Which movie or television show has depicted the most inaccurate military uniform?

2016-03-02T14:32:34-05:00

Anything from blatant mistakes to ribbons out of order is fair game.

Response by Sgt Tammy Wallace made Mar 2 at 2016 2:35 PM

2016-03-02T14:35:32-05:00

A Few Good Men. I cringed every time I saw an actor portraying a Marine.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2016 2:36 PM

2016-03-02T14:36:01-05:00

MASH always comes to mind. PVT Benjamin is another good one.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2016 2:38 PM

2016-03-02T14:38:12-05:00

Another movie with horribly blatant errors is a horrible movie called STEEL with the Shaq. SGT Bilko (both movie and tv show)....although that movie was hilarious.

Response by SPC Alexander Brandt made Mar 2 at 2016 2:38 PM

2016-03-02T14:38:32-05:00

That collar, though! As much as I love The Flash, I couldn't stop giggling when they brought in the US Army.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2016 2:48 PM

2016-03-02T14:48:12-05:00

The movie A-Team

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2016 3:09 PM

2016-03-02T15:09:53-05:00

SEAL TEAM 6!!!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2016 3:13 PM

2016-03-02T15:13:51-05:00

Any off brand zombie movie usually has pretty bad ones.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Mar 2 at 2016 3:18 PM

2016-03-02T15:18:10-05:00

Hurt Locker was awful. As was Last Castle. Pretty much any movie that does not take the time to hire a real military consultant.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2016 3:39 PM

2016-03-02T15:39:20-05:00

Umm... All of them.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Mar 2 at 2016 4:01 PM

2016-03-02T16:01:33-05:00

I'm not sure but I think there is some legal requirement to hose it somehow as not to be confused with the real thing. Not that I spend anytime analyzing them though.

Response by MSG Brad Sand made Mar 2 at 2016 4:15 PM

2016-03-02T16:15:11-05:00

Vikings. Oh, you did not mean how the armor and weapons was not right for the period or the soldiers for that era? Sorry, cannot help myself.

Response by SGT William Howell made Mar 2 at 2016 4:42 PM

2016-03-02T16:42:36-05:00

Every episode of Army Wives. I would have lost my mind with the amount of people I would have to smoke per second just to try to keep up with the 670-1 violations!

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2016 5:18 PM

2016-03-02T17:18:43-05:00

I wish I was on a computer to post the image, but Samuel Jackson's character in Basic

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Mar 2 at 2016 7:40 PM

2016-03-02T19:40:18-05:00

My special corner of hell. 2 1/2 Men. Pillsbury dough boy beret. CAB, no combat patch, no deployment. In ACU it grows worse.

Response by SSgt Dan Montague made Mar 2 at 2016 10:18 PM

2016-03-02T22:18:06-05:00

Battle of Los Angeles. It was so stupid and far fetched. I think the actors worked for free.

Response by SGT Alicia Brenneis made Mar 3 at 2016 6:22 PM

2016-03-03T18:22:15-05:00

That Hills Has Eyes II movie.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 3 at 2016 6:28 PM

2016-03-03T18:28:42-05:00

I don't want those idiot Hollywood guys impersonating any military a personnel .

Response by SSgt Bob Williams made Mar 3 at 2016 6:30 PM

2016-03-03T18:30:05-05:00

How about dear john, when Channing Tatum wore his epaulets upside down for an entire scene.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 3 at 2016 6:37 PM

2016-03-03T18:37:54-05:00

SWO pins as collar devices in "Mega Shark vs Mecha Shark." They weren't even trying to depict an accurate uniform.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 3 at 2016 7:52 PM

2016-03-03T19:52:07-05:00

You really have a deep desire to look jacked up at that point. I don't see any other explanations..

