Why you don't wear Military Insignia you haven't earned..

[Ilya_7]

Originally Posted by youonlywish

I havn't read through the whole thread...

But what about WWII and beyond... re-enactors?

For instance.. I bear a pair of corperal stripes and the 101st ABN patch. I don't have medals or wings or anything...

"Jared Has Aides" is the 80th released episode of the Comedy Central series South Park. It originally aired on March 13, 2002.

Kyle manages to stop the lynching by clarifying the running gag to Jared, the Subway executives, and the townspeople. Everyone determines that AIDS is finally funny, since it has been 22.3 years, and a monument is unveiled declaring it as such.


I think this applies to military impression as well... please someone correct me if I'm wrong... If I'm right you should be ok since it has been long enough since WWII.

[S.H.I.E.L.D.]

Well having talked to 3 US Soldiers (2 of whom have served in Iraq), a marine(can't remember his unit, have to ask him again), a 82nd Airborne Medic and a Airman (Radio tech) stationed at Ft. Benning, I asked the question about opinions about wearing badges if you don't serve. First unanimous response was "Wait aren't you Canadian??" lol, The Marine laughed at me for wearing army badges but in his opinion he he had no problem with it so long as there wasn't any sort of misrepresentation that sheds a bad light upon the corp, or army unit, air unit etc. When I talked to the 82nd medic she said basically the same thing, her only big problem would be with berets, dress uniforms and such. Her words were basically any one and their uncle can get unit badges, it's not the badges you earn a right to wear, it's the dress uniform and berets that hold commendations etc. which I can understand. The airman actually offered to send me some badges if he could lol so I took that as his being ok with it.

So it seems generally that the only problem serviceman really have is people misrepresenting themselves as actual military personnel, or utilizing dress uniforms or berets. Just the input from 3 soldiers, Mike (The marine served in Iraq), Sarah (Served in Tikrit), and Mike (The airman is stationed at Ft. Benning in Georgia).

[Wilson]

In HTS, we'll have our own patches made up. I'll never wear a patch I didn't earn or design myself.

However, there's still one particular patch I am very much interested in earning. Some of you here will know what that is.

Reality check - we play dressup and shoot each other with plastic guns; so wear whatever the fuck you want on your toy soldier dressup costume.

[S.H.I.E.L.D.]

Originally Posted by MadMorbius

Reality check - we play dressup and shoot each other with plastic guns; so wear whatever the fuck you want on your toy soldier dressup costume.

LOL and that's why we keep Rob around. Sure we lock him in a cage, play Yanni and poke him with sticks.

[leecas]

In the re-enacting world it is more important to getting it right. Vets and re-enactors get more upset if you haven't done your research and have been as authentic as you can with putting your uniform and gear together. Wearing no badges or any other markings would just be FUBAR and being disrespectful to the men and women that we honor. The only thing that is frowned upon is wearing medals (unless you have earned them in service), so jump wings on your A Class uniform is fine but the Silver Star is not.

Re-enacting is re-enacting, no matter if it's WWII, NAM, or modern day. On the field, be as accurate as you can... but that's where it belongs... on the field. As others have said the problem is when you take it off the field and misrepresent... then you are no longer a re-enactor but just an ASS... and you are breaking the law to boot.

[Bowers]

Originally Posted by MadMorbius

Reality check - we play dressup and shoot each other with plastic guns; so wear whatever the fuck you want on your toy soldier dressup costume.

well said

my opinion: if you arent walking around your neighbourhood in a swat getup claiming your doing door to door searches and that you only use your kit at games then its fine

[redmond]

Originally Posted by MadMorbius

Reality check - we play dressup and shoot each other with plastic guns; so wear whatever the fuck you want on your toy soldier dressup costume.

+1

LERCH, you're famous!

[FOX_111]

Originally Posted by TCSF-Bowers

well said

my opinion: if you arent walking around your neighbourhood in a swat getup claiming your doing door to door searches and that you only use your kit at games then its fine

What's wrong with doing door to door in swat gear claiming you are searching for criminals?

[Lucrius]

Wilson what patch are you trying to get?

[MrEvolution]

Originally Posted by leecas

Wearing no badges or any other markings would just be FUBAR and being disrespectful to the men and women that we honor.

Looks like I have to get my Eagle and Private stripes.

[MagnumPeanut]

I think this is bs.

If anything you are showing how much you respect and look up to the people who serve our country when you wear their badge or uniform. This is a silly conversation all in all.

