How do you feel about the recognition/attention you may get while traveling in uniform? Let me start by saying this : I loathe traveling in uniform. I have encountered many other soldiers that talk about traveling in uniform and the benefits and attention they receive. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the recognition by civilians to service members, but I feel that many abuse it and take advantage of the free drinks and first class upgrades. I see it as an integrity issue and to cite the NCO creed: "I will not use my grade or position to attain pleasure, profit, or personal safety." Speaking of the last part, SAFETY; The Army trains us to not make ourselves targets and I see wearing the uniform in-transit as a huge bull's-eye for any potential threat, especially with past events occurring in airports, train stations, etc. Most, if not all, orders require SM's to travel in uniform whether it be the duty uniform or class A's or B's. How do you feel about the Army's logic and have you encountered other soldiers abusing these "benefits"? How do you feel about the recognition in general? All responses are appreciated and I'd like to hear everyone's take on the matter.

How do you feel about the recognition/attention you may get while traveling in uniform?

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Posted 12 y ago

I am not a big fan of the accolades either. The one thing I do love about flying in uniform, is the fact that you don't have to remove your shoes.

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LTC (Join to see)

12 y

If you add your DoD ID number to your ticket you can use the precheck lane out of uniform as well.

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SFC (Join to see)

12 y

I pre check out of uniform all the time, all you have to do is go to the correct location. They scan your CAC, and away you go. I also don't like traveling in uniform because it makes you stand out and I know people mean well, but I get weirded out by all the "thanks for your service". I have never been comfortable with that and always struggle for a way to let them know I appreciate it, but I just do a job that needs to be done.

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MAJ (Join to see)

11 y

SFC (Join to see) The problem with the TSA pre-check is that it's almost a 50/50 thing. Even if you have your info in DTS, it won't always show up at the airport so you'll be stuck going through the normal process. I did about 15 trips this year, and maybe 7 times did the TSA pre-check show.

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SrA Edward Vong

>1 y

I had to because unfortunately my shoes are steel toed.

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MSgt (Join to see)

Edited 12 y ago

Posted 12 y ago

As U.S. military members we are automatically a target of opportunity for our enemies whenever we are in public and especially when we are in a public place in uniform (no matter which type). In the years when hijacking was one of the main terrorist ways of getting media attention - military members would travel in civilian clothes and keep their military ID in a secret hidden place incase of a worst case senario (that way they might not be used as a pawn and might be able to help take down the terrorists if the opportunity came up).Later on travelling in uniform became required, then 9/11 happened and they made the change to travelling in civilian attire to help take the target off us a little bit.  Don't get me wrong, I always liked travelling in uniform before - so that I could help promote the image of the military. I don't know if you ever read the following: 

An analogy of people through: SHEEP, WOLVES, AND
SHEEPDOGS 
 
Jill Edwards, a junior math major at the University of Washington, and a member
of the UW student senate, opposed a memorial to U graduate "Pappy" Boyington.
Boyington was a U.S. Marine aviator who earned the Medal of Honor in World War
II. Edwards said that she didn't think it was appropriate to honor a person who
killed other people. She also said that a member of the Marine Corps was NOT an
example of the sort of person the University of Washington wanted to
produce.  What follows is Gen. Dula's letter to the University of
Washington student senate leader. Read and comprehend what is being said, and
decide if you want to be a "sheep". 
 
To: Edwards, Jill (student, U) 
Subject: SHEEP, WOLVES, AND SHEEPDOGS 
Miss Edwards, I read of your 'student activity' regarding the proposed memorial
to Col Greg Boyington, USMC and a Medal of Honor winner. I suspect you will
receive a bellyful of angry e-mails from conservative folks like me.  You may be too young to appreciate fully the
sacrifices of generations of 
servicemen and servicewomen on whose shoulders you and your fellow students
stand. I forgive you for the untutored ways of youth and your naiveté. It may
be that you are, simply, a sheep. There's no dishonor in being a sheep - - as
long as you know and accept what you are. Please take a couple of minutes to
read the following. And be grateful for the millions of American sheepdogs who
permit you the freedom to express even bad ideas. 
Brett Dula 
Sheepdog, retired 
 
ON SHEEP, WOLVES, AND SHEEPDOGS - By LTC(RET) Dave Grossman, RANGER, Ph.D.,
author of "On Killing."<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

