Where is the worst place to wear your uniform?

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 Feb 2015 19:49:25 -0500

Everyone has seen someone in uniform that made you make a double-take. Like why is a person wearing their battle uniform or dress uniform here? Where is the worst place to wear a uniform?

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 12 at 2015 7:53 PM

CW5 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 Feb 2015 19:53:09 -0500

A bar, a strip club, a house of ill repute ... places of that nature.

Response by SGM Billy Herrington made Feb 13 at 2015 12:20 AM

SGM Billy Herrington — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 00:20:36 -0500

To a prom. Some of these kids that graduate but are still dating a girl from high school and decide it's cool to go to her senior prom in uniform.

I just shake my head and laugh.

Response by SFC Collin McMillion made Feb 13 at 2015 12:39 AM

SFC Collin McMillion — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 00:39:56 -0500

I have to agree with CW5 Scott Montgomery. Do not disgrace the uniform or what it and you stand for by going to any place of ill repute!

Response by MAJ(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 13 at 2015 12:43 AM

MAJ(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 00:43:29 -0500

My fiancé looks at me funny when I wear my PT belt in the shower.

Response by MAJ(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 13 at 2015 12:43 AM

MAJ(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 00:43:41 -0500

From personal experience, in San Francisco. I went G2G (Active Duty Option) and it was highly advised not to wear your uniform outside the ROTC area.

This is no joke. I've been spit on while riding the bus home, called a "baby killer" while holding my newborn, and ignored in a restaurant when I went for lunch. Literally, I had to leave. They would not serve me.

The craziest experience I had, was rucking through Golden Gate park and having a homeless man threw his food at me.

I lved the city for its culture and enjoyed my two years there. However, my time there taught me that the masses seemed to be anti-government in ever sense of the term.

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 13 at 2015 3:13 AM

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 03:13:00 -0500

Code Pink potluck charity fund raiser dinner.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 13 at 2015 3:19 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 03:19:48 -0500

To a swingers convention.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 13 at 2015 3:45 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 03:45:02 -0500

At an off post movie theater. Especially one far far away from any military post.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 13 at 2015 5:37 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 05:37:36 -0500

Anytime you don't need to do so.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 13 at 2015 8:40 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 08:40:19 -0500

I was always told its a horrible idea to wear one at an airport.

Response by SSG Leonard Johnson made Feb 13 at 2015 9:28 AM

SSG Leonard Johnson — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 09:28:06 -0500

giggles.... let me put it this way...I have close to 30 years (sorry had to much in the 80's 90's..... should be CSM of the universe ;)........ I have over 2.5 million miles safe driving as a trucker....I think the 1 place that make me laugh Berkley CA....I own my rig, so I have the 101st emblem on both sides of my truck.....whenever I drive on that highway out there.........get flipped off more times than u can imagine.......yeah...they luv military out there brotha... ;)

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 13 at 2015 9:29 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 09:29:47 -0500

Mardi Gras parade.....and if you decide to do it, taking photos with a bunch of beads and a beer in your hand is further not-advised.

Yes....we had someone do it. Her 1st line leader was less than enthusiastic about the prospect.

Also, one of our deploying units on my first MOB took a GSA to the VFW to drink in the middle of the day. The hell that little excursion unleashed will be the stuff of legends. One was a high ranking NCO, the other was apparently his girlfriend. (Both married to someone else).

I agree with CW5 Private RallyPoint Member ....don't wear it somewhere that could create the appearances of unprofessional behaviors. If you can avoid it....don't wear it at all. But always maintain the dignity.
v/r,
CPT Butler
v/r,
CPT Butler

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 13 at 2015 9:42 AM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 09:42:50 -0500

A friend's grandfather died last fall. He was a retired MSgt, so there were a lot of us there in uniform. There were Army, Navy, and AF in our dress uniforms. However, there were also a couple of Army guys in there ACUs. I couldn't believe it. It was a full military funeral, and those jokers wore their battle uniform.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 13 at 2015 10:47 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 10:47:22 -0500

When I was a recruiter going to a school with JROTC I would get stopped by teachers saying where is your hall pass... It just makes it worse when people think your 15.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 13 at 2015 11:33 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 11:33:01 -0500

By the way, what is the rule(s) on wearing miniature medals on civilian attire (suit/tux)? I have seen a lot of veterans at events wearing them.

Response by CPL Aaron Cottingham made Feb 14 at 2015 1:45 AM

CPL Aaron Cottingham — Sat, 14 Feb 2015 01:45:57 -0500

I was asked to leave Wal-Mart and return in regular clothing by management

Response by CPL Aaron Cottingham made Feb 14 at 2015 1:52 AM

CPL Aaron Cottingham — Sat, 14 Feb 2015 01:52:05 -0500

This was mentioned elsewhere., but I was in uniform at a restaurant. However it was after a funeral, and we were the funeral honors team.

