Posted on Jul 8, 2020
How should I wear my rank on my uniform for my son's graduation ceremony and military wedding?
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My son wants me to wear a uniform at his graduation ceremony and military wedding. Do I wear the rank on my sleeve when exit or pay grade Spec 4 . Promoted to Acting Jack Sgt by Sgt Major as my position required the rank. I understand that this isn't a common practice today and most likely wasn't that common in the day. I have always been careful to follow the DD214 Rank, and nowhere does it mention Acting Jack Sgt, only pay grade.
Posted in these groups: 
19D: Cavalry Scout
19D: Cavalry Scout
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 5
If your DD214 says SPC at the time of discharge, then that is what you wear
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Go with the DD214. This is in 10 USC 772 and Chapter 21 of the current AR670-1, not the DA PAM. The Acting Jack was discountinued. The Corporal Appointment is what was used subsequently. If you drew pay as an E5, then go with that. If you were frocked, which is what an Acting Jack sounds like, no.
Unless you are retired, this best applies to your situation:
21–4. Former members of the Army
a. Unless qualified under another provision of this regulation, or under the provisions of 10 USC 772, former members of the Army may only wear the uniform if they served honorably during a declared or undeclared war, and if their most recent service was terminated under honorable conditions. Personnel who qualify under these conditions will wear the Army uniform in the highest grade they held during such war service, in accordance with 10 USC 772.
b. When authorized, the uniform may be worn only for the following ceremonial occasions and when traveling to and from the event and must follow guidance included in paragraph 3–7c.
(1) When attending military funerals, memorial services, weddings, inaugurals, and other occasions of ceremony.
(2) When attending parades on national or state holidays, or other patriotic parades or ceremonies in which any Ac- tive or Reserve U.S. military unit is taking part. Uniforms for these occasions are restricted to service and dress uni- forms; the combat uniform and physical fitness uniforms will not be worn. Wearing the Army uniform at any other time, or for any other purpose than stated above, is prohibited.
Unless you are retired, this best applies to your situation:
21–4. Former members of the Army
a. Unless qualified under another provision of this regulation, or under the provisions of 10 USC 772, former members of the Army may only wear the uniform if they served honorably during a declared or undeclared war, and if their most recent service was terminated under honorable conditions. Personnel who qualify under these conditions will wear the Army uniform in the highest grade they held during such war service, in accordance with 10 USC 772.
b. When authorized, the uniform may be worn only for the following ceremonial occasions and when traveling to and from the event and must follow guidance included in paragraph 3–7c.
(1) When attending military funerals, memorial services, weddings, inaugurals, and other occasions of ceremony.
(2) When attending parades on national or state holidays, or other patriotic parades or ceremonies in which any Ac- tive or Reserve U.S. military unit is taking part. Uniforms for these occasions are restricted to service and dress uni- forms; the combat uniform and physical fitness uniforms will not be worn. Wearing the Army uniform at any other time, or for any other purpose than stated above, is prohibited.
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SPC Thom Knott
6th ACCB, We were an experimental unit at the time, we had the first Apache Helos. We were working out the kinks and forming new combat strategies. Did you run into Stewart Smith on Carson, another repeat offender ?
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LTC Jason Mackay
SPC Thom Knott no. 6th Cav was in Korea then. Spent 13 months dealing with them as the Area III HHC Commander 1998-99 only to get monkey pumped out of a HQs building the day I’m supposed to move into it. I was at Carson99-02 and 14-16
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CSM's don't have promotion authority. Sounds like you were VERY unofficially frocked, but you were always a SPC.
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LTC Jason Mackay
SFC Michael Hasbun this was a thing during his era. It was a frocking. I think it got nipped because it ran fast and loose, no disrespect intended on those picked as Acting Jacks. I've talked to other Acting Jacks. Brilliant system in theory: no extra pay, you get a Sergeant, you still have an open req for a Sergeant. The soldier gets the experience. If the kid crashed and burned, you pull the stripes. If they did well. You figured out how to make it official.
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SPC Thom Knott
It was a bit of a rip off, the pay was not there and I cant bitch about the responsibility because it was a vacation compared to being a border trooper. A driver for the Squadron Commander in the Air Cav was akin to being a deep sea diver in the Sahara Desert. We flew everywhere and it was a rare thing to drive the Commander. The beauty is, I got alot of stick time in a Huey, learned a great deal about operations, carried alot of water in relaying orders and communications as well as observing to report back completed orders. But other than that it was in comparison to border duty, a vacation. Had I been in an active mission with NCO responsibilities I would have been on the losing end. But everybody works and trains hard in a border unit from all ranks.
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SFC Michael Hasbun
LTC Jason Mackay - Frocking still exists for CPL's, 1SG's and CSM's. It didn't go away, there are just rules.
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LTC Jason Mackay
SFC Michael Hasbun agree on frocking roger all, acting Jack was more like boot stripes
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