Rank and Patches on Military Jackets - Might I Offend a Veteran?

Edward · Jan 16, 2019

Story said:
I'll suggest that the guilty parties often reveal themselves for what they really are.

8pm (or 20.00 hours, if you will) at the local supermarket.

It's nearly empty, I'm minding my own business and I turn into an aisle to come face to face with an older (60-70, hard to tell) tall (6') gaunt guy.
Indicator 1) He's wearing sunglasses.
Indicator 2) He's wearing one of these hats.
https://www.priorservice.com/nasevi...MIuISgnvPw3wIVDI3ICh09AAs_EAQYBSABEgKZ3vD_BwE

I look at his hat.
I make direct eye contact.
I say nothing.
I look at his hat.
I make direct eye contact.
I say nothing.

His response: "You don't know me".

Yes. Yes I do.

Seems rather leap based on.... stereotyping? Assumption from a reaction? Either way, unless he was directly engaged in perpetuating a fraud and there was certain evidence of that, I see no point in initiating such a confrontation.

GHT said:
Agreed, but I do like the British act of remembrance for a fallen member of the military, when a relative wears the bravery medal, awarded to member of the military who fell, whilst on active duty, on the right instead of the military left, at a service of commemoration.

If that's what folks want to do (and - one would at least hope - in circumstances where the fallen individual would have approved of the same), I don't have a problem with it.

MisterCairo said:
In Canada we had an infamous incident during Remembrance Day a couple of years back. Buddy wore a full current uniform, medals galore, interviewed live on air by the CBC - never served a day in his life.

His wife was at a loss for words when asked why he wore "his" uniform - AT THEIR WEDDING.

Link to follow.

There'll always be the fetishists and fantasists out there. I remember seeing a similar story or two here in the UK - one was a deliberated fraudster who had taken advantage of gullible and vulnerable would-be partners; the other was just an oddball who never grew up out of playing soldier. The first was a despicable fraudster; the second was pitiable, really.

GHT · Jan 16, 2019

MisterCairo said:
In Canada we had an infamous incident during Remembrance Day a couple of years back. Buddy wore a full current uniform, medals galore, interviewed live on air by the CBC - never served a day in his life.

His wife was at a loss for words when asked why he wore "his" uniform - AT THEIR WEDDING.

Link to follow.

Something similar happened in the small town of Bedworth, in Warwickshire where a supposed veteran wore an array of medals that would have been impossible to have achieved:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...edals-pukka--Im-sworn-silence-I-won-them.html

GHT · Jan 16, 2019

Edward said:
If that's what folks want to do (and - one would at least hope - in circumstances where the fallen individual would have approved of the same), I don't have a problem with it.

Do you remember Christina Schmid, whose husband, Olaf, was posthumously awarded The George Cross for bravery, whilst serving in Afghanistan? She wore all of his medals at his memorial service in Truro Cathedral. Very moving it was too.

Harp · Jan 16, 2019

Man that's tough. God bless her.

Edward · Jan 17, 2019

GHT said:
Do you remember Christina Schmid, whose husband, Olaf, was posthumously awarded The George Cross for bravery, whilst serving in Afghanistan? She wore all of his medals at his memorial service in Truro Cathedral. Very moving it was too.
View attachment 152328 View attachment 152329

I remember hearing of the practice being formalised some years ago (I don't do 'Remembrance'), but not specific instances.

stevyn · Jan 17, 2019

Hello
What would be the correct period way(WW2) to affix an Squadron patch to a A-2 flight jacket?

John McDonald · Aug 19, 2022

I have an AVI Leather Horsehide A-2 Jacket decorated to resemble the A-2's worn by the the actors in the film "The Memphis Belle." I have put on a leather 91st Bomb Group Patch bought from US Wings on the right chest and and a leather 8th Air Force shoulder patch on the left sleeve, purchased from Dan McQuality Custom Leather Patches and art work website. I also have a very nice (thick too) name tag on my left chest.