Originally Posted by CDN_Stalker

Is exactly that. I'm sure that's where the fine line is, I bought it like this, am not pretending to be a member by keeping it on. Then one has the "impression" aspect to deal with, someone else could have bought the BDU like that, thought "Hey, I'm going to do an impression of a 10th Mountain Ranger for airsoft" and add all the little bits and peices of gear to fill out that impression, maybe include a rank or something. Then it becomes more of an issue to those in this thread (and the thread regarding Lerch's uniform impressions).

Theres no such thing as 10th Mountain Ranger.... unless you are referring to a 10th Mountain Division patch with a Ranger tab(just means you completed the course, nothing to do with a unit).



As for the calico jack thing; it's not an official patch. Also, it isn't just a SEAL thing, in my Battalion you would see some LAVs sporting a calico jack flag on it haha




As for the trying to be realistic in an impression, ok but Rangers, Special Forces, etc don't wear insignia on their field uniforms. Hell I haven't seen one SF guy even wear his unit an qual badges when walking around KAF.


As for why you see patches on uniforms in surplus stores, well lot of reasons.

1.) The veteren is just getting rid of all of his old uniforms, etc some will take the time an remove badges, others just want to get rid of it all.

2.) Family members have the uniforms an offload them at a surplus store

3.) Someone else could have bought a uniform an the patches an put them in than after getting bored returned the uniform or maybe the surplus store employees put the patches on, etc




As for reenacting, honestly how many people that put on the badges are knowledgeable about all the insignia an history of the unit, etc. Yes, there are a lot of guys that are true reenactors, but you can't deny that there are some people who just put the badges on for shits n giggles becuase they think it's cool.


Also, how many true reenactment events are their in Airsoft? Only ones I know of are InCountry events to me they are like living history events, etc where you are actually "reenacting" as best you can, ie living in the field, humping the kit, etc. A bit different than the typical air softer who's running around for a few hours one saturday for a typical skirmish where it's not reenacting anything an everyone is dress differently.



IMO, reenacting history(ie WW2, Vietnam) is a bit different than trying to look like a modern day soldier. I dunno, to me when you try to look like a modern day soldier an wear all the patches its a bit poser'ish an isn't on the same level as reenacting the past.



As for the you don't really have to earn unit patches, well depends on the unit, some you actually have to earn ie like a Ranger Scroll and Special Forces. Other units like a plain jane Infantry Divison, yea you are just randomly put into the unit after you are done your initial training.. even though it isn't very hard to complete basic training, etc you still "earn" the patches IMO.



But really, for the guys who want to wear all the Special Forces insignia, Ranger, SEAL, etc visit SOCNET and armyranger.com and find out what the real guys feel about it.

I don't give a fuck what people wear. It's NOT IMPORTANT. Just don't parade around claiming to be a supersoldier off the field.

Why is this so hard to grasp?

MikeL - You're in the army. For you it's closer to home, since these markings mean something more to you. Regardless, people can wear whatever the hell they want while they're playing DRESSUP.

I won't wear the insignia of any elite Canadian units. That's largely due to the fact that I know people who serve or have served in those units, and because I'm well aware that my own meager contribution to the military couldn't come near matching theirs. That being said, it doesn't bother me if someone else wants to wear it, because people don't typically mimic things they dont respect; its flattery in it's most sincere form.

Originally Posted by MadMorbius

I don't give a fuck what people wear. It's NOT IMPORTANT. Just don't parade around claiming to be a supersoldier off the field.

Well, to get all technical, they shouldn't be claiming shit on the field either...

Originally Posted by MadMorbius

Regardless, people can wear whatever the hell they want while they're playing DRESSUP.

Yes, people are free to wear whatever they want; but they should also know that the fancy patches, etc they wear mean something to those who have earned it, etc. Shit.. I know of guys that have ripped airborne t-shirts off people in the mall(or whatever before)... samething happened to some young ignorant troops that wore a Ranger tab t-shirt around Wainwright(this might just be an urban legend though)

Originally Posted by MadMorbius

because people don't typically mimic things they dont respect; its flattery in it's most sincere form.

Some people really have no clue what they are wearing, an just think it's cool. Like I said theres a difference between a real reenactor an some person who wears the patches for shits n giggles.



Also, whats wrong with a thread like this where people can voice their oppinon on things; aslong as everything is kept civil, etc I don't see an issue.