What's the craziest uniform goof, violation, etc. that you've ever seen?

2018-06-29T10:39:39-04:00

Back in my NCO days I say a young SPC (not one of mine) walking a little funny. It took me a second to see what was wrong, but I soon realized he was wearing two right boots. He said that he left his regular pair at a friends house and pulled out his back up set. He claimed that he was accidentally issued two right boots. He may have actually been telling the truth about that, but he'd been in the Army for 4 or so years at that point and you think he would have noticed before that morning. What's the craziest uniform good, violation, etc. that you've ever seen?

Response by CPL Dave Hoover made Jun 29 at 2018 10:45 AM

2018-06-29T10:45:03-04:00

Funny, especially since you always start out marching with you left foot, regardless, he is in the RIGHT.

Response by LT Brad McInnis made Jun 29 at 2018 10:57 AM

2018-06-29T10:57:30-04:00

We were doing uniform races at the Academy. We had a guy from Kentucky who really didn't fit into the service, but damn could he run! Anyway, we were probably 45 minutes into these crazy stupid uniform races (summertime in Annapolis, no A/C), and we were told to put on Service Dress Blues. We all heard this horrible "What the hell are you doing, how can you be this messed up!" Turns out the guy from Kentucky had spilled bleach on his jacket, and then used a black Sharpie to color in the bleach spots.... Needless to say, under the bright fluorescent hallway lights, it looked like a giant Rorschach blot test... We were all cycled for a long time after that. He was a great guy, but didn't last much longer...

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Jun 29 at 2018 11:07 AM

2018-06-29T11:07:19-04:00

CPT Private RallyPoint Member Ft Knox, 1953, CPL Harry Lane was an electronic genius, and fuzzy about the military.

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Jun 29 at 2018 11:09 AM

2018-06-29T11:09:41-04:00

Wrong tee shirt used with the Class B uniform during an inspection.

Response by Lt Col Charlie Brown made Jun 29 at 2018 11:10 AM

2018-06-29T11:10:40-04:00

A Capt wearing a General Officer's hat. He waz a medical guy, new to the Air Force and he liked it better

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Jun 29 at 2018 11:11 AM

2018-06-29T11:11:21-04:00

CPT Private RallyPoint Member CPL Harry Lane was an electronic genius, he was also casual about his uniforms. During Saturday morning inspection @ Ft Knox in 1953, he usually wore argyle socks with his OD uniform.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 29 at 2018 12:02 PM

2018-06-29T12:02:40-04:00

When I became a 1st LT, I was being cheap and lazy and I sharpies my 2lt bar on all my uniforms. I also used highlighter on my unit patches when the new ocps came out. All of it was passibile.

Response by SCPO Jason McLaughlin made Jun 29 at 2018 12:15 PM

2018-06-29T12:15:07-04:00

I had a Sailor show up in her summer whites for a Quarterdeck watch onboard the USS KEARSARGE and I had to explain to her that she could not wear yellow with black polka dot underwear with that uniform.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jun 29 at 2018 12:42 PM

2018-06-29T12:42:01-04:00

I went to PT with different shoes on.

Response by MSgt Richard Randall made Jun 29 at 2018 1:01 PM

2018-06-29T13:01:54-04:00

My squadron commander was coming out of the building one morning while I was walking in. I snapped a proper salute and he looked up and returned my salute. I then said, “Sir, I know you’re a Lieutenant Colonel but you might recheck your uniform.” He looked at me like, huh? I told him, “Sir, your cover.” Blank stare. “Your cap, sir! Check your hat!”

He took it off and, sure enough, there was a single gold bar. All he said as he double timed back into the building was “Well, sh&t. And I was on my way to division, too!” Almost every time I saw him after that I asked him “hat check?” and he smiled and replied, “hat check.”

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 29 at 2018 1:20 PM

2018-06-29T13:20:09-04:00

In A School, we had to do uniform inspections all the time. Since we were right out of boot camp, no one ever passed 100% as a matter of policy. I was getting hammered on things by the Chief, who at this point we all knew pretty well, so it wasn't super serious. It ended when I said, "Chief, your ribbons are on upside down."

Response by PO1 Don Gulizia made Jun 29 at 2018 1:35 PM

2018-06-29T13:35:52-04:00

There's a reason white underwear are part of a Sailor's required seabag....yes, I had a Sailor wear red polka dot boxers under his dress white slacks. How did I know...well, everyone knew...everyone could see them.

Response by 1stLt Matthew Hicks made Jun 29 at 2018 1:48 PM

2018-06-29T13:48:29-04:00

Once saw a full bird Colonel in USMC dress whites with the eagle, globe and anchors pointing outboard instead of inboard at a division party. He was less than amused about being corrected by a 2nd Lt!

