How many of us had trouble distinguishing the rank of approaching commissioned, non-commissioned or warrant officers on field uniforms??

I did watch a Marine SgtMaj salute a private once whom i was escorting around when he was checking into our unit. The private had his back turned and given he was in service Alphas he looked like an officer. Private looked at me with a o fuck what do i do look. Salute back ya dip shit. You don't want the SgtMaj of your unit to look stupid and I don't want to have to hide your body. We all sorta had a laugh afterwards but it was dicey for about a minute.

When I first got in with the woodland uniform I did. But then the ACU's and newer uniforms it got much easier to recognize the ranks.

Never could understand why the Navy wants to wear camouflage aboard ship. Who are you hiding from?

I definitely agree with you CPO Ed Hoover! The placement of rank center chest is ridiculous and bordering on sexual harassment, imho
I am ‘old school’ and we wore subdued rank on our collars when wearing BDU’S! Stateside, I worked in Class B’s in a Personnel Office, so recognizing rank wasn’t an issue. This was in the 80’s

On operations with the Marines in Nam, Senior NCO and Officers wore their rank on the under side of their collar if at all. No one wanted to become a target for a sniper 'of opportunity'. But again, we enlisted knew who were the NCO and officers of our unit.

The blue cammies were easy to figure out since the collar devices were pretty much the same as the old days but the greens totally threw me off. I thought everyone I met was an E-1 until I met one with scrambled eggs on his hat brim and so I had to ask him what his rate is and he showed me the eagle right smack in the middle of his chest. He was a good sport about it and shook my hand and thanked me for my service. Being a veteran somehow brings out mutual respect for one another.

I was on base in Calif. , I saw this guy started coming toward me in civilian clothes , he moved his hand up to his head, so I brought mine up , he said how are you doing son, my name is Richard Nixon

Copy That Capt Mark Strobl!

yes I was at a graduation at Parris Island in my class A Dress uniform with my blue Infantry cord And the yellow ARMY color guard cord the cover I had on was the officer style back when I went to boot camp it was 1982 at that time it was changing of uniform from O.D. Green to BDU's uniform rule at the time was if you had it you could still ware it some still had the Kaki with my discharge rank 1 stripe PVT. 2 back to the Island I got more salute's I asked why are you Saluting me the reply was when doubt whip one out the uniform makes me look like an officer or a veteran we Salute all veteran's no matter the rank now at my Veterans meetings I hang with officers the General said all rank is left at the door. I get treated the same as the General dose.

I was in Korea during the 80's, I worked for 2nd ID HQs, and was on a mission to give a PT test to ERDE called unit. I was unloading equipment from a vehicle when I noticed two soldier's walking across a street about 120 meters away. I went back to what I was doing and in a few minutes two officers stopped me and asked if I saluted officers I had not seen their approach. I responded with a salute and answered yes always, they responded that they had seen me watching them cross the street. I was a senior SFC at the time they were a 1st and 2nd "louies" I told them that I was taught to salute at about 6 paces away. Also that I could not see their rank at that distance, we were in BDU's. I then told them that I would correct my behavior, called the detail to attention and saluted. I seen them later taking the PT test I graded them both, and smiled they didn't look happy!!! They passed.. I could have seen their rank with binos, they could have seen mine with sleeve rank!!