Wearing authentic military jacket

I'd 3 uncle's in vietnam. Heli pilot, engineer and dolphin trainer.
Hey the jacket fits me good, I wear it at home.
I'd probably get my ass fucked if I wore it in public....San Diego is loaded with badasses/military men and women.

I've 3 uncle's that served in Vietnam. Heli pilot, engineer and dolphin trainer.

I've had the garment for 2 years, I won't wear it public....or haven't ever worn it in public.

Threw this out there to see y'all's take on it.

 

How many uncles did you say?

 

Not sure any of the guys that I know that were issued that stuff would ever wear it again for funsies....me included

 

Nope

 

Decades ago, when I was in Jr. Hi and HS. surplus jackets were very common. I don't recall anyone taking issue.

 

It would definitely be a bad place to try to BS anyone.

I have a shirt given to me by a close friend who is a PJ in a tier 1 unit. I only wear it at home since I'd feel like a poser in public. A while back I finished a workout in the garage and decided to walk down to OB Smoothie. I'm in line and I hear, "We have a PJ in the house?" It took a second to realize he was talking to me, and when I realized what I was wearing I about panicked.

I laughed, and told him I fix air conditioners for a living and that I got the shirt from my bro. He said, "If he gave you that shirt he must think a lot of you." He then proceeded to interrogate me until he was satisfied that I was telling the truth. Turns out he was a retired PJ. Thankfully he knew my friend's name since there are very few guys in that particular group.

Point is, you're right. It's such a small world, and I can't believe that people still try to fake the funk and think they can get away with it.

 

Speaking of wearing military gear, I actually bowhunt in hand-me-down crye precision gear I got from my friend. It's actually really nice stuff.

 

Not gonna lie, I actually try to avoid driving my dad’s vette. He’s got his Airborne license plate cover and personalized plates ... VETTRUN. I don’t want people thinking it’s me out of concern of the same thing. “I’m just thrashing the car, man. Not personally claiming anything other than loving to drive.”

 

I guess I should clarify...in the 60s and 70s, everyone was trying to avoid military service and the all expense trip to SE Asia. Stolen valor was not a thing yet. The jackets were cheap and useful. My first leather riding jacket was a surplus leather Navy flying jacket. Still have it. No it doesn't fit.

 

When I was a young lad, a lot of kids in the neighborhood wore stuff their dads / older brothers had from WWII or Korea, especially when we were playing "war" as kids. This was before we got heavily involved in Nam. I second what Acree says above about that gear during the 70's. I often bought stuff at the Army/Navy store while I was in college, as a buck or two for a pair of used surplus pants was about all I could afford back then.

I would never wear insignia/rank which I did not earn. IMV its an affront to those who served, whether they got drafted, forced by the courts, or volunteered.

 

Hang on, a "dolphin trainer in Vietnam"...

And no one says anything???????!!......

 

FWIW, none of the stuff I wear was issued to me. I wear the stuff that suits my needs/activities. If I happen to be wearing it when I get an inkling to run errands around town, so be it, as long as it's clean.

 

Saw that too but assumed it a trap

 

I wear a Members Only jacket and feel like I'm pretending to be in a club.

And, serendipitously, this showed up in my work meme thread today:



Charlie Don't Surf!

 

Only on Halloween, fuckers!

 

Mickey mouse boots for winter hunting is all I have to add to this thread.

 

I served for 36 years in the Army and the Army regulation states that it is OK to wear without name tag, US Army or any other patch or insignia on the garment. I have worn an old BDU shirt or field jacket to do work in. I wouldn't know why anyone would want to wear a Class A or Dress blue jacket or pants. Boots are fine and are sold as surplus every day of the week.

 

Busted my ass to earn the EGA, so I bristle when I see folks that didn’t do so wearing it. I’m not going to say or do anything to them, but it definitely gets me fired up.

 

I park in the O-6 and up spaces on base.