As far as people accepting it, etc. I know of many war and military veterans who accept it....don't really care. Looks great. Actual veterans I live with.

I have gotten some minor squabbles, which I usually just ignore, with people who know not thing one about me.

In short, I do think most veterans accept it, as it is not done in a demeaning way. And some even complement me and say that they like it.

At the end of the day, it is not about what other people think about you. It is about how you think/feel about yourself.

And yes, it is a sort of homage to a time gone by. When it was like 24 years before I was even born.

Peacoat · Aug 19, 2022

John McDonald said:
I have an AVI Leather Horsehide A-2 Jacket decorated to resemble the A-2's worn by the the actors in the film "The Memphis Belle." I have put on a leather 91st Bomb Group Patch bought from US Wings on the right chest and and a leather 8th Air Force shoulder patch on the left sleeve, purchased from Dan McQuality Custom Leather Patches and art work website. I also have a very nice (thick too) name tag on my left chest.

As far as people accepting it, etc. I know of many war and military veterans who accept it....don't really care. Looks great. Actual veterans I live with.

I have gotten some minor squabbles, which I usually just ignore, with people who know not thing one about me.

In short, I do think most veterans accept it, as it is not done in a demeaning way. And some even complement me and say that they like it.

At the end of the day, it is not about what other people think about you. It is about how you think/feel about yourself.

And yes, it is a sort of homage to a time gone by. When it was like 24 years before I was even born.

I can't imagine any veteran taking offense at someone wearing a WWII flight jacket with patches. Nor can I imagine any veteran taking offense at someone wearing a field jacket with unit patches as long as that someone isn't claiming to have been in the unit. Rank insignia is a bit more problematic. I would advise against wearing any rank that wasn't earned.

When someone asks my advice about wearing a jacket with a patch, they usually have a good reason for the patch they have chosen. The last person who asked me wanted to honor his father who served in VN by wearing the !st Air Cavalry patch on the sleeve of his field jacket., along with his name and US Army tapes. I told him that would be perfectly acceptable, and that if he got called on it, just tell them the reason for the patch.

Another popular patch is the 8th Air Force roundel from WWII, as John McDonald notes in his post. If I would wear that patch and was questioned about it, the answer would simply be, "I admire the job the 8th Air Force did in WWII, and I am wearing this patch to honor the unit." That would probably end the discussion.

A word about the proper sleeve on which to wear patches: In the Army, the current unit patch is worn on the left sleeve at the shoulder. The patch of a unit in which one has seen combat is worn on the right sleeve. If one is currently serving in a combat unit, that unit patch is worn on the left sleeve, to be moved to the right sleeve when subsequently serving in another non combat unit.

Tiki Tom · Aug 20, 2022

I have an old field jacket with all my old unit patches on it. People regret asking about it, as I happily launch into a bunch of boring stories.

caddyd · Sep 21, 2022

Life is a stage and the movies are full of posers. So best to re-create an actors uniform.
And bottom line wear and display with honor and respect.

Bushman · Sep 24, 2022

The way I look at it with buying used original military jackets, is I didn't earn the rank or serve in the unit, and therefore I don't have the right to associate myself with it. Heck, I'm hesitant to even wear a jacket with a patch denoting a branch I didn't serve in.

Drewdog2323 · Nov 3, 2022

Well here is my Cockpit Movie Heroes Top Gun G-1 jacket I wore to the new movie showing and on Halloween to an airplane museum. Got a bunch of compliments on it and some guys who might have been retired pilots liked it as well.

When wearing flight jackets with patches, you just have to be prepared to be asked questions such as: are you a pilot? Or what do you fly? Are you active/retired military? Or the occasional “thank you for your service”. In these cases it is best to clarify that you aren’t military or what they were asking. That what you are wearing is just a flyer’s jacket. Feel free to add in something like you are wearing it because of some personal connection, or you just think these jackets are cool, or in my case thinks it’s cool and am a big fan of Top Gun.

