Posted on Feb 12, 2015
Can veterans wear military medals on their civilian dress coats and tuxedos during ceremonial events?
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As a young child, I often saw my great grandfather and grand father wearing their wartime medals on their civilian dress coats at military funerals and ceremonial events. Usually they wore them at their fellow veterans funerals and during Memorial Day events etc. As a wartime veteran myself, I have NEVER worn any of my military decorations or badges on civilian clothes. This week, I met and spoke with a decorated veteran of two wars at our local VA. Like me, he feat it was wrong for years for anyone to wear such decorations on civilian clothes but recently changed his opinion and after a in depth heart to heart about our combat experiences, I am looking at military decorations in a new light on dress coats during ceremonial events. I'm looking into an official regulation and am curious what some of your thoughts and opinions are regarding wearing decorations in a proper professional manner on tuxedo or dress coats during ceremonial events.
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Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 199
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As stated in AR 670-1
23–6. Medals on civilian clothes
Retired personnel and former members of the Army (as described above) may wear all categories of medals described
in this regulation on appropriate civilian clothing. This includes clothes designed for veteran and patriotic organizations
on Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day, and Armed Forces Day, as well as at formal occasions of ceremony and social
functions of a military nature. Personnel may wear either full-sized or miniature medals. Personnel who wear medals
on civilian clothes should place the medals on the clothing in approximately the same location and in the same manner
as for the Army uniform, so they look similar to medals worn on the Army uniform.
23–6. Medals on civilian clothes
Retired personnel and former members of the Army (as described above) may wear all categories of medals described
in this regulation on appropriate civilian clothing. This includes clothes designed for veteran and patriotic organizations
on Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day, and Armed Forces Day, as well as at formal occasions of ceremony and social
functions of a military nature. Personnel may wear either full-sized or miniature medals. Personnel who wear medals
on civilian clothes should place the medals on the clothing in approximately the same location and in the same manner
as for the Army uniform, so they look similar to medals worn on the Army uniform.
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I do wear my mini medals to Official Military Functions or State Balls, I have worn them to the UNESCO Balls, Marine Balls, Foreign Military Balls and much more but there IS a codex WHEN to wear them.
At US Balls most everyone wears just the medals somewhere on the jacket, it should be on the lapel and I also wear my Regimental Affiliation and if a Military Ball I wear my Spurs.
European Balls are different; ONLY when wearing a "Frack" or Coattails are you permitted to wear medals, never with a tux or any other type of suit, only the coattails.
Here are a few photos ;-)
1. Marine ball 2012 with the Security Guard Detachment in Budapest, my wife and I (US Event so I wear them on the Tux and I wear my spurs)
2. Marine Ball 2012 with the Director of the FBI EU and a Canadian Colonel in Budapest. US Event so I wear them on the Tux)
3. Le Bal de Paris 2009 wearing the coattails (all white undergarments and tie is mandatory) with mini medals and the Regimental Affiliation but no spurs
I was never approached for anything negative in 23 years of going to events, not once, nor do I approach anyone wearing theirs, woudl not dream of it at an official event.
All the Best,
Steven
At US Balls most everyone wears just the medals somewhere on the jacket, it should be on the lapel and I also wear my Regimental Affiliation and if a Military Ball I wear my Spurs.
European Balls are different; ONLY when wearing a "Frack" or Coattails are you permitted to wear medals, never with a tux or any other type of suit, only the coattails.
Here are a few photos ;-)
1. Marine ball 2012 with the Security Guard Detachment in Budapest, my wife and I (US Event so I wear them on the Tux and I wear my spurs)
2. Marine Ball 2012 with the Director of the FBI EU and a Canadian Colonel in Budapest. US Event so I wear them on the Tux)
3. Le Bal de Paris 2009 wearing the coattails (all white undergarments and tie is mandatory) with mini medals and the Regimental Affiliation but no spurs
I was never approached for anything negative in 23 years of going to events, not once, nor do I approach anyone wearing theirs, woudl not dream of it at an official event.
All the Best,
Steven
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SGT Steven Eugene Kuhn MBA
LCDR (Join to see) - Typically this is noted on the invitation yet since many do not have a Frack, the standard Tux "Smoking" is permitted.
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IMHO, if you earned them, and wear them in accordance with the regulations of your Branch, then wear them at your discretion.
If i am approached and asked I'll give the tour and regs. saying why I can, but if you want to give me attitude you might get a different reaction.
That said, I haven't felt the need to wear them yet, except at a MC Ball where the Marines typically know what's going on, but I am certainly not writing it off.
If i am approached and asked I'll give the tour and regs. saying why I can, but if you want to give me attitude you might get a different reaction.
That said, I haven't felt the need to wear them yet, except at a MC Ball where the Marines typically know what's going on, but I am certainly not writing it off.
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MSgt J D McKee
Commenting here in agreement with GySgt Strong (attitude deserves attitude), but also about the comment where someone mentioned the Viet Nam era when the vets would wear them on, well, pretty much anything, usually a worn out field jacket or fatigue shirt. I was active duty during the last part of that era (never incountry), and if I saw that and the guy looked like he had probably earned them (not bought them at a surplus store), I would salute him regardless of what I was wearing or where we were. Sort of a solidarity thing, because what I believed they were doing was a sort of "in your face" thing to all the hippy-dippy assholes who never risked anything for the freedom to be a jerk, and there were plenty of those who would make comments, a lot were completely against the war and the military, but surplus clothing was very popular at the time. I don't have any combat medals, but I do have a load of other ones, and if, god forbid, that crappy attitude ever returns to the civilian populace, I would wear every one I am entitled to on civilian clothes once in a while just to f@(k with idiots who wouldn't know the difference between an NCO Leadership School (really?) ribbon and the MOH in the first place. And to show solidarity.
In the mid-70's I was in my mid-20's, and I did that, saluted a guy probably in his 30's wearing medals on a fatigue shirt, the one with the slanted top pockets, never knew what that kind was called. Can't recall what medals, but he had a shitload. He looked surprised, saluted back, and his eyes teared up. Not the reaction I expected, but looking back from the vantage of many years, i now understand.
Off the topic a little bit, sorry.
In the mid-70's I was in my mid-20's, and I did that, saluted a guy probably in his 30's wearing medals on a fatigue shirt, the one with the slanted top pockets, never knew what that kind was called. Can't recall what medals, but he had a shitload. He looked surprised, saluted back, and his eyes teared up. Not the reaction I expected, but looking back from the vantage of many years, i now understand.
Off the topic a little bit, sorry.
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SFC (Join to see)
Great post MSgt! When I see vets from the WWII, Korean, Vietnam, Desert Storm and OEF/OIF (Retired). I always salute them and Thanks them for their service.
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SFC Howard Kempf
Agreed and please do not wear them with an assortment of civilian accoutrements. Wear them like you would on your dress uniform.
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Never thought about wearing a unit crest on a coat.
I do still wear my Military Police branch insignia tie tack.