 PM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 23:06:27 -0400

dress/service uniform items? mmmmmm, not if you're a service member. retired/former.....sure. tacky, poor taste, but sure.

Eisenhower jacket/Gore-Tex, etc., if you're currently serving, take the rank off, no problem.

I wear my white dress shirt, black dress pants, service khaki pants, shoes, socks, PT gear every so often when not in uniform/on duty. Not at the same time. Usually, "shoot! civvy khakis are all in the wash b/c the babies spit up over every one of them....guess i'll throw on my khaki uniforms pants."

guess it depends on what the item is, who's wearing it, and what the circumstances are.

Response by SP5 Dennis Loberger made Mar 13 at 2019 11:12 PM

SP5 Dennis Loberger — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 23:12:23 -0400

An item? Nothing really, it really is easy to get a piece. If there is a story that goes along with the piece and it is clearly bs, that will get me going

Response by SrA Derrek Cherry made Mar 13 at 2019 11:13 PM

SrA Derrek Cherry — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 23:13:34 -0400

It disgusts me if it's a current uniform. If it's an old phased out uniform I don't care so much. I do hate when I see rank and name tapes that was someone elses that's being worn. Fashion rank is also so disrespectful! I also can't stand when patrol caps are worn incorrectly for example backwards. That also reminds me of the common thing I run into with reservists wearing tennis shoes with their OCPs! I usually try to make a gentle comment so they know that if I noticed, someone in their chain of command may also!

Response by SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 13 at 2019 11:22 PM

SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 23:22:37 -0400

Homeless

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 14 at 2019 12:50 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 00:50:35 -0400

It depends. When I see people I know for a fact are serving, like the private’s in the PX who like to mix and match uniform items, I think their fashion sense is horrible. I think the only items I see that look ok are the pt shirts. The fleece jacket is warm so that one seems ok. I feel pity when I see people on the side of the road asking for spare change, sometimes they are wearing different parts of the uniform.

Response by 1SG Jason Rose made Mar 14 at 2019 3:35 AM

1SG Jason Rose — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 03:35:12 -0400

Blood pressure...rising...see only red....on the spot corrective training. Exercise! 1...2...3.... really, just shake my head and move on!

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 14 at 2019 5:15 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 05:15:21 -0400

This depends on if they are on or off post.

Off post: it looks a little tacky I guess but to each his/her own. Who am I to judge?

On post, I would politely correct said person that they may not wear uniform parts mixed with civilian attire IAW with AR 670-1 and also my posts Blue Book which I helped write. Both of which I have downloaded on my phone for quick reference.

As others have stated, it’s not necessarily a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but you can’t not enforce regulations and expect others to be followed. We have the responsibility as Non-Commisioned Officers to uphold the standard, even when “it’s not a big deal”. As soon as we loosen up on the standards set forth, we loosen up on our discipline as a unit And in turn our effectiveness as leaders.

Response by SCPO Jason McLaughlin made Mar 14 at 2019 6:48 AM

SCPO Jason McLaughlin — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 06:48:28 -0400

The worst is when someone wears Bates Corframs with civilian clothing. I don't know whether to laugh at the person or cry....

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Mar 14 at 2019 7:10 AM

SFC Casey O'Mally — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 07:10:59 -0400

I used to worry about it. I assumed that every time I saw that, it was a down-on-their luck veteran or a REALLY undisciplined Soldier. Then I realized how often you can find ACUs and BDUs at thrift shops or "tactical" stores, and I stop worrying. These uniform items are often just a practical and cheap option (from thrift stores).

Response by LCDR Joshua Gillespie made Mar 14 at 2019 7:59 AM

LCDR Joshua Gillespie — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 07:59:45 -0400

It depends. I wear my old DCU pants to the range sometimes, and my wife (an expert seamstress) made me a pretty cool running jacket that incorporates AOR2 material...Usually, when I see something like this, I think, "hey, another Vet". Everything in moderation though, and when I see someone with a jacket festooned with a billion patches, a beret with pins all over it, and an "infidel" shirt...I sometimes wonder if one is asking for the wrong sort of attention. Obviously, if one is still serving, there are regulations that bear consequences. Booters will be Booters...and Fakers will be Fakers. I try not to take things too seriously.

Response by SGT Rodrigo Contreras made Mar 14 at 2019 8:58 AM

SGT Rodrigo Contreras — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 08:58:24 -0400

That they are cold and probably have a DD-214...

Response by SSG Kasius McCall made Mar 14 at 2019 9:57 AM

SSG Kasius McCall — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 09:57:14 -0400

Literally nothing crosses my mind.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Mar 14 at 2019 11:15 AM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 11:15:30 -0400

It depends on the age of the person and age of the clothing. For example, a 20-something person with a 20th Century BDU jacket, makes me think they raided their grandparents closet or shop at their local Salvation Army Store. An old guy (like me) with the same jacket on makes me think he set out to work on his lawnmower today, but needed some oil and ended up at Lowe's with me. Sometimes I think they are wearing a piece of personal history, such as the Commissary Bagger who wears a "chocolate chip" desert camo field jacket. None of this bothers me. Actually, military personnel wearing their "Teddy Bear" jacket liners bothers me more. Even with name tag and rank, it just looks unprofessional.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 14 at 2019 11:18 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 11:18:48 -0400

"I'm hungry." (This is my default state of mind.)
"Wow, that person is dressed in a silly manner."
"I'm hungry."

Response by SSG Carlos Madden made Mar 14 at 2019 11:32 AM

SSG Carlos Madden — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 11:32:12 -0400

Fashion mogul

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 14 at 2019 12:59 PM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 12:59:14 -0400

Nothing.

Response by CDR Terry Boles made Mar 14 at 2019 4:17 PM

CDR Terry Boles — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 16:17:53 -0400

No big deal! I’ve seen examples of this for decades and I too wear my gortex or BDU foul weather jacket when I don’t care if they get soiled vs my winter civilian jackets.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 14 at 2019 4:24 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 16:24:13 -0400

"Village Marine"

Response by CH (CPT) Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 14 at 2019 6:24 PM

CH (CPT) Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 18:24:30 -0400

Depends if its the current or a past camo pattern. If it's an old pattern, I assume they picked it up at a Goodwill.

Response by SSG Robert Perrotto made Mar 15 at 2019 5:12 AM

SSG Robert Perrotto — Fri, 15 Mar 2019 05:12:09 -0400

I think nothing about it. People are allowed to wear what they want as long as they are not trying to impersonate. I got better things to do then worry about what someone else is wearing. My advice, mind your own business. Part of the issues I see facing us today is more people are minding others business instead of their own, from judging who sleeps with who to digging into peoples social media past to produce gotcha shit. the world would be a btter place if people just minded themselves instead of others.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 19 at 2019 10:34 AM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 19 Mar 2019 10:34:29 -0400

Happened all the time during Nam years. Guys would get out and put flags, peace signs you name it. That don’t bother me if they were veterans with an Honorable Discharge. It is the fakes that get me mad.