Whatever you do, do not falsely claim to be something you are not.

My own personal rules are do not wear any rank insignia, name tag with rank and/or wings on it, or a patch that clearly denotes a branch of the military (i.e. United States Navy), if you in fact did not earn those. I sometimes wear a blank leather name tag to cover the chest velcro on my CWU-36/p and CWU-45/p jackets to go with the patches.

John b · Mar 15, 2023

Patches OK fine. Rank, awards and decorations, not so good. IMHO.

Edward · Mar 15, 2023

Drewdog2323 said:
Well here is my Cockpit Movie Heroes Top Gun G-1 jacket I wore to the new movie showing and on Halloween to an airplane museum. Got a bunch of compliments on it and some guys who might have been retired pilots liked it as well.

When wearing flight jackets with patches, you just have to be prepared to be asked questions such as: are you a pilot? Or what do you fly? Are you active/retired military? Or the occasional “thank you for your service”. In these cases it is best to clarify that you aren’t military or what they were asking. That what you are wearing is just a flyer’s jacket. Feel free to add in something like you are wearing it because of some personal connection, or you just think these jackets are cool, or in my case thinks it’s cool and am a big fan of Top Gun.

Whatever you do, do not falsely claim to be something you are not.

My own personal rules are do not wear any rank insignia, name tag with rank and/or wings on it, or a patch that clearly denotes a branch of the military (i.e. United States Navy), if you in fact did not earn those. I sometimes wear a blank leather name tag to cover the chest velcro on my CWU-36/p and CWU-45/p jackets to go with the patches.

I'm sure I remember reading somewhere that the Top Gun jacket was designed deliberately such that it wouldn't technically have been possible for one person to have done everything indicated on it.

Drewdog2323 · Mar 15, 2023

I agree. Patches are generally okay, except ones that explicitly say a specific branch of the military. That’s mostly my own self-imposed rule. I like to wear patches that are associated with the F-14 Tomcat as it is probably my favorite airplane.

I bought a CWU-45/p jacket from Cockpit USA that has the same patches from the movie. It has the squadron patch. The only modification I made to it was to remove the “United States Navy Fighter Weapons School” patch on the right sleeve and replaced it with a Tomcat patch. I think I would only wear the Navy patch if it were Halloween or going to a costume party.

The jacket is comfortable, warm, and I get the occasional compliment. I have a Jolly Rogers Tomcat patch and other Tomcat squadron patches I will swap for once in a while to switch things up.

FOXTROT LAMONT · Aug 2, 2023

Here in Britain military wear is seen with the ubiquitous commando or naval submariner dual usage more so
but clime and such suffice account. Obviously the more bold may strike the wrong chord with some.
I served in the British Army as a para officer and occasionally wear the old regimental tie to work according
societal norm, but would never do so had this right not been honestly earned.

caddyd · Aug 3, 2023

A veteran may have wanted name and rank to remain on his uniform to be honored and remembered along with it.

Ingramite · Aug 3, 2023

1st of all, I'm not a veteran and would never claim to be.

Back in the early 70's I found a Marine dress topcoat in a thrift store that fit me like a glove. I removed Sergeant chevrons from the sleeves.

The first time I wore it I got two Semper Fi greetings that I was very uncomfortable with....so I replaced the Globe and Anchor buttons and tried.it again. A guy called me "Sarge" because of the impression left on the now bare sleeves, where the chevrons had been.

Nope, I'm not doing this.
That was the last time I wore it.

Turnip · Aug 6, 2023

I still got my name patch and rank patches from my combat suit, rank and branch patches from first and second fiddle (Navy) as well for some nostalgic reasons but would never have the idea to wear these anywhere in public, nor in private.

Turnip · Aug 6, 2023

…and for sure nothing of grandpa’s WWII stuff as well.

Rank and Patches on Military Jackets - Might I Offend a Veteran?

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