Military medals on jackets

[F16WarBird]

Depending on the occasion (wedding, ball, etc) and to location, rules occasionally are bent.

Let me see someone try to stop me from wearing it at my own wedding. ;)

As far as AFI 36-2903 (Uniform Dress & Appearance) goes, the wearing of an individual's awards & decs on anything OTHER than their uniform is exempt. It's only an issue when someone wears the uniform improperly.

Getting back OT, I'm looking for the proper etiquette regarding NON military ensembles (Prince Charlie, Argyll, etc) and medals. In other words, would it be appropriate to wear my awards and decs at a wedding if I was wearing an Argyll with a bow tie?

Know what I mean?

[An t-Ileach]

The rule in the UK is that, unless Highland Dress is part of the mess kit of your regiment, it is treated as though you're wearing civilian evening/dinner dress. In a "do" where medals are worn (it should say on the invitation), the rule-of-thumb for that is DJ (black tie)-medals (full size, court mounted), Evening Dress (white tie)-miniatures (can be court mounted). Highland Dress worn with white tie/jabot is like evening dress; with black tie it is like a DJ (i.e. tuxedo).

[Manu]

[QUOTE=F16WarBird}

Know what I mean?[/QUOTE]
I do. I guess us Devils are extremely picky about our uniforms andf dont mix them with civis. Maybe soem of the former Marines here have some input.

[Sir Robert]

In the USA federal law says that a Veteran can wear his "old" (historical) or the new (current) uniform. Basically if you have ever been in the military you can wear the uniform, that is the law. If you are in civilian attire you can still wear the medals. The problem is that in uniform you wear ribbons, not the whole medal, in Dress Uniform you wear the miniature medals so where do you wear the full size medals? No where? I don't think so.

I wore my full size medals to my wedding on my dress blues, totally dropped all ribbons, just the suspention medals. It was a fashon faux pas, but by God I earned those medals and no where in law am I required to hide them.

In uniform you are protected by law, Federal Law superseeds regulations. If you are not wearing a uniform, I.E. jacket & kilt then you are not subject to regulations. Wear the full size medals. You earned them, flaunt it.

I once was invited to a formal "Dining In" where it was specified that I would wear "everything" so I had Federal, State and ROTC ribbons. I looked like a "Hero of the Soviet Union" 30+ ribbons, it looked bad.

Right now in America is is cool to be a Service Member, it wasn't before, It will not be in the future, abuse it now while you can, before it goes out of fashon.

[davedove]

There are also miniature ribbons made specifically for wear with civilian attire, but these are designed mainly as lapel pins.

[macwilkin]

Following the British custom, full-size "gongs" may be worn on day attire; take a look at any photos from Remembrance Day in the UK, and you will see the ex-servicemen wearing their medals on their left lapels of suits, blazers, etc.

For reference, a photo of Ernest "Smokey" Smith VC of the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada:

http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/films/pic.jpg

For formal attire, I would follow the custom of mini medals. Full size gongs look odd on formal wear. Remember that a PC or a variant of the short formal jacket is based on the "mess dress" uniform, and mini medals are the order of the day in "mess dress".

"Smokey" Smith's photo in formal attire after receiving the Order of British Columbia:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...hin2002OBC.jpg

Cheers,

Todd

[Shane]

In fact, in Canada (and I think the UK) full gongs may be worn in civilian attire only on Remembrance Day (as well as undress head dress). Otherwise only miniatures may be worn and only in evening dress.

Shane

PS - You'll notice that both images of Smokey fall under these circumstances.

[Dodge]

If you are wearing a civvie dress jacket, use mini-medals on a single bar on the left lapel in order of importance.

Federal -State-Service Commemorative-Organizational.

[Robin]

In the Netherlands:

Military medals:
-Black tie....never.
-White tie...miniatures, but only when stated on the invitation.
-Daywear jacket, only on liberation day, veterans day and rememberance day...full medals.

Unit citations for bravery (Miltary Williams Order) are only attached to the unit or branch banners...these are close to holy and all (including the queen) must salute (or bow to) them.

Civilian medals (Royal household orders, Knighthood orders):
-Black tie...never.
-White tie...the whole shebang.
-Daywear jackets...small button hole ribbon or nothing.

[davedove]

Taken from AR (Army Regulation) 670–1 • 3 February 2005. I'm sure the other services have similar regulations, but I would check to be sure of the details.

29–9. Wear of miniature decorations and service medals
a. Miniature medals are replicas of regular size medals, made to a scale of one-half the size of the original. Except
for the Medal of Honor, for which there is no miniature, only miniature decorations and service medals are authorized
for wear on the mess and evening mess uniforms. Personnel will not wear full-size medals, service and training
ribbons, or U.S. and foreign unit award emblems with miniature medals. Only the dress miniature-size combat and
special skill badges are worn with miniature medals.
b. Miniature decorations and service medals are authorized for wear on the following uniforms.
(1) Male personnel. On the Army white and blue uniforms, the white and blue mess and evening mess uniforms;
and on the left lapel of formal civilian attire, when wear of Army uniforms is inappropriate or not authorized.
Miniature badges are authorized for wear on the AG shade 415 shirt. (See para 29–17b for wear of combat and special
skill badges with miniature medals; see paragraphs 29–17c and 29–18d for wear of combat and special skill badges on
the AG shade 415 shirt.)
(2) Female personnel. On the Army white and blue uniforms; the white, all-white, black, or blue mess uniforms; the
Army white, blue, or black evening mess uniforms; and on the left side of formal civilian attire when wear of Army
uniforms is inappropriate or not authorized. Miniature badges are authorized for wear on the AG shade 415 shirt. (See
para 29–17b for wear of combat and special skill badges with miniature medals; see paragraphs 29–17c and 29–18d for
wear of combat and special skill badges on the AG shade 415 shirt.)

30–6. Wear of medals on civilian clothes
Retired personnel and former members of the Army (as described above) may wear all categories of medals described
in this regulation on appropriate civilian clothing. This includes clothes designed for veteran and patriotic organizations
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. Personnel may wear either full-size or miniature medals. Personnel who wear medals on
civilian clothes should place the medals on the clothing 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.