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Jun 29 at 2018 2:29 PM

2018-06-29T14:29:31-04:00

Same as yours, CPT Private RallyPoint Member, but it was at OCS so the Tactical Officers made the officer candidate wear the same boots all day! By the time he was done that evening, he was hurtin' bad!

Response by SMSgt Thor Merich made Jun 29 at 2018 3:21 PM

2018-06-29T15:21:31-04:00

Back in our BDU wearing days, I caught an Airman wearing high top black sneakers. He said they were way more comfortable than boots!!

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 29 at 2018 4:49 PM

2018-06-29T16:49:20-04:00

New Captian that had not changed his sew on rank yet. He used sharpie to draw the second half of his railroad right next to the silver bar.

The end result was an odd looking, offset captain rank on his cap

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 29 at 2018 6:01 PM

2018-06-29T18:01:26-04:00

Another boot story that isn't mine, but I heard it from one of our PSGs at my last unit. His PL was an LT who pretty much hit all of the LT stereotypes. He was a super smart guy, but soldiering wasn't his forte. One day he showed up wearing a pair of those greenish blue Air Force boots. The platoon sergeant quickly pulled him to the side and asked him why he was wearing Air Force boots. The LT simply replied "I bought them from Ranger Joe's. Rangers are in the Army."

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Jun 29 at 2018 7:31 PM

2018-06-29T19:31:18-04:00

A Cadet in my ROTC Battalion was in the Army Dress Blue uniform. He could not find his commercial white shirt which is authorized....so he borrowed his wife's shirt (buttons are backwards). Mr Vice took great joy in exploring this with the entire mess. In other news, this person became an Army Surgeon.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Jun 29 at 2018 7:44 PM

2018-06-29T19:44:10-04:00

A Captain in my unit in NATO had this set of glossy black "subdued" badges. He knew they were unauthorized but always wore them on his ACUs. There was a story.

My friend was the Company Commander. A soldier needing corrective training on attention to detail was given damaged/worn subdued badges from the across the unit to paint flat black. The First Sergeant was unimpressed with the results, so he told him to redo the job. Joe took each badge, stripped it to bare metal (silver), and repainted with alternating coats of gloss black and lacquer. The badges all glistened and looked like melted butter. Beautiful and pristine finishes.....except the reg says they must be flat black, no shine.

Joe strides proudly into the First Sergeant to present his work, thinking he "done good" and would be redeemed. Hilarity does not ensue. Overhearing all this, my friend strides into the office, picks up his CAB and Parachutist Badge from the batch and pins them on his ACUs. He wore them daily to remind him to be careful what you tell people to go do, because they go,do it. Occasionally there are unintended second and third order effects.

Response by CWO4 John Cox made Jun 29 at 2018 8:32 PM

2018-06-29T20:32:57-04:00

We had a guy report in at the quarterdeck of CGC Polar Star in his dress blues and red socks. The chief on watch ate his lunch right there and booted him off the ship.

Response by Lt Col Charlie Brown made Jun 29 at 2018 8:34 PM

2018-06-29T20:34:03-04:00

One of our Captains pissed off the Senior NCOs so they went to clothing sales, bought 1 Lt rank and swapped out his tracks for teo bars on each side. He didn't notice but everyone else did. They all rendered proper salutes and then sniggered at him. Took him a day and a half to figure it out

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Jun 29 at 2018 8:41 PM

2018-06-29T20:41:32-04:00

CPT Private RallyPoint Member Not So Much Uniform Violation as a Field Modification, As the XO Put it, Our Pirate Uniform Dungaree Pants, No Shirt and T-Shirt Tied around Our Faces to keep from Breathing Volcanic Ash during Fiery Vigil. Only lasted a Few Days but it was Necessary.

Response by CW5 Ranger Dave made Jul 1 at 2018 12:31 AM

2018-07-01T00:31:56-04:00

We had Rat Races in Flight School when the TACs got bored. One black sock, one green sock, fatigue blouse, khaki trousers, etc.

Response by SPC Brent Melton made Jul 5 at 2018 7:44 AM

2018-07-05T07:44:03-04:00

Just prior to leaving for NTC we had a formation that was missing a few of our guys. As we're about five minutes in to the formation, here comes one of the dudes walking all crazy. Top sees this, and amazingly doesn't freak out, but does the calm voice dressing down. This guy is obliterated out of his mind, just before a movement. Top goes from head to toe about whats wrong, and then notices hes wearing to left boots. Some of the funniest shit I've ever seen.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 3 at 2019 9:25 PM

2019-01-03T21:25:48-05:00

When I was at Ft Stewart in '89-'90 my platoon was on funeral detail. This PVT had put his A's together and for future reference outlined where everything went with a red permanent map marker. The reaction from my team leader was hilarious. This PVT was chewed up and was supposedly the son of a CSM at the time.