Response by SPC David S. made Feb 15 at 2015 11:57 AM

SPC David S. — Sun, 15 Feb 2015 11:57:52 -0500

In court as a defendant.

Response by SSG Leonard Johnson made Feb 15 at 2015 12:34 PM

SSG Leonard Johnson — Sun, 15 Feb 2015 12:34:06 -0500

Hahahaha Berkeley, Hayward, Oakland, San Francisco. Parts of New York, and parts of Detroit

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 15 at 2015 6:08 PM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 15 Feb 2015 18:08:32 -0500

LTC Private RallyPoint Member. I used to think the worst place was Downtown Tripoli . . . but it seems there are lots more places where I would hesitate to wear the uniform today. Sandy

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 15 at 2015 7:20 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 15 Feb 2015 19:20:42 -0500

In a club or a bar. I saw a CSM in an airport hotel bar drinking and I found it unprofessional. His room was right upstairs and yet he found it ok to drink in uniform

Response by COL Charles Williams made Feb 16 at 2015 2:42 AM

COL Charles Williams — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 02:42:43 -0500

Only to and from work, or at work. Especially never at a place that sells alcohol.

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 16 at 2015 4:01 AM

CSM Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 04:01:04 -0500

I see Soldiers in uniform on post everyday that make me do the double take. They can't even wear it properly while on duty, why should they wear properly anywhere else?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 16 at 2015 8:15 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 08:15:03 -0500

Anti-War Rally, while active duty.

Response by MSG David Chappell made Mar 15 at 2015 6:45 PM

MSG David Chappell — Sun, 15 Mar 2015 18:45:24 -0400

In court

Response by SFC Collin McMillion made Mar 15 at 2015 7:09 PM

SFC Collin McMillion — Sun, 15 Mar 2015 19:09:37 -0400

Any place of ill repute or has a bad history or reputation for trouble, bad clientele, filth etc. Only wear your uniform to places that have a firm practice of respect and treat people, all people, the same. You represent our country.........and me, so don't insult either.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 15 at 2015 8:00 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 15 Mar 2015 20:00:05 -0400

Oddly enough, I had just gotten out of basic. A couple of buddies and I decided to go to a local strip club. We saw this kid in ACUs walking around. We stopped him and asked him what the hell he was thinking. Apparently, he was in OSUT at Fort Knox and decided that he was going out that weekend. He had no battle buddies or anything. We talked to the bouncer about kicking him out, but he refused. We just dropped it at that point. We didn't really know what to do at that point. If I saw something like that again, you can bet I'd know how to handle that.

Response by CPT Chris Loomis made Mar 16 at 2015 9:11 PM

CPT Chris Loomis — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 21:11:57 -0400

If you were Forest Gump, the worse place would be a Black Panther Party meeting.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 16 at 2015 9:26 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 21:26:14 -0400

Syria, definitely Syria...unless you are with a division of your closest friends.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 16 at 2015 10:26 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 22:26:30 -0400

kuwait airport

Response by PO1 Jason Taylor made Mar 17 at 2015 7:02 AM

PO1 Jason Taylor — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 07:02:01 -0400

Chicago airport, got spit on in 95 there!

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 17 at 2015 9:32 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 09:32:23 -0400

UC Berkley apparently or in North Korea.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 17 at 2015 10:16 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 10:16:44 -0400

Off post! Don't make yourself a target. No reason is worth doing so.

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 17 at 2015 10:40 AM

Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 10:40:29 -0400

Saw some Marines at a nightclub in a Vegas casino rocking the green & tan short sleeve uniform. I thought that was a little out of place, especially since the AF has specific rules about not wearing the uniform to bars.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 3 at 2015 9:25 PM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 03 Apr 2015 21:25:55 -0400

Was at a bar last night and an NCO walked in dressed in his ASU's.

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made May 24 at 2015 2:09 PM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 24 May 2015 14:09:25 -0400

A bar is up there, a strip club or brothel would be worse. I've seen some interesting things done in Japan by those in uniform.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made May 24 at 2015 6:41 PM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 24 May 2015 18:41:32 -0400

I once flew a Navy plane into Orlando, but we ended up having to walk through the airport and a hotel to get to our rental car. I felt awfully stupid walking around with 3 other guys, all in flight suits and carrying gear. We certainly got some bad looks.

Response by SPC Alejandro Martinez made May 25 at 2015 2:40 PM

SPC Alejandro Martinez — Mon, 25 May 2015 14:40:24 -0400

It is no mystery that servicemen are highly sexually charged; however, military members would do our country an honor if they wore civilian attire, not military dress, at an establishment selling exclusively adult videos and sexual apparatus.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made May 26 at 2015 4:37 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 May 2015 04:37:56 -0400

Lolaplusa . . . And Ferguson MO.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jun 12 at 2015 12:27 AM

PO1 John Miller — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 00:27:04 -0400

Westboro Baptist Church rally.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jun 12 at 2015 12:33 AM

PO1 John Miller — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 00:33:33 -0400

A militant/radical Muslim rally while chanting "Allahu Akbar!"

