How do you feel about wearing insignia on civilian clothes?

None of my business, and I really don’t care. If the Joint Chiefs will let their best good buddy go unchecked, looking like a football bat in front of the world, John Q. Public is free to wear what he wants.

I won't speak for other services and their traditions.

Stuff that is not actual uniform issue, have at. But if you act the ass, expect to get called on it.

As far as the Marines' and actual uniform issue insignia, IT IS NOT COSTUME JEWELRY. So no and Issue insignia you have not earned, HELL NO!

It is considered to be free speech as long as you are not using such an effort to seek any of the gains or benefits that would be offered to an honored vet or military member. If someone is wearing the ribbons because they think it looks cool..that's their choice

It's goofy as all get out. It's attention seeking behavior. Doing so is not necessarily wrong though.

You'll see a lot of Veteran motorcycle clubs wear them on their cut. All verified by DD214.

How about worrying more about what you are doing, then being concerned what someone else is doing. If it is not hurting you in any way, why bother about it?

I wear t-shirts with me branch of service, or that I served in Vietnam. I do not or ever will put on ribbons that represent medals that I have won.

There is no law or regulation specifically prohibiting it -- but that has nothing to do with whether or not it is appropriate.

I don't know what Cadet Nichols saw or where, so I can't begin to judge if it was appropriate or inappropriate. The description sounds a bit inappropriate, but I'm not confident of the description.

If we are talking about full size ribbons or medals, I tend to agree with LCDR Joshua Gillespie -- mostly it would be inappropriate, but there are circumstances where it could be completely appropriate.

Many veterans are proud of their service and will sometimes show that pride with something they wear... perhaps a baseball cap with their service or former unit embroidered on it. Perhaps a military-issued lapel pin on the lapel of their suit -- yes, many medals come with an enamel miniature of the ribbon as a lapel pin for civilian wear. Perhaps a jacket with various patches.

I happen to have a few of those baseball caps showing different units, a PH lapel pin on my suit, and a "tanker jacket" with most of my unit patches; I don't wear any of them all the time, but I do wear each of them occasionally. Yes, I suppose someone could see that as bragging, someone with nothing to be proud of might even see it as "wanting attention or constant acknowledgement of their service" mostly I see it as a way of connecting with others who know what those patches mean.

How about lapel pins with unit insignia?

Not gonna happen here