Sir Robert is pretty much dead on, except for one item.

For someone to wear the uniform, A fomer service member not retired must be a veteran that served during a declared war, but need not have seen combat. Let me say that again, Must have served during a declared war, but need not have seen combat.

The shady area is what uniform and rank you are allowed to wear. IE if the declared war happened when you were a PFC and later left the service as a SSG, the way I read the regs you would have to wear PFC rank, and only the awards and decorations that you had at the time.

Other folks interpret the regulation differently. That being said I would never ding a person for wearing the rank and awards and decorations they left the service with, but there are folks out there who will get all assed up over things like this.

Being a vet who planned on retireing, but ended up on the street at 12 years with a disability discharge Ive read up on this very subject a bunch :smile: