General Question

yuengling1829's avatar

Would it be disrespectful to wear an army jacket around town? (I am not a member of the armed forces.)

Asked by yuengling1829 (27points) September 7th, 2011
31 responses
“Great Question” (6points)

I picked up a jacket like this one at the Salvation Army store today for $2. I was thinking it would be nice to wear on fall days that are too warm for my puffy jacket, but once I got it home I started to wonder if it would be disrespectful to wear it, considering that I’m a civilian. I feel like I might anger some people if I wear it casually.

Should I just bring it back to the thrift store tomorrow? Or is it ok to wear?

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Answers

chyna's avatar

We wore them as teenagers. It was not meant to be disrespectful at the time, but as a cool jacket to wear.

Blackberry's avatar

I personally don’t think it’s disrespectful, but I think people who wear them look bad, in my opinion. It would be like me wearing my Dress Blue Jumper and ribbons with jeans…..

Pandora's avatar

Nah, especially since its no longer bright green.

Simone_De_Beauvoir's avatar

If you have to ask, you’ll never feel comfortable wearing that jacket. In my opinion, you can wear it.

WestRiverrat's avatar

As long as you don’t pin rank and medals on it it won’t be disrespectful. I have a couple that I wear hunting all the time.

ddude1116's avatar

I wouldn’t say so. I’ve been looking to buy an older one for a while, actually.

TexasDude's avatar

Like @WestRiverrat don’t wear rank insignia or medals, and don’t go around telling people you are an elite spec ops space shuttle door gunner who killed hitler while dual-wielding grenade launchers, and you’ll be fine.

CaptainHarley's avatar

LMAO @Fiddle_Playing_Creole_Bastard

What he said… sorta! LOL!

TexasDude's avatar

But seriously. Wear the jacket. Just don’t be a military poser. That’s a good way to get your ass kicked. Real military folks are pretty good at smelling that kind of bullshit. And you’