Military patches for rank on kilt?

[Nathan]

This may be a difference between the Canadian and American military culture. Many of the people on this forum are ex military. In the Canadian Forces, there is a strong, strong, admonition against mixing civilian and military kit. I'm not a veteran but I am ex military.
As far as I know, like other ex soldiers, Canadian veterans are not permitted to wear their uniforms, in whole or in part, once they retire from the forces. They may wear some form of Legion or association uniform that consists of a blazer, often with a regimental patch sewn on, and trousers. Even Highland veterans don't wear kilts on Remembrance Day once they retire. They are, however permitted to wear the Legion or Vets association headdress which is a beret or Glengarry for the Army. They are also permitted to wear medals.

Any exceptions to the above such as special rules for veterans of a particular regiment, would still be subject to that association's own rules and wouldn't really be a free for all.

Even serving soldiers aren't allowed to wear their uniform or mess kit to their wedding or a black tie function without obtaining consent in writing from their unit via the chain of command.

I see American veterans on this forum incorporating elements of their former uniform such as unit badges etc...into their civie attire. Most military folks up here would frown upon this quite strenuously.

Obviously, if you were in a Kilted Regiment that wore the black watch tartan, there's nothing to stop you buying a civilian kilt in the same generic tartan.

Since you're American, Teffer, none of this Canuck stuff really concerns you too much. I just brought it up so I might learn if there is any parallel sentiment there. If your dad has no qualms about putting military rank insignia on his civilian attire, get creative. Lay it out in some kind of organized fashion and go to town.

[OC Richard]

Yes no badges or patches are worn on Scottish military kilts (save for the panels shown above worn by the former Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders).

And obviously Utilikilts are a recent purely civilian invention.

So, there is no tradition or protocol to guide you, and you can do it any way you wish, any way you think looks good.

Personally I don't care for the mixing of military and civilian dress, but who am I to say? I never was in the military... perhaps if I had been I would think about it differently.

[Truitt]

If there is a difference in the culture it is in how much people care to stick to the rules. With a few very specific exceptions, mixing military items with civilian wear is forbidden by all branches of the U.S. military unless the rules have changed in recent years. And veterans are restricted from wearing their uniforms except under very specific circumstances. Allowance is made for veterans to be able to wear their decorations with civilian attire on appropriate occasions.

Certain veterans' associations, such as the Scottish American Military Society (SAMS), have their own uniform guidelines.

As a U.S. veteran I would never mix military items with my civilian attire, and I personally believe it is bad form to do so.

[Riverkilt]

This may not help, but here's my late little brothers rank as a kilt pin addendum on my Leatherneck tartan kilt. I was a cold warrior in the USMC back in 65-66, a real yawner then...but I wear the kilt in his honor - he did over ten years before he died and was a D.I. in Sandy Eggo. Of course its collar insignia relocated but its meaningful to me.



I currently have another one on order to use on my Dress Blue Marine Corps tartan kilt in the same manner, for the same reason - to honor my brother's service rather than follow any rules someone else made up.

[The Wizard of BC]

As a former US Marine Corps and US Army Officer I do not, nor will I ever, wear rank insignia with civilian attire.

The closest I will ever come is this.



And this, when attending a military event, and the invitation specifies Miniature medals.



I do have my D.I cover but there is nothing on it and it is not worn.
I also have my Cav hat. The only thing on it are my wings.

This is my personal decision and I do not require, or expect, others to do the same.

I still have all that stuff. It's in a box and perhaps one day someone will put it all in a triangular box with a flag and a few spent rounds.

[Chas]

The trouble with military rank badges is that they are large - they are after all designed to identify a person at a distance. Far too large to be worn on a kilt.

On the other hand most ranks are available as collar dogs (as shown by Riverkilt) or miniatures in the form of sweetheart broaches. Many regiments sell such things just for the spouse or loved ones to wear.

If the man served, I for one, see nothing wrong with him being proud of his service and showing it off.

[Sturdy]

Gotta love that mini-K-Bar Sgian Dubh!

[Nathan]

T]I currently have another one on order to use on my Dress Blue Marine Corps tartan kilt in the same manner, for the same reason - to honor my brother's service rather than follow any rules someone else made up.

With the utmost respect to you and your brother, and I mean that sincerely, the military has a lot to do with following rules someone else made up. A lot of those rules have to do with dressing how they tell you, eating when they tell you and putting yourself into harms way. I completely empathize with your desire to honour his service and sacrifice. That's why in the Commonwealth we wear the poppy. It symbolizes exactly that. Do Americans have any equivalent symbol?

I don't want to get too sanctimonius as I sometimes wear a military kilt, but it's also in my family tartan and when worn with civilian attire, it's military origin is not obvious.

The issue here is that anyone who recognized what the kit was and stood for would be quick to admonish you for wearing it with civvies and it would go over most other people's heads.

For example, I have my old sporran badge from the unit but would never affix it to a civilian sporran for that reason.

Just my 5 cents. Canada phased out the penny.

[Teffer]

Thank you so much for the many and varied contributions. My SD was career military, and this would be for him to wear to veterans events that don't require formal dress ( like a vets BBQ) or to the Highland Festival. As to whether or not its proper, this was his idea, so I'm going to trust in his instincts and knowledge. When I have it done, I'll post a picture. In the meantime, I love the pictures and the contributions. Thank you so much for the warm welcome.

[Geoff Withnell]

Different services and nations have different traditions. USMC gives a wide latitude and wearing ribbons, medals and badges, but says, so far as I could tell, nothing about rank insignia. I personally wear my ribbons and badges on suitable occasions, and miniature medals for evening wear, since about the only black tie events I go to are military in nature. I don't wear rank insignia because I no longer hold rank. Someone who is retired and still entitled to be addressed by their rank may feel diffrently.