quote:

Originally posted by drill sgt:

Once had someone get up in my face about the "Drill Sgt" hat because of a long poney tail and white beard...Response was that would like to see him try and remove it

WOW! Both my hair and my beard are cut very short, yours are long. Our choices are our own, and nobody else's business (OK, maybe the wife ).

Our service, yours, mine, and all who have served, was to protect the rights of all Americans, including such trivial things as our own choice of hair style, and hat.

quote:

The latest I've seen is Doug Mastriano, candidate for PA governor wearing an Air Assault badge.

It depends. Is it tasteful, or is he bedecked with medals like a North Korean general? Did he actually earn that particular badge in his service? If yes to both, no problem.

It would be humiliating and the end of his career if he did not earn the right to wear the medals.

That is not in question. He’s a 30 year combat arms commander with combat time who earned that particular badge. The OP just doesn’t like it being worn on the lapel of his civvies.

That’s the crux of 3 pages. He earned it. He has every right to display it on his person. He’s running for governor. As jhe stated it could be a little pandering-y. OP doesn’t like people wearing their qualification badges outside of the uniform. Now you get to pick a side. Lol

It's page 3 here, and some of y'all are still questioning whether Doug Mastriano earned the badge that he wears.

On page 1, Patriot's post has a brief bio, and RogueJSK posted the following picture.

It appears from those posts, that he more than earned the badge that he is wearing as a lapel pin. Some of y'all are not reading the thread before you jump in with a comment.

quote:

Some of y'all are not reading the thread before you jump in with a comment.

Imagine that.

Great karma, I'm in!

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:

Great karma, I'm in!

Bad monkey! Go stand in the corner an look ashamed. No 'nanner for you!

I don't think the OP is complaining about someone wearing a medal or badge that they earned.

What I think the OP is getting at is the "trivial" one being brandished like it's the CMH.

For those of us that have been in, what would you say about someone that's wearing a mini National Defense Ribbon in civilian clothes?

quote:

He’s a 30-year combat arms commander

Last I knew, the Military Intelligence Corps was NOT a 'combat arms' branch. Is there something more you know about Mastriano that we don't know? If so, what 'combat arms' unit did he command?

quote:

Originally posted by CPD SIG:
I don't think the OP is complaining about someone wearing a medal or badge that they earned.

What I think the OP is getting at is the "trivial" one being brandished like it's the CMH.

For those of us that have been in, what would you say about someone that's wearing a mini National Defense Ribbon in civilian clothes?

I’d laugh at them and call them Lieutenant.

The lapel of my blazer.

quote:

Originally posted by CPD SIG:
For those of us that have been in, what would you say about someone that's wearing a mini National Defense Ribbon in civilian clothes?

I wouldn't mind that either. Not that I would recognize what a National Defense Ribbon is.

I joined the VFW last year and I knew I qualified. The guy I met at the post who was going to take my application looked at my DD214 and said he didn't recognize the Navy Expeditionary Medal I had for Indian Ocean / Iran as qualifying. I read the rules and knew it did qualify. Someone did get back to me and accepted my membership. I never though much about any of my medals before then; I just thought you stayed long enough you picked them up like ships would pick up barnacles on the hull. Since joining, I got license plate frames that signify that medal. It's just vertical stripes of blue and yellow and it isn't obvious it's military related.

As has been pointed out many times, all military veterans gave the nation a blank check that was payable up to and including their lives. Even though I am part of that group and therefore may be biased, I find it incomprehensible that anyone—himself a veteran or not—would object to how anyone else would choose to remember and remind others of that offer.

Military intelligence is indeed not a “combat arms” branch of the Army, but during my time the branch was heavily populated by officers who started in other branches, including the combat arms. The ones who started their careers in MI were (in my day, anyway) discouraged from attending such things as air assault training, and even airborne unless they managed it during the summer during ROTC or at West Point. Of course my day was a long time ago, so things may have changed since then, but as some people seem so exercised about the question, perhaps they will research the matter and let the rest of us know.

And as for wearing the National Defense Service medal ribbon, is it time to start ridiculing the Vietnam vets who wear hats like this?
(I guess it would be okay because most of us are too old now to physically teach anyone better manners.)





(But thanks for the warning; I’ll try not to give cause for too much mirth myself. )

There was a time when the US Army, on occasion, assigned Military Intelligence Lieutenants as Recon/Scout Platoon Leaders in Infantry and Armor units. I had an MI Lieutenant as a Platoon Leader at Fort Riley Kansas 1974 before he was moved to Battalion S2. However, Recon and Scout Plt Ldrs were normally Infantry or Armor branch.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
As has been pointed out many times, all military veterans gave the nation a blank check that was payable up to and including their lives. Even though I am part of that group and therefore may be biased, I find it incomprehensible that anyone—himself a veteran or not—would object to how anyone else would choose to remember and remind others of that offer.

...

And as for wearing the National Defense Service medal ribbon, is it time to start ridiculing the Vietnam vets who wear hats like this?
(I guess it would be okay because most of us are too old now to physically teach anyone better manners.)



(But thanks for the warning; I’ll try not to give cause for too much mirth myself. )

WOW, that's quite a reach there!

I’m middle of the road about it.

What the OP describes is fine by me. The dude that wears the veteran hat, T shirt, belt buckle, leather vest with patches from SF to Top Gun on it is annoying to me.

I read he was in an armored cav unit. Didn’t read far enough I guess. I still stand by my statement though. He served with honor, 30 years, and I most certainly won’t disparage intel as “he doesn’t warrant” wearing this.

This might be the dumbest thread ever. Are we now eating our own because I don’t like his T shirt? He served. He displays his service in whatever manner he wants, that’s his right as long as it’s respectful to the country and the service, and he isn’t saying he did something that he didn’t. Like the President straight up lying about getting appointed to the Naval Academy.

Semantics and poor reading skills aside, why is this an issue to anyone?

quote:

Originally posted by pedropcola:
Are we now eating our own because I don’t like his T shirt?

Precisely my point.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
Our service, yours, mine, and all who have served, was to protect the rights of all Americans, including such trivial things as our own choice of hair style, and hat.

Speak for yourself. I did it for the chicks and huge paychecks on the 1st and 15th...

quote:

Originally posted by Edmond:

I did it for the chicks and huge paychecks on the 1st and 15th

O-4 gets a bigger paycheck than I did as an E-5, even with sea pay or flight pay.