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Jun 12 at 2015 12:46 AM

SSG (ret) William Martin — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 00:46:57 -0400

MSNBC To Catch a Predator

Response by A1C Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 12 at 2015 1:10 AM

A1C Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 01:10:27 -0400

Any kind of drinking establishment. Mainly dive bars or strip clubs. It gives off an awful professional image to see a service member in uniform in one of those kinds of places.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Jun 12 at 2015 1:21 AM

SFC Mark Merino — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 01:21:05 -0400

In jail.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 13 at 2015 3:19 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 13 Jun 2015 15:19:15 -0400

In a town filled with mostly muslim sympathizers!

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 18 at 2015 2:21 AM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 02:21:27 -0400

Saw a guy grocery shopping in his dress blues. You got time to shop, you got time to swap.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2017 12:09 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 12:09:48 -0400

How about any establishment off base. No one is so busy that they can't change out of their too go out to eat, or to Lowes, or even Wal-Mart. The worst place I've seen people by far is inside a movie theater. Have they not heard of AT Awareness?

Response by SPC Roger Giffen made Jul 21 at 2017 12:54 PM

SPC Roger Giffen — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 12:54:58 -0400

Granted, this is way before most of you were born, but we were not allowed to wear our fatigues anywhere ff post except for driving to and from home...I see way too many SMs wearing BDUs to stores and restaurants. 40 years ago, but still.

Response by LCpl Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2017 3:57 PM

LCpl Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 15:57:03 -0400

I like the way we have to do it. You want to wear a uniform off base you put on service uniforms, (which of course no one does). If you worked in a factory, would you wear your uniform to a restaurant? You should exude professionalism and wearing a working uniform outside of work is just cawing for attention in my opinion. Unless you're pumping gas and out or some extenuating circumstance.

Response by SPC Michael Micallef made Jul 21 at 2017 9:10 PM

SPC Michael Micallef — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 21:10:17 -0400

We used to go to the 101 club at Ft. Campbell in BDU's all the time during the mid to late 80's. They had dancers until some wives complained their husbands were coming home drunk from there. $3.50 for a great Schnitzel dinner and $3 for a pitcher of Bud. I remember seeing pilots and crew chiefs in their flight suits leaving drunk on work nights. Fights were common to. I could drink there when I was only 19.

Response by MSgt Jason McClish made Jul 21 at 2017 11:14 PM

MSgt Jason McClish — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 23:14:15 -0400

At Kim Jung-Un's palace in Pyongyang would be toward the top of the list!

Response by SSgt Kevin Beckley made Jul 29 at 2017 8:24 PM

SSgt Kevin Beckley — Sat, 29 Jul 2017 20:24:02 -0400

San Francisco Airport in the late 70's and 80's got spit on and yelled at.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 16 at 2017 12:07 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 12:07:30 -0400

In a large formation in a combat zone!!!

Response by SFC Jim Ruether made Aug 16 at 2017 12:25 PM

SFC Jim Ruether — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 12:25:48 -0400

We had strict guidelines when I was in so we only wore them at proper occasions which maybe cut back on the spitting and disrespect.

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made Nov 14 at 2017 3:51 PM

SGM Erik Marquez — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 15:51:13 -0500

In a bar.......which is generally unauthorized...Until you ask before going ballistic and you find out said SM in ACU's is there to pick up a drunk SM.....or get the company CO from the CMD Group "off site" because he is not answering his phone and the Staff Duty told you the CQ, "the Old man wants him in the office NOW"

Response by SPC Lee Stevens made Nov 20 at 2017 4:17 AM

SPC Lee Stevens — Mon, 20 Nov 2017 04:17:06 -0500

Wear it with pride... anywhere.

Response by SPC David Willis made Apr 11 at 2018 4:00 PM

SPC David Willis — Wed, 11 Apr 2018 16:00:01 -0400

Sporting events while not involved in flag or promotional duties.

Response by SFC Michael Palmer made Jul 3 at 2021 4:38 PM

SFC Michael Palmer — Sat, 03 Jul 2021 16:38:50 -0400

I was getting some work done on my car several years ago and the TV had The Price is Right on. A name was called, and it was some Specialist in the Army on stage in his ACUs! For those not familiar, ACUs are the former Army pixilated camo pattern and a uniform that is definitely NOT authorized for such an event. I have seen military personnel on shows in their dress uniforms, which I know at least used to be okay in the past. "Wow! I'm going to look SO cool in my camo uniform and people will think I'm special for being in the Army!" Well, dude, I thought of you as "special" in a different context of the word for doing that...

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Jul 3 at 2021 7:59 PM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Sat, 03 Jul 2021 19:59:56 -0400

At any time after you leave the service...

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 3 at 2021 10:46 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 03 Jul 2021 22:46:07 -0400

At the club trying to pick up unsuspecting naive women.