Combat Uniforms Worn in Civilian/Public Areas - Rant

THis xmas i saw kids skating in PTs in a mall parking lot , when i got inside the mall i saw to douchers in ACUs with the black berets on . I was almost tempted to stop them and let them know they didnt get the memo on the black berets

Next Xmas im gonna strut through town wearing my maroon beret

AIRBORNE!

 

I hate going anywhere in my uniform! I don't understand why most army guys wear there uniforms to public places... were in a military town! Nobody cares that your in the military lol.

 

Because we are (were) allowed and sheer convenience.

I wonder if I can still fit in my BDU's circa 1992...

 

SO whats with these lil ROTC highschool kids I see walking around in full dress uni's sporting earings and doucer puck rock hard dos and tennies? Fuck misses me off

 

Whiskey tango foxtrot... had i seen that i would kick some ass for disrespecting the uniform.

 

Well i didn't want to go to jail but ive seen it a couple times one wasnt to bad but deff not up to MIL spec the second time it was like carring a skate board and a huge dangling earing I almost pulled it out. But I fig the recruiters are allowing it to seem cool.

 

One thing that I hate that we enforce. When you travel on airlines, usually you'll get special treatment if you are in uniform, such as the VIP rooms and whatnot, first class... etc. If you're not, your SOL. For us, we are told NOT to wear our uniforms in such areas so that we do not draw attention, such as to be a target, should an incident occur.

 

it's more HS instructors are allowing that, rather than the recruiters.

 

Lol yeah I saw a 300lb green beret, hair was out of regs and he was like a general or something. Jrotc for the loss!!

 

Recruiters don't let kids do that silly. It is their JROTC leadership.

 

i hate to wear my uniform out of work, ill bring civilian cloths with me to work and change there before i walk around any place with them on. don't get me wrong i am very proud to be in the military, but i just don't feel right walking around in ABU's or Blues.

 

i agree for the most part. only 2 times i ever wear my uniform out is if i have something i gotta pick up during the duty day, or after work. about airports im in special operations and we travel alot with civilian airlines. now most of the time we will travel in civilian clothes but every now and then we will have to wear our uniform. so sometimes when your seeing a guy in uniform he could be doing official travel. or is just stopping some where to pick something up on his way home from work. don't get me wrong im not defending those privates i see at the mall on Saturday with PT's on.

 

I'm mean I can pretty much always pick out Military personel when I'm flying even in civies so Idk how much that helps.

 

I just retired after 20 years of service 6 days ago. While I agree that wearing ABUs/ACUs, utilities to any bar (or like establishment) is a no-go, I have absolutely no issue with Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen wearing their uniform of the day to make brief stops to and from work. This includes going to lunch off post, base, as local regulations allow. Shopping at the mall, going to sporting events, or any other major crowd-gathered area should always be given a second thought--common sense should dictate if not spelled out in local directives.

Times have changed. The majority of personnel on active duty do not live in barracks, dorms, or in base housing any longer. They live off-post, often many miles away from their duty station. This did not, and was not, the case 30+ years ago. We have 1/3 the number of military installations now in the CONUS; 1/6 OCONUS--hence, far less room availability of on-post quarters. Plus, add in that nearly all military installations have horrible housing conditions immediately off post (aka, ghettos, shit-holes, etc), living close to post/base is largely undesirable. It is not unreasonable to expect a military member to make brief stops, as necessary, during the course of daily life.

However, any uniform, be it utilities, PT, or service dress combination, should always be worn properly without regard to location. Tolerance of uniform violations has been increasingly disturbing to me over the years--I don't care what service you're in. Admittedly, Marines do tend to "check" their own far more frequently than other services in my experience.

What this all boils down to is leadership at every level becoming rudderless, in fact, spineless, over the past several years. Maybe some of you have seen this as well. Leadership, accountability, and integrity are all in short supply (I speak mainly from my USAF career, but I have worked in two joint commands and saw similar deficiencies).

Just my thoughts...

 

I show up a little earlier and change into my uniform at work and change back into civilian clothes when I leave work. I never go to my wife's doctor appointment in uniform either. I did one time only out of my control and I had two people ask how they get a job on Tinker.

 

In the Army it's not "shouldn't", it's flat out not allowed. We are not allowed in any establishment thatprimarily serves alcohol while in uniform, and are not allowed to consumealcohol in uniform. Official militaryfunctions (military balls, socials, etc..) are the exception. Additional guidance on the wear of uniformsoff post are typically covered by local command policy. I can only speak for the Army but this iswhat AR 670-1 states in regards to drinking in uniform. Until the update- BDU's is replaced by ACU's.

3–3. Occasions forwear

a. Soldiers may wear BDUs on duty when prescribed by the commander. Soldiers may wear BDUsoff post unless prohibited by the commander. They may not wear BDUs for commercial travel, unless authorized by para 1–10c of this regulation. Personnelmay not wear BDUs in establishments that primarily sell alcohol. If the establishment sells alcohol and food, soldiers may not wear utility uniforms if their activities in the establishment center on drinking alcohol only.

b. Utility uniforms are not normally considered appropriate for social or official functions off the installation, such as memorial services and funerals. These uniforms are issued as utility, field, training, or combat uniforms and are notintended for wear as all-purpose uniforms when other uniforms are more appropriate.

The recruiters have nothing to do with it- if a high school has a JROTCprogram then they have a retired NCO or officer from that branch (Army JROTC=retired Army member) that runs the program. That's the asshole that allows it-they have criteria they are suppose to follow but if the NCO was a turd and didn'tor doesn't enforce the standards then those JROTC students will be just asjacked up. (As Konaborne stated) What the standards are for any JROTC branchother then the Army, I can't say. At the SROTC programs (college level), we make them follow Army grooming standards andAR 670-1, if they don't want to then they are out of the program and can go kick rocks.

 

Regardless of the reg, people should have the common sense not to wear their uniform when partying.

My point was that we shouldn't automatically classify someone as a douchebag because they are at their kid's football game or picking up groceries after work while still in their uniform.

 

Only stating what the Army Reg states and only used your quote in regards to "drinking" in uniform. You were the last to mention it. Local policy governs all other times you wear it off post. If a kid rushes to catch his kids football game and is in uniform and I was his 1SG, in no way would I get on him for that if there was no local policy against it.

I agree with you completely- the only time to make those assumptions are when there is indeed a local policy against it, joe is "hanging out" at the mall with buddies in uniform (all too common), or he is at a bar.

 

IMO it just looks unprofessional...yes we all have different rules/regs. But when we are among the civilian population, wouldnt you want to look more presentable. Thats just me tho...

 

If only I had the power to change our policy on wearing the dress uniform. That always does look bad. Whenever my cadets do a Color Guard, me or my Soldiers (and yes cadets too) are always in dress uniform. If I want to stay for the game or function, I bring a change of clothes.