Is it socially acceptable to enhance your uniform for a military ball?

SSG (Join to see) If you peer closely at my photograph, that is not a T-shirt showing at the neck of my cotton fatigues. It was an Orange Scarf! As the mission in Korea was winding down in 1954, the 'command' fretted that we young Soldiers required excessive BS, harassment, twice weekly haircuts - by a Korean with hand clippers, after he had a lunch of well aged Kimchee - that wearing Orange Scarves would keeps us on edge and inside the wire. The scarves were to be worn everywhere, excepting inside the 4 holer, or while on a telephone pole! No more Orange for me in my lifetime!

Though the bow tie and socks are not IAW DA PAM 670-1 (not specified in AR 670-1) you may be able to consider suspenders as an alternative. You will not be able to showcase your Signal Corps colors how you want, but it is authorized. You can also check to see if there are any exemptions to policy from your Command (i.e. Stetsons and Spurs).

DA PAM 670-1, Ch20-25: Suspenders are optional purchase items. b. Description. They are of commercial design. c. How worn. Males may wear suspenders with the dress, mess, and evening mess uniforms, as long as the suspenders are not visible when worn.

Regarding many of the comments on this forum; this is supposed to be a medium which service members (past and present) should be providing positive support, especially to those trying to develop. If you are going to provide comments towards an issue, at least use the correct reference(s) and maybe where it states what is authorized and what is not.

Ah, the humorless responses here are depressing. Are not our military balls to be a time for mirth and merriment?

I would say, if you have that kind of rapport with your chain of command, and depending on your intent, go for it. If you don't mind a chuckling senior leader having you occupy the front-leaning rest in front of your date, it might be worth it, so long as you've brought the appropriate attire to change into after the joke is over.

If however, there's no open bar and it was "highly encouraged" for everyone to be there, the cheap bastards have it coming. Get some friends to do it with you so you can spread the "love" that's bound to ensue.

Doesn't matter if it's "socially" acceptable. I appreciate your pride in the signal corps, but orange? Perhaps you'll be better off wearing a semaphore flag as a cape.

SSG (Join to see) It is not socially acceptable for a military ball and against military uniform regulations. Why the question?

There is nothing socially acceptable about enhancing your uniform. It's a uniform. The keyword in uniformity. I've read the other posts and your replies and personally, I feel you're being set up to be pranked.

I've dealt with this multiple times with my Junior Marines where "they heard somewhere" that they could do this or that. My simple response was always "Show me in the order where that is authorized".

If it's not authorized, and you know it's not authorized, then don't do it.

For example, my Marine Corps Ball, the CO came out and said... "No Covers and No Gloves". Now of course I should be able to trust my CO, but when it came time to go to the Ball, I still brought my Cover and Gloves with me just in case. Sure I kept them in my car when I saw other Marines walking to the Ball without their Covers or Gloves, but I didn't want to be the one guy who stuck out in the crowd.

Another example of one of my Marine Corps Balls, it was passed down that the uniform would be Dress Blues. So Blue trousers, Black blouse, you've probably seen them before. Needless to say there was a single Marine who showed up to the Ball in his Service uniform. Green suit, top and bottom. When you're in a sea of blue trousers and black blouses, a green suit sticks out like a sore thumb.

Don't be the guy that sticks out like a sore thumb.

The Army has regs for a reason.

It may be acceptable during a E4 Mafia Ball thou. Gotta get approval by the Command Private Major first.

uniform means uniformity.....wear it correctly or don't.

Why would you want to wear an orange tie and socks? Is it Halloween?

How badly do you want to live at the grog bowl?