Kilts And Giving Service - Is There A Connection?

[Geoff Withnell]

I was actually verbally asso=aulted by a bunch of marines while wearing my kilt one night. The My brother in law, also a marine, Also HATEs the kilt. ( he has to wear one for my wifes wedding HAHA) So every marine I have come across has done nothing but talk out of their #%@$.

So it works both ways it seems.

I always thought it was odd that Military types would choose to disrespect the kilt. Who knew?

Odd indeed. I have found most Marines (upper case please) have no problem with it, being a group very devoted to freedom in general. I apologize for my rude brothers-in-arms.

As to the general question of the relationship to service and kilt wearing, I think there is a relationship, albeit not cause and effect. Most men in the military, LEO, firefighting, etc., are self-confident, masculine men. So are most kilt wearing men, so the is a strong overlap. Also, there is a strong cultural tendency, at least in the United States, for men of Celtic background, Scottish, Irish and Welsh particularly, enter the military, even if not for a career, or law enforcement/fire fighting. So Again, and tendency to overlap

[ForresterModern]

I think Geoff and Peacekeeper have the best explanation---a parallel with strong, independent, self confident men (or women) tend toward those professions, but it also takes the same kind of personality traits are typical in a kilt wearer, for having the guts to put it on and go out in public without flinching.

I have either been in medicine (or heading that direction) since I was about 12 years old (38 years of "service") but have only been kilt interested for a few years and kilted for less than two.

[SteveB]

I have been kilted since my early teen years. After college I chose to serve in the Military. I have been a volunteer firefighter, and have served in the police department. Clan tartan for weddings, funerals, and other important events. Band kilt for walking down main street with a large drum hanging off my back.
I grew up with the kilt as an article of clothing. I was big enough that there was no doubt that I was male. Never had any grief as a teen about wearing a kilt. Usually curiosity, and plenty of contact with the fairer gendered.

[ForresterModern]

... and plenty of contact with the fairer gendered.

I like the way that sounds.

[Detroitpete]

Another great question River (you rock, by the way!),

I served 8 years in the military (US Navy) and am rounding my 16th year in public health service. I've noticed this connection as well. I thought maybe I was just tuned to it a bit more sensitively.

Hmmm, Maybe I'll choose to look at it this way. There are people here who I have a LOT in common with, ergo, ya'll are my kind of strange :-)

[RamsayClanCommish]

Also, there is a strong cultural tendency, at least in the United States, for men of Celtic background, Scottish, Irish and Welsh particularly, enter the military, even if not for a career, or law enforcement/fire fighting. So Again, and tendency to overlap

In my case, while I have not served in the military, I am serving on city council and have done so in the past for over 10 years. I keep active in local politics and committees to do what I can for the area. I think it IS a trait of Celtic blood to be in some sort of service to their fellow men and women.

[Scott West]

Riverkilt: I feel exactly as Tattoo Bradley in that I do not detect any connection between my career in the Air Force and being a kiltie. Actually, it would be impossible for me to associate the two because I wanted a kilt so long before even contemplating joining the service. I do, however, feel service develops a certain confidence in the person thereby making them susceptible to our communal plaid "malady"!

[Old Hippie]

Wondering if the apparent high number of kilted men in service areas, or with a history of such service, is to be expected -i.e. proportionate to the percent of men in service areas without considering kilts - or if men who provide service are more drawn to the kilt?

It's probably down to individual reasons. I come from a military family, with documented ancestors serving in the Revolutionary War, both sides of the War Between the States, and so on.

I was heavily influenced by reading the military histories of the Highland Regiments -- some of them a bit fanciful, I might add.

For me, the kilt, aside from heritage, represents two things: comfortable causal wear, which is somewhat incompatible with the whole military thing; and clothing that can be symbolic as well as practical and functional, which goes with that whole well-turned-out look a person can have in a Class A or B uniform.

It always seemed to me that (in the US Army at least, at the time) it was a shame we didn't go kilted regularly. Having tradition and ceremony as part of everyday life tends to bind people together. You know where your group came from, and you know that it will continue on when you are gone.

Maybe I'm just an old fart romanticizing too much.

[Riverkilt]

Maybe a better way to phrase it would be men who know the presence of death and the aura of death...men who've put their life at risk, face death, and see death.

I was a Cold Warrior...didn't happen for me in my time in the military. Came after as a police officer during the riots of the 60s and on the street. Death is always a risk working underground. The Fire Service faces death nearly every day. Search and Rescue is a fight with death. Death is a real risk and a real presence in corrections service....and fighting death is the core of healthcare.

As grizzled and hardened as police officers and firefighters can be I've seen the toughest weep at the death of a child. These same men kilt up with pride.

For me, to me, there just seem to be more men who wear kilts that serve in professions where death is a presence than kilted men who don't work/serve in harm's way.

And, for sure, a nod to the cultural piece of work in the fields of service to others.

Ron

[RamsayClanCommish]

"Maybe a better way to phrase it would be men who know the presence of death and the aura of death...men who've put their life at risk, face death, and see death."

Hey...on city council I face death. You ever tell a lady senior citizen the city plans to raise their water and sewer rates? Looking death right in the eye my friend....