 
Honor never grows old, and honor rejoices the heart of age. It does so because
honor is, finally, about defending those noble and worthy things that deserve
defending, even if it comes at a high cost. 
In our time, that may mean social disapproval, public scorn, hardship, persecution,
or as always, even death itself. <o:p></o:p>

The question remains: <o:p></o:p>

What is worth defending? <o:p></o:p>

What is worth dying for? <o:p></o:p>

What is worth living for? <o:p></o:p>

- William J. Bennett - in a lecture to the
United States Naval Academy November 24, 1997<o:p></o:p>

 
One Vietnam veteran, an old retired colonel, once said this to me: "Most of
the people in our society are sheep. They are kind, gentle, productive creatures
who can only hurt one another by accident." 
This is true. Remember, the murder rate is six per 100,000 per year, and the
aggravated assault rate is four per 1,000 per year. What this means is that the
vast majority of Americans are not inclined to hurt one another. Some estimates
say that two million Americans are victims of violent crimes every year, a
tragic, staggering number, perhaps an all-time record rate of violent crime.
But there are almost 300 million Americans, which means that the odds of being
a victim of violent crime is considerably 
less than one in a hundred on any given year. 
Furthermore, since many violent crimes are committed by repeat
offenders, the actual number of violent citizens is considerably less than two million.  Thus there is a paradox, and we must grasp
both ends of the situation: We may well be in the most violent times in
history, but violence is still remarkably rare. This is because most citizens
are kind, decent people who are not capable of hurting each other, except by
accident or under extreme provocation. They are sheep. 
I mean nothing negative by calling them sheep. To me, it is like the pretty,
blue robin's egg. Inside it is soft and gooey but someday it will grow into
something wonderful. But the egg cannot survive without its hard blue shell.  Police officers, soldiers, and other warriors
are like that shell, and someday the civilization they protect will grow into
something wonderful.  For now, though,
they need warriors to protect them from the predators.  "Then there are the wolves," the
old war veteran said, "and the wolves 
feed on the sheep without mercy." Do you believe there are wolves out there
who will feed on the flock without mercy? You had better believe it.  There are evil men in this world and they are
capable of evil deeds. The moment you forget that or pretend it is not so, you
become a sheep. There is no safety in denial. 
"Then there are sheepdogs," he went on, "and I'm a
sheepdog. I live to protect the flock and confront the wolf."  If you have no capacity for violence then you
are a healthy productive citizen, a sheep. If you have a capacity for violence
and no empathy for your fellow citizens, then you have defined an aggressive
sociopath, a wolf.  But what if you have
a capacity for violence, and a deep love for your 
fellow citizens? What do you have then? You have a sheepdog, a warrior, someone
who is walking the hero's path, someone who can walk into the heart of
darkness, into the universal human phobia, and walk out unscathed.  Let me expand on this old soldier's excellent
model of the sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs. We know that the sheep live in
denial, that is what makes them sheep. They do not want to believe that there
is evil in the world.  They can accept
the fact that fires can happen, which is why they want fire extinguishers, fire
sprinklers, fire alarms and fire exits throughout their kids' schools.  But many of them are outraged at the idea of
putting an armed police officer in their kid's school. Our children are
thousands of times more likely to be killed or seriously injured by school
violence than fire, but the sheep’s only response to the possibility of
violence is denial. The idea of someone coming to kill or harm their child is
just too hard, and so they chose the path of denial.  The sheep generally do not like the sheepdog.
He looks a lot like the wolf.  He has
fangs and the capacity for violence. The difference, though, is that the
sheepdog must not, cannot and will not ever harm the sheep.  Any sheep dog that intentionally harms the
lowliest little lamb will be punished and removed. The world cannot work any
other way, at least not in a representative democracy or a republic such as
ours.  Still, the sheepdog disturbs the
sheep. He is a constant reminder that there are wolves in the land. They would
prefer that he didn't tell them where to go, or give them traffic tickets, or
stand at the ready in our airports, in camouflage fatigues, holding an M-16.
The sheep would much rather have the sheepdog cash in his fangs, spray paint
himself white, and go, "Baa" until the wolf shows up. Then the entire
flock tries desperately to hide behind one lonely sheepdog.  The students, the victims, at Columbine High
School were big, tough high school students, and under ordinary circumstances
they would not have had 
the time of day for a police officer. They were not bad kids; they just had
nothing to say to a cop. When the school was under attack, however, and SWAT
teams were clearing the rooms and hallways, the officers had to physically peel
those clinging, sobbing kids off of them. This is how the little lambs feel
about their sheepdog when the wolf is at the door.  Look at what happened after September 11,
2001 when the wolf pounded hard on the door. Remember how America, more than
ever before, felt differently about their law enforcement officers and military
personnel? Remember how many times you heard the word hero?  Understand that there is nothing morally
superior about being a sheepdog; it is just what you choose to be. Also
understand that a sheepdog is a funny critter: He is always sniffing around out
on the perimeter, checking the breeze, barking at things that go bump in the
night, and yearning for a righteous battle. That is, the young sheepdogs yearn
for a righteous battle. 
 
The old sheepdogs are a little older and wiser, but they move to the sound of
the guns when needed, right along with the young ones.  Here is how the sheep and the sheepdog think
differently. The sheep 
pretend the wolf will never come, but the sheepdog lives for that day.  After the attacks on September 11, 2001, most
of the sheep, that is, most citizens in America said, "Thank God I wasn't
on one of those planes." The sheepdogs, the warriors, said, "Dear
God, I wish I could have been on one of those planes. Maybe I could have made a
difference."  When you are truly
transformed into a warrior and have truly invested yourself into warriorhood,
you want to be there. You want to be able to make a difference. 
 
There is nothing morally superior about the sheepdog, the warrior, but he does
have one real advantage. Only one. And that is that he is able to survive and
thrive in an environment that destroys 98 percent of the population.<o:p></o:p>

I am a former Marine and now a Retired Security Forces Supervisor  (USAF) and I will always think of myself as one of the sheepdogs.  Even though I am no longer in uniform, I have been in the protective mindset for our country, our people, our way of life and our military for over 32 years that will never change.  I appreciate seeing our men and women in uniform when travelling it makes me feel proud to see the heritage of service continuing with our new generations.  Our military members have and will continue to be one of our greatest ambassadors for the U.S.A. - which they are when they travel in uniform.

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LTC Paul Labrador

Posted >1 y ago

Breaking this morning from DA G-1:

"Leaders,

Effective immediately, Soldiers are now authorized to travel by commercial
means in the Army Combat Uniform (ACU). The restriction of paragraph 3-7c
of AR 670-1 is lifted and this update will be included in the next revision.
Please insure this note is pushed to your commanders and disseminated to the
lowest levels.

c. Personnel on official travel and traveling by commercial travel means
will wear the service uniform or appropriate civilian attire. Soldiers may
wear the combat uniform on commercial flights only when
deploying/redeploying or on rest and recuperation leave to and from the
combat theater. However, commanders may authorize service or utility
uniforms for Soldiers when traveling by commercial travel for emergency
leave or casualty assistance duties.

POC for this matter is Army Uniform Policy at
[login to see] .

v/r,
Allen D. Clifton
HQDA DCS G1 SGM"

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COL Vincent Stoneking

>1 y

I think it comes down to "traveling in ASUs in a pain, and senior people are complaining....."

Personally, I prefer it (ACU vs ASU travel), so I'm not going to question it.

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CPT (Join to see)

>1 y

@ SFC Robert Griffin, I get the impression that you're not a big fan of the ACU. If only the Army had as many uniform options as the USN or USMC?

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CPT (Join to see)

>1 y

To the contrary, @ SFC Robert Griffin, I'm with you on not traveling in the ACU. I do wish the Army comes around and offers Soldiers a better uniform to travel in.

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LTC Paul Labrador

>1 y

The issue to me isn't whether it "looks good" or "appropriate for travel" (because quite frankly ACU is much easier to travel in than ASU). It's a safety and OPSEC thing. Wearing any uniform in a place that is already at high risk for a terrorist incident just makes you a more obvious target to be taken out first should an incident occur.

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LTC (Join to see)

Edited 12 y ago

Posted 12 y ago

I go TDY a lot and I used to go out of my way to travel in civilian clothes but now I don’t see the point. Now I normally travel in uniform because of same day meetings and the size of the uniform for traveling with only a carry on and not needing to change between meetings and the airport.

I don’t take free drinks and rarely have been upgraded (some airlines do it more than others). Many people never see people in the military and if saying “thank you for your service” makes their day then I can give them that. Also I think the Antiterrorism aspect of traveling in uniform domestically is overstated. As a former AT/FP officer there are much easier targets to get Soldiers than in the secure area of the airport or at the gas station between home and work.

As long as it is allowed, I will continue to travel in uniform for official travel.

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SSG Stephen Thomas

12 y

Sir, don't get me wrong, there is a time and a place for it, and in your particular situation I agree, it makes more sense to fly in uniform. I'm speaking in more general terms. A prime example, back in 2006 when I was flying back from Kosovo, we were required to fly in uniform. I was layed over in London-Heathrow for 6+ hours. I was the only American Soldier in the area, talk about standing out like a sore thumb.

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LTC (Join to see)

12 y

In Amsterdam I saw a soldier in uniform passed out waiting for the flight to Kuwait. They changed gates and the flight to Iran was boarding in front of him sleeping.

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SSG Kevin McCulley

Posted 12 y ago

I think it is good for Privates to do it because they crapped on in every other aspect of their lives. I also think that for NCOS: if your orders require flying it should be done in B's because the response tends to be more subdued.

That being said, getting recognition by the public isn't just about you. The American people like to see their service members in service dress. The cathartic nature of thanking a Soldier in ASUs or bumping them to 1st Class is, I think, more for their benefit. They want to do it and you should let them. You should also be humble and appreciative. As a joker I like to respond to the 'thank you for your service' with a 'thanks for paying taxes' it always gets a chuckle, smile, and reduces the awkwardness I feel when being recognized. Sometimes it leads to some pleasant conversations and goes beyond the standard handshake. We must work to humanize ourselves to the American people instead of looking like toy soldiers. Be personable with them. It will further their respect for the martial institution and also break that civilian/military divide that seems to be developing just a bit. Remember: We work for them.. never forget that.

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LTC Jason Mackay

Posted 12 y ago

I often travel in ACU on TDY IAW the MILPER Msg as airlines stink at keeping track of your stuffthat you check. At least if I hit dirt with nothing but myself and my ditch bag I can still accomplish my mission as I am in duty uniform for the function I've travelled for. I could pass on the co-traveller attention, although 99.9 percent of people mean well. I do see youngsters traveling to and fro. I have never had to correct one. Most are ready to swallow their tongue when they turn around in line at Starbucks and there is a LTC standing behind them. I do ask them simple leading questions to see if any are in need or in trouble.

I fly in an out of Newark. If you are not in uniform, you are a non person. They will not even make eye contact. Showed up three hours early to wait for 2.5 hours in line while they call unseen people and complain about the line they have perpetuated. Not their problem. They can get you another flight in a day or two. I fly in ACUs just to get to the TDY I was ordered to go to. I have never been offered a first class upgrade. I have been moved to an empty exit row once...mostly because the jerk infront of me insists on horizontal recline and I am 6'4". I stay cognizant of where I am and what I am doing as I represent the Army.

Most people have no connection to the military and have no clue about what we do. I end up being a walking PSA when traveling. Most have no idea about officers, NCOs, and enlisted; you don't do 20 years in an IET environment; career fields ; what sequestration actually did; cuts we take; sacrifices we make etc. If we don't tell the Army story someone else will, maybe someone who has no business telling it.

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LTC Jason Mackay

>1 y

Looks like new 670-1 settled this.

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Cpl Glynis Sakowicz

Posted 12 y ago

Many, MANY years ago, I was once stuck in Alanta for two days, in uniform. I remember a lot of people asking me if I was wearing the NEW ARMY uniform, after which I would say as calmly as I could, that I was a Marine.... I remember curling up on the floor of the USO and trying to get a few hours of sleep, and wandering thru the airport for hours, waiting for the flight that would replace the flight that was canceled, but I can honestly say, not once in all those hours, did anyone even say a word to me, other than to tell me about their own military experiences, or ask me how I could join the military when I could have had a 'Normal family'... Keep in mind, that was at the tail end of Vietnam when most people pretty much made the sign for the evil eye when they saw someone in uniform.

I think the first time I ever noticed any true change in the "traveling in uniform" experience, was right around the time of the first Gulf War. I was actually struck dumb the first time someone walked up to me, held out their hand and said Thank You. I pretty much stood there, staring at them thinking, "I'm the same person...wearing the same uniform, what's changed?"

If the experience is different now for those wearing uniform, I'm delighted for them and considering what we deal with on a daily basis, I'd say, let them get the upgrades and the free food if they can... I'd say its payback, but that's just me.

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MSgt (Join to see)

Posted 12 y ago

I think traveling in uniform is the closest most of us will feel to being followed by the paparazzi.

