US military insignia

[Richrail]

Within the original post, I would like to get a US Army tartan kilt and have a kilt pin made with the unit crest' that my three sons served in to honor them. Would this be in bad taste? All three of my sons have served or are still serving.

[David Thorpe]

Within the original post, I would like to get a US Army tartan kilt and have a kilt pin made with the unit crest' that my three sons served in to honor them. Would this be in bad taste? All three of my sons have served or are still serving.

I would think that this would be a very nice thing to do. A unit crest is not the same as personal decorations or rank insignia.

[O'Searcaigh]

With the exception of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard enlisted (Petty Officer) rank insignia, all the others (privates thru sergeants) and commissioned officer (single brass bar thru stars) are used by many other organizations, from police departments, bands, veterans organizations.... I have seen Marines (once a Marine always a Marine) wearing the distinctive EGA while kilted (as bonnet badges, kilt pins). The restriction, I believe, is for active duty military personnel -- that they may not wear items of their uniform mixed with civilian atire? Wearing a sailor (dixie cup) hat used to be a common sight in beach communities when I was a child -- but not by U.S. Naval personnel unless in full authorized uniform of the day.

[Geoff Withnell]

The United States Marine Corps regulations specifically ALLOWS the wearing of ribbons and medals. I quote:

5105. DECORATIONS, MEDALS, RIBBON BARS, AND LAPEL BUTTONS WORN ON CIVILIAN CLOTHING

1. Decorations, medals, appropriate ribbon bars, or lapel buttons may be worn on civilian clothes at the individual's discretion. Individuals should ensure that the occasion and the manner of wearing will not reflect discredit on the award.

[creagdhubh]

The United States Marine Corps regulations specifically ALLOWS the wearing of ribbons and medals. I quote:

5105. DECORATIONS, MEDALS, RIBBON BARS, AND LAPEL BUTTONS WORN ON CIVILIAN CLOTHING

1. Decorations, medals, appropriate ribbon bars, or lapel buttons may be worn on civilian clothes at the individual's discretion. Individuals should ensure that the occasion and the manner of wearing will not reflect discredit on the award.

As far as Highland dress goes, I usually only wear my miniature medals with black tie and that's it (and I don't even do that all the time). I haven't worn my rifle expert badge, pistol expert badge, ribbons and parachutist wings since I was on active-duty in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Semper Fi!

[unixken]

Here's the most concise summary I can find, for all U.S. Military branches. This, from http://usmilitary.about.com/od/theor.../medalwear.htm

Army. Army Regulation 670-1, paragraph 30-6, says that former members of the Army (including active duty, reserves, or Army National Guard), may wear medals on "appropriate" civilian clothing on Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day, and Armed Forces Day, as well as at "formal occasions of ceremony and social functions of a military nature." "Appropriate" civilian clothes includes clothes designed for veteran and patriotic organizations, such as VFW or American Legion uniforms. You can wear either the full-size or miniature-size medals. You should place the medals and decorations in approximately the same location and in the same manner as for the Army uniform, so they look similar to medals worn on the Army uniform.

Air Force. Air Force Instruction 36-2903, paragraph 4-4 says that honorably discharged and retired Air Force members may wear full-size or miniature medals on civilian suits on appropriate occasions such as Memorial Day and Armed Forces Day. Female members may wear full-size or miniature medals on equivalent dress. As with the Army, medals should be placed in the approximate same location and in the manner they are placed on the Air Force Uniform.

Navy. The Navy Uniform Regulations, Chapter 6, paragraph 61002, subparagraph 7 includes the requirements for wearing Navy decorations on civilian clothes. The regulation authorizes the wear of miniature medals and Miniature Breast Insignia on civilian evening dress (white tie) or civilian dinner dress (black tie) in the same manner as for dinner dress jackets. For non-dress-up affairs, you may wear miniature replicas of ribbons made in the form of lapel buttons, or ribbons made in rosette form, on the left lapel of civilian clothes. You may also wear miniature distinguished marksmanship and pistol shot badges as a lapel pin or as part of a tie clasp on civilian clothing.

Marine Corps. The Marine Corps Uniform Regulation, MCO P1020.34G, says that decorations, medals, appropriate ribbon bars, or lapel buttons may be worn on civilian clothes at the individual’s discretion. Individuals should ensure that the occasion and the manner of wearing will not reflect discredit on the award. Miniature medals may be worn with civilian evening dress. For non-evening dress, miniature replicas of ribbons made in the form of enameled lapel buttons, or ribbons made in rosette form, may be worn on the left lapel of civilian clothes.

Coast Guard. The Coast Guard Uniform Regulation, Table 3.G.1, allows the wear of miniature medals with civilian evening dress (white tie). You should wear them in the same manner as prescribed for Formal Dress uniform, and with civilian dinner dress (black tie) in the same manner as prescribed for Dinner Dress uniforms. Miniature ribbon replicas may be worn on the left lapel of other civilian clothes.

[Chas]

Surely the military regulations cover military personnel ONLY. Once a man leaves the service, he cannot be forced to comply with regulations designed for someone else. What an ex-serviceman does with insignia is purely down to good taste and morals.

Regards

Chas

[davidlpope]

As far as Highland dress goes, I usually only wear my miniature medals with black tie and that's it (and I don't even do that all the time). I haven't worn my rifle expert badge, pistol expert badge, ribbons and parachutist wings since I was on active-duty in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Semper Fi!

Same thinking here. It always seems a bit gaudy when I run into folks at highland games wearing lots of military awards, ribbons, pins, etc. with casual kilted clothing. I have a couple neckties which feature the USMC colors or the EGA. To me this is a much more tasteful way of emphasizing what I have in common with other folks I run into (if they're Marines), instead of showing off personal awards, how good of a shot I was with a rifle, etc.

[Geoff Withnell]

I don't typically wear my ribbons, etc, when just at a highland games in casual clothing. OTOH, I do wear my ribbons when I feel it is appropriate for day wear. For example, pretty much all day on Veteran's Day. I normally wear a dress shirt, or collared khaki shirt, since putting medals on a polo shirt seems strange to me. I pretty much ALWAYS have an EGA about my person somewhere if I am out of the house, if only the one on my ring. But the ribbons, or mini-medals only come out for "appropriate military or patriotic occasions". Come to think of it, I don't think I have ever worn full size medals, even when I was active duty.

Same thinking here. It always seems a bit gaudy when I run into folks at highland games wearing lots of military awards, ribbons, pins, etc. with casual kilted clothing. I have a couple neckties which feature the USMC colors or the EGA. To me this is a much more tasteful way of emphasizing what I have in common with other folks I run into (if they're Marines), instead of showing off personal awards, how good of a shot I was with a rifle, etc.

[Scout]

As far as Highland dress goes, I usually only wear my miniature medals with black tie and that's it (and I don't even do that all the time). I haven't worn my rifle expert badge, pistol expert badge, ribbons and parachutist wings since I was on active-duty in the U.S. Marine Corps. Semper Fi!

I agree. As a retired Army officer there are occasions that call for me to be in uniform when I wear all of my decorations, qualifications badges, tabs, etc. In civilian black tie attire however, I only wear my miniature medals. I may be nit-picking but the way I interpret the custom of wearing decorations with civilian clothing is that it's decorations that are supposed to be worn, not qualification badges. To my way of thinking it goes with the whole concept of understated elegance of dressing in black tie to begin with.

Just my $.02 worth. Your mileage may vary.