[crawford]

Originally Posted by AlphaFoxtrot51

Why do people wear BDUs when they didn't earn them? Why do people wear their friend's ID Tags when they aren't theirs. Why do I have to suffer through an entire store full of fake military nonsense (i.e. that black jacket with the Sergeant rank and then officer insignias all over the place?

ok, wait, I wear my grandfather's wings on a hat, but they are obviously not mine - he flew in WWI. I also have a button from my great great grandfather's Civil War uniform. I obviously didn't earn that one, either. But, I don't wear them to try to pass for a Damned Yankee, or a Signal Corps pursuit pilot - I wear them to remember my granddad, and because they are great conversation starters for others who are historians. I knew a woman who wore her mother's WWII navy WAVE sweater complete with petty officer insignia on the shoulder. She wasn't trying to pass, either.

You wear your buddy's ID tags, they're still your buddy's ID tags. You wear cargo pants, you're wearing cargo pants. There's a distinct difference between honoring the past and those in your past who served, and tatooing a Ranger tab on your back - not the least of which is, I can take off my granddad's wings. You can't do that with a tatoo of a Ranger tab. Further, you don't tatoo a Ranger tab unless you actually want people to believe you are or were a Ranger. Also seems to me that if you were tough enough to go Airborne, you'd actually become a Ranger if you want the tat.

[Robstafarian]

Originally Posted by AlphaFoxtrot51

Why do people wear BDUs when they didn't earn them?

Earn BDUs? I readily admit that I'm not up on military customs, in fact I had to look up "BDU" on AcronymFinder a few months back while clothes shopping, but are BDUs earned like service medals?

If I had bought and worn the BDUs, would that be the same as wearing a Ranger tab? For what it's worth, the pants in question didn't have any kind of camouflage pattern (they were khaki).

I don't mean to pick at words with this post, honestly.

[AlphaFoxtrot51]

Originally Posted by Robstafarian

Earn BDUs? I readily admit that I'm not up on military customs, in fact I had to look up "BDU" on AcronymFinder a few months back while clothes shopping, but are BDUs earned like service medals?

If I had bought and worn the BDUs, would that be the same as wearing a Ranger tab? For what it's worth, the pants in question didn't have any kind of camouflage pattern (they were khaki).

I don't mean to pick at words with this post, honestly.

The point I was making was about people wearing military issued clothing that have never served. It has nothing to do with how I personally feel. The only thing I ever said to someone about it was, "Why? It's not like they're a fashion statement. I spent all day waiting to get out of these things, only to see everyone else dying to buy a pair...I don't get it." Beyond that, I don't care as long as it is a non-functional uniform.

[colonelpong2]

Originally Posted by crawford

ok, wait, I wear my grandfather's wings on a hat, but they are obviously not mine - he flew in WWI. I also have a button from my great great grandfather's Civil War uniform. I obviously didn't earn that one, either. But, I don't wear them to try to pass for a Damned Yankee, or a Signal Corps pursuit pilot - I wear them to remember my granddad, and because they are great conversation starters for others who are historians. I knew a woman who wore her mother's WWII navy WAVE sweater complete with petty officer insignia on the shoulder. She wasn't trying to pass, either.

You wear your buddy's ID tags, they're still your buddy's ID tags. You wear cargo pants, you're wearing cargo pants. There's a distinct difference between honoring the past and those in your past who served, and tatooing a Ranger tab on your back - not the least of which is, I can take off my granddad's wings. You can't do that with a tatoo of a Ranger tab. Further, you don't tatoo a Ranger tab unless you actually want people to believe you are or were a Ranger. Also seems to me that if you were tough enough to go Airborne, you'd actually become a Ranger if you want the tat.

I know what you're driving at and it is a good point. Wearing some ones decorations to honour them is different to wearing them to give yourself some kind of prestige.

In recent years on ANZAC day (those outside of NZ and Australia may not be familiar with this) there have been issues with folk fronting up at the veterans parades wearing medals they bought at second hand shops and making up stories for a moment of glory.

Here (and I understand that this is consistent throughout the commonwealth) the rule is that if you front up wearing medals that you have earned, they are worn on the LEFT side.
If you are wearing the medals of a deceased ancestor or friend etc in honour of their service, they are worn on the RIGHT hand side.

[The Twitcher]

As a side question, is it possible to volunteer for ranger duty?

[Cassius]

Originally Posted by The Twitcher

As a side question, is it possible to volunteer for ranger duty?

That's the only way you can do it nowadays, Twitcher.

[panthersix]

I volunteered for Special Forces and got Ranger, but that was in 1979....and my recruiter lied to me! There were plenty of positions available for SF Medics! I'm glad I went Ranger though, it was an awesome experience.

[Wounded Ronin]

Oh wait, I bought some navy blue "LAPD style" (that's what the tag said, or something to that effect) BDUs from a uniform shop when they were in closeout, thinking to use them for outdoor range shooting in the winter. Does that make me evil? (If so, I can try to mitigate that by stitching Peace Corps patches onto them. Or maybe get a big patch commissioned that says "NOT LAPD, JUST LIKES POCKETS.")

[white_kimbo]

Originally Posted by Wounded Ronin

Oh wait, I bought some navy blue "LAPD style" (that's what the tag said, or something to that effect) BDUs from a uniform shop when they were in closeout, thinking to use them for outdoor range shooting in the winter. Does that make me evil? (If so, I can try to mitigate that by stitching Peace Corps patches onto them. Or maybe get a big patch commissioned that says "NOT LAPD, JUST LIKES POCKETS.")

don't feel bad, i have black ones myself.

i wanted to get a khaki pair but they didn't have them in my size. now i look like a specops larping fag whenever i wear them.

[ronin497]

Guys, the BDU thing isn't really a big deal, at least as far as I'm concerned. I got a buddy that has a few sets from the surplus store and wears them paintballing/hunting/shooting stuff. He never served a single day.

Wearing a set of BDU's doing outdoorsy stuff shouldn't bother anyone.

Wearing a set of BDU's to social events or the bar makes you a freaking tool, or Dwight Schrute.

Wearing a set of BDU's, complete with custom nametapes, a whole bunch of warfare qualifications you didn't earn, and a whole set of war stories to go along with it so you can scam drinks and chase tail makes you a sub-human bottom-feeding P.O.S. that needs to lose some teeth.

ETA: Army guys - for future 'poser spotting guide' purposes, are the ACU's an authorized 'liberty uniform?'