I recently did some training in Ft. Polk, and my reporting instructions said to report in uniform. I fly in civvies from Japan to Dallas and changed there before the flight to Alexandria, LA.

Well after the 14 hour flight from Japan I wasn't really in the mood to talk to strangers, but being the only service member I could see in the airport in uniform I was pretty popular. While I appreciated the supportive environment it gets pretty old answering the same few questions and smiling when you just want to relax!

"No, I'm not in the Army, I'm in the Air Force."

"No, I don't fly planes."

"Yes, I like it."

"Yes, I am making it a career."

"No, I don't know your cousin/son/daughter/friend/guy from TV."

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SSG Raymond Tobin

12 y

Props to you TSgt, I died laughing from that last line.

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SPC Christopher Salustro

12 y

Apparently everyone in the Air Force doesn't fly planes?!? What!?! Shocking..

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MSgt (Join to see)

12 y

It really is shocking to people that we don't all fly planes. You try to explain how many support personnel it takes for those cool looking fighter jets, but you can tell they just think you're lame since you're not a pilot!

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Cpl Glynis Sakowicz

>1 y

Hey MSGT Dietrich, don't feel like the lone stranger there... I cannot tell you how many times when I was FORCED to wear a uniform in transit, that people would ask me, in all seriousness, if I knew their cousin/friend/son of their dentist/ whatever, because they KNEW the Marine Corps was so small we just HAD to know each other. I tried my best to be understanding, and explain to them, that Small in a military service, is still quite large, and that while we might wish it were so, I didn't think any Marine knew ALL other Marines. The only thing I can equate it to, were the Europeans who, upon hearing I was from Texas, asked me, in all seriousness, if parking horses was still as easy as it looked on TV. Again, I spent time explaining that we no longer rode horses on a daily schedule, as we actually like to get across town in as short a time as possible, they all looked rather.... sad.

People truly have some of the strangest ideas about the military life and military people...even now... people believe we join the military because we can't "HACK" life on the outside... that we are socially inept, or we simply can't hold down a REAL job. Makes me want to give a sweet grandmotherly smile, and then throat punch an idiot... but you didn't hear it from me.

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SSG V. Michelle Woods

Posted 12 y ago

Who WANTS to travel in uniform? People who are doing it for convenience because they are in a hurry, people on official DoD business and slick-sleeves fresh out of school, all of which I think are just fine.

Those soldiers fresh out of the schoolhouse are some of the most proud you'll ever meet, which is great and hell, let them wear the uniform if they choose and get their accolades. After a couple years in, they'll be the humble young super troopers we train them to be :)

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SSG (Join to see)

12 y

just like most people say, I don't care if they wear the uniform while they travel. Just be professional about it. While waiting for my son to arrive in the Wichita Falls area just south of OK, I was at a small regional airport with the USAF trainees as they were flying home on HBL. And not only were they all over the place, but they were in different uniforms, headphones all hanging out of their pockets and off their heads. I almost lost my mind in there. (DS flashbacks)... One female was even laid out on the ground against the wall with her legs tucked up under the water fountain... I have a pic of it somewhere but I cant find it right now. If you want the attention the uniform brings you, at least represent what it stands for properly and professionally.

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SSG V. Michelle Woods

12 y

Oh wow, yes that's awful! I would say something but then again, I honestly don't know what's allowed in the AF. Im not sure anyone knows for that matter...

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SSG (Join to see)

12 y

I think its an anything goes type of situation, as long as they are present for duty... lol

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SFC (Join to see)

Edited 12 y ago

Posted 12 y ago

I try to avoid stopping to and from base while in ACUs (about 10 miles from HOR) but sometimes need overrides conveinence and I am forced to make a quick stop at the grocery (or a similiar place). On these quick stops it usually goes without fail that someone stops me and thanks me for my service. I appreciate it but....I don't do this for the accolades. Sometimes I just need milk and don't feel like going home to change then going back out again. As for traveling in Class A or B's commerically while on duty?....it should be the goal of the soldier not to make himself a target of opportunity. Personnally, the slim chance of being upgraded to 1st Class doesn't override the anonimity that comes with traveling in civies. An observant threat will be able to pick you out regardless however, if some situation arose, that extra few seconds you might gain by NOT wearing your uniform to act could be the difference between life and death for you or the travelers around you.

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SSG Raymond Tobin

12 y

Well put, SFC. I too have had to do the bread-and-milk run after duty hours and that's why I have the best range-walk in the company!

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