Any Do's & Don'ts in military clothing?

[GoodTimesGone]

Tyler- unless you were wearing rank I see nothing wrong with wearing your peacoat, even near military members. Peacoats are a common fashion item in the last few years. I'm an air force vet and I could care less if people wear surplus. Sometimes I wear it. However, I don't even wear the rank I achieved. They gave us a briefing before we got out of the service and told us if we wore uniform items to remove rank. There may be some military or vets who don't like people wearing surplus, but I would think they'd be the minority. Go ahead, everybody. Enjoy your peacoats, field jackets, A-2 jackets, camo, etc.

 

[Tony B]

As far as I know peacoats were originaly a civvie seaman's jacket that was adopted by navies not the other way round so they are a civilian coat.

Got that off my grandad who was merchant navy all his life and saw more action than any royal navy seaman ever would have as he was on russian convoys, atlantic convoys etc certain activities which involved avoiding the US coat guard and revenue men in the thirties. Was he offended years ago when I got me hands on his old jacket and wore it for a while ?...no, he took it as a complement. I had a similar reaction when I wore an old denison for a couple of winters years ago and walked into an old member of 6 airborne division who went in on D-day and varsity over the rhine as well as battle of the bulge.

The only issues I ever had when I used to wear military gear was from a couple of people who had barely earned the right to wear one themselves but hadn't really done much while wearing one.......the real hard cases who had been there seen it and done it always had two reactions "god I havent seen one of those for a while, it's nice to see them still being used" or "god help us what are you wearing one of those for, I always hated the bloody thing when I had to wear one...here give us a go.. followed by no still dont like em but good luck to you" None of the old vets ever had any issue with me wearing the things, just amusement that someone wanted to. Never wore any badges though as I always thought that would be out of order as I hadn't earned them.

The only time I ever had a problem was by one fresh out of training rupert who was too young to be a vet who walked up behind me and said "I wear those trousers for work" smartarse here couldn't resist, so without turning round I replied "so do I that is why they have paint on them" he gave me a two word answer "you c..t" My best uppercut let him know what I thought of the job his parents had made of dragging him up....he thought I didn't have the right to wear something I had payed for ,I KNEW he didn't have the right to behave the way he did. His bosses , the government, sells this stuff off rather than destroy it so they obviously approve of people wearing it and if he had been more well mannered I would have been happy to argue the toss but he didn't deserve good manners wasting on him ,or anything other than what he got.

That was the only time I ever had a problem with a service or ex serviceman because of wearing anything military, most just seem to think it is a bit stange that someone would choose to wear the stuff it they arn't being payed to do so in my experience.

I just stopped wearing the stuff because like a lot of the veterans who I have spoken to over the years I find civvie clothes more comfotable now......must be getting old.

 

[Phantomfixer]

I will wear my service dress/BDU's with rank during parades and gatherings etc. This is authorized if done/worn IAW the AFR 35-10, meaning no pony tales ; ), or whatever it is now.

 

[Edward]

The only issues I ever had when I used to wear military gear was from a couple of people who had barely earned the right to wear one themselves but hadn't really done much while wearing one.......

I think that says it all, really. My impression has always been similar. On top of that, those are usually the types who have joined up because they are just looking for a fight to begin with, so that's hardly a surprise.

 

[MissMittens]

When I did the reenactment stuff, I only wore the bars I earned, and didn't make up a false impression. Too many Captains and Majors at these events who have never even served tea let alone their country.

 

[Phantomfixer]

well put
from/in Delawho also
John

 

[MissMittens]

Hi from Dover

 

[L'Onset]

... No grown man has any business wearing short trousers, for any reason.

:eusa_clap

 

[Monsoon]

But I can't see paying top dollar from a couture boutique for something with a military "look".

Reminds me of a line from, "Stripes" when Bill Murray is being issued his uniforms.

He says something like, "In New York they're paying top dollar for trash like this!"

 

[Monsoon]

Hmmm....interesting subject.

It depends. I sometimes have a problem with someone wearing .mil gear if they are attempting to deceive, or just looking like a plain dirtbag. Some smelly hippie wearing BDUs, etc, and people might think, "Well, that's proof that the military recruits from the bottom of the barrel." Some guy wearing BDU trousers while mowing the grass doesn't even make me raise an eyebrow.

I wear either my G&B A2, or sometimes my issue A2 (my sweat in the pits, I earned it). Anyone else wearing one, no worries, they're a cool jacket.

I don't think I'd ever reenact, tho. I don't have a problem with people doing that, I enjoy going to the events, but I can't wear rank, etc, that I haven't earned.

 

[1961MJS]

...I don't think I'd ever reenact, tho. I don't have a problem with people doing that, I enjoy going to the events, but I can't wear rank, etc, that I haven't earned.