Response by SGT Mathew Husen made Mar 3 at 2016 8:16 PM

2016-03-03T20:16:04-05:00

Battleship most realistic of them all because most of the people in it were real military

Response by CPT Melanie Ryan made Mar 3 at 2016 11:27 PM

2016-03-03T23:27:53-05:00

"Outbreak" Cuba Gooding, Jr, "acting" like a Day One cadet but his character was a major. He can fly a Hughes 500 (of course). Gawd

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 4 at 2016 1:55 AM

2016-03-04T01:55:31-05:00

I worked in Hollywood as a military tech advisor and casting director for a number of years. The main reason they screw up the uniforms and other details is... they just don't care. Most of the time the production staff assumes that no one will notice. Remember that very few Hollywood folks have actually served in the military (with the exception of a blessed few) so they are basing a lot their work on assumptions.
You also have to keep in mind that a military technical advisor is mostly considered a reference and does not carry a lot of weight on a film set. Yes, you have the knowledge and experience, but it's not like they are ever going to let you completely shut down a production because "they got the uniforms wrong" or because "the lead actor needs a haircut."
Many shows have limited budgets and either can't afford to hire a tech advisor, or they can't afford to get decent uniforms or props. Every set is different. Sometimes the production team is very receptive and appreciative, other times you're just a walking reminder of how much they suck and they avoid you.
The bottom line...? Just be thankful for the things they get right! It can always be worse, I can just imagine what real medical doctors think of hospital shows, and real CSI agents think about crime shows. Hollywood is playing for the mass audience and not the subject matter experts.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 4 at 2016 2:54 PM

2016-03-04T14:54:32-05:00

TV Series Jericho - The "10th MTN Div" Takes over the town...This is their CO:

Response by SFC J Fullerton made Mar 4 at 2016 4:11 PM

2016-03-04T16:11:35-05:00

About all of them. Even when the uniform is right, they ruin it by not having a military standard haircut, or they wear the uniform improperly. Dangling chinstraps, missing headgear, unbuttoned/unzipped blouse, hands in pockets, etc, etc. Few movies or TV shows nail it down exactly.

Response by SSG John Jensen made Mar 4 at 2016 4:27 PM

2016-03-04T16:27:02-05:00

Stargate the movie - when the Col adresses the LTC as Lieutenant
Deerhunter switched the shoulder patch sides for dramatic effect
Apocalypse Now is actually based on Joseph Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness' which wasn't militery

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made May 2 at 2016 11:49 PM

2016-05-02T23:49:45-04:00

This girl's beret drives me nuts... Fantastic Four II

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 27 at 2017 12:08 PM

2017-06-27T12:08:21-04:00

The Mouse That Roared.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 30 at 2019 9:14 AM

2019-07-30T09:14:15-04:00

Hmm...lemme give that one some serious thought...interesting question, certainly, though, at any rate....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 30 at 2019 9:15 AM

2019-07-30T09:15:38-04:00

https://search.aol.com/aol/image;_ylt=A2KLfSi7QkBdkAwAtClpCWVH;_ylu=X3oDMTB0N2Noc21lBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNwaXZz?q=stolen+valor&s_it=searchtabs&v_t=loki-tb-sb

Not that these are on TV, of course, or were, however, I just figured you'd find the images amusing, at any rate, ya know?

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Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 30 at 2019 6:44 PM

2019-07-30T18:44:23-04:00

Not exactly a uniform foul up, but it’s pretty awful. Always makes me chuckle
https://www.snotr.com/video/8096/NCIS_2_Idiots_1_Keyboard

NCIS: 2 Idiots 1 Keyboard

Seems legit!

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 20 at 2020 9:28 PM

2020-04-20T21:28:31-04:00

Probably the most ridiculous one I saw lately when thumbing through Netflix movies to watch was Jarhead 3 "the law of return." The plot was about a dual US/Israeli National who was an MIT grad and a son of a US Senator. He is an F-16 Pilot in the IAF, who gets shot down by ISIS doing a strike op over Syria and is captured by an ISIS terrorist. There is a combined US Marine and IDF op to rescue him.

So from what I can tell they got the IDF/IAF uniforms correct. Its kinda hard to screw them up, they don't ornament them like we do. The US Marine Uniforms on the other hand....

One of the characters was a US Marine Lt General, I assume he must have been the CJTF Commander or possibly the GCC maybe dual hatted as the USMARFORCENT commander. He was wearing the Marine green service dress. The rank and ribbons were correct with one glaring error. The costume department clearly got a hold of a jacket that belong to Gunny. Along with his 3 Stars on the shoulder and on the collars of his khaki shirt, he is sporting E-7 Chevrons on his sleeve. That was cringe worthy.

The enlisted Marines doing the op were supposedly MARSOC snake eaters. Most were sporting beards, which you could say okay that's fine because they do that in real life in combat like the SEAL's. The problem is that at the end of the movie they are at the funeral for their fallen team leader. They are still sporting the beards in garrison while wearing the iconic Marine chokers.