Hi

Don't think of reenacting as "thinking you're a Colonel because you put in the insignia", think of it as "He's playing the part of a Colonel in the Union Army of 1862." A few reenacting outfits have a dual rank structure. There's the guy who "plays the part of the Colonel" and the guy who was elected President of the reenacting outfit. If you make rank in some of the groups, you will have earned it, organizing events, listening to everyone's whining that they aren't a Corporal yet (don't get that in the REAL Army do you?), buying loads of uniforms and gear that you wife hates, going to an event wearing old shoes and a wool uniform in a 40 degree F Monsoon. At least in Scouts we have waterproof gear...

 

[ButteMT61]

FWIW, none of my group wear ranks. That would seem ridiculous, but I guess if you're one of the guys portraying Patton, it makes sense. They are obviously playing a role though, so no problems there I'd think?
I'd be more bummed over bums wearing it I think.
Or guys in "occupy<city here>" members.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Interesting thread and I'm glad I read it all the way through. I was thinking of getting one of those special WW2 airborne jackets instead of a safari jacket (larger pockets, nicer cut) but I have to wonder if even minus badges it would still be too recognizable by everyone who's seen Band of Brothers, Saving Private Ryan, etc.

 

[ButteMT61]

Interesting thread and I'm glad I read it all the way through. I was thinking of getting one of those special WW2 airborne jackets instead of a safari jacket (larger pockets, nicer cut) but I have to wonder if even minus badges it would still be too recognizable by everyone who's seen Band of Brothers, Saving Private Ryan, etc.

I don't think it has the same effect as wearing a "Top Gun" G-1 lol

 

[havocpaul]

Interesting thread and posts. I think you only have to look at the massive repro clothing market in Japan (Buzz Rickson, Real McCoys, The Few etc) who offer mainly copies of WW2 American flight jackets adorned with patches, paint and symbols, the very jackets worn by the 'enemy' of Japan in WW2. Also you only have to check out where so much repro militaria is made being China and yet they don't seem to mind if it has a blood chit on it..hey, to them it's just commerce! And the Vietnamese have been 'faking' US 'Nam militaria for years! As an aside, I regularly visit my local Hindu Temple and above the stunning figures of Gods and Goddesses are flags with the 'Swastika' on, of course the religion had that symbol several thousand years before the Nazis briefly hijacked it and sadly tarnished it for ever.

 

[1961MJS]

I don't think it has the same effect as wearing a "Top Gun" G-1 lol

Hi

Your comment made me wonder if the movie had made the actual Top Gun Graduates concerned that people would think they were playing Tom Cruise and quit wearing them. I work with several USAF pilots, and they wear A-2's with NO insignia except for their leather name tab. No LTC pins, no USAF, nothing. I don't work with the USN anymore.

Later

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

I have a genuine unease about many of the wannabe military types who dress up for re-enacting events. I was recently at the 'War and Peace Show' in the UK (I was runnign a charity stall for the Red Cross). I was in the bar with my teenage daughter and her friend. We were virtually surrounded by Germans dressed in full SS uniforms (including one dressed as an SS doctor). At one point someone appeared with a lifesize cardboard cut out of Barrack Obama and one of the Germans held a pistol to the cutout's head. There was a real air of tension and I felt it would have taken just one spark to start a massive fight. At the time I was talking to an ex-British Army sergeant (a veteran of iraq and Afghanistan), he was fuming and was appalled by their behaviour. He was typical of so many ex-soldiers, he would never wear any form of uniform and described himself as a pacifist. To him the sight of German men dressed in SS uniforms was a step too far. Added to that, I felt intimidated by these large men dressed in SS uniforms leering at my daughter and her friend. Now, I can't judge the thoughts of the would-be SS men, but I felt very uncomfortable.
My only thought was, would they have behaved in that way to the Obama cutout if any real US soldiers had been there? I think we all know the answer.

I was at a gun show once and saw someone dressed in an SS uniform. Now re-enactors or what have you in SS uniform at a gun show or other events normally does not faze me (even the "what have you" category) but this particular individual did because on closer examination I noticed that the piping on his shoulder straps, which denoted arm of service, were brown. Brown was the "waffenfarben" of the concentration camp guards.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

I was at a gun show once and saw someone dressed in an SS uniform. Now re-enactors or what have you in SS uniform at a gun show or other events normally does not faze me (even the "what have you" category) but this particular individual did because on closer examination I noticed that the piping on his shoulder straps, which denoted arm of service, were brown. Brown was the "waffenfarben" of the concentration camp guards.

uke:

That's just sick.
:boxing:

 

[guygardner]

FWIW, none of my group wear ranks. That would seem ridiculous, but I guess if you're one of the guys portraying Patton, it makes sense. They are obviously playing a role though, so no problems there I'd think?
I'd be more bummed over bums wearing it I think.
Or guys in "occupy<city here>" members.

What if some of those "bums" or members of the Occupy Wallstreet movement are vets?

 

[guygardner]

I was at a gun show once and saw someone dressed in an SS uniform. Now re-enactors or what have you in SS uniform at a gun show or other events normally does not faze me (even the "what have you" category) but this particular individual did because on closer examination I noticed that the piping on his shoulder straps, which denoted arm of service, were brown. Brown was the "waffenfarben" of the concentration camp guards.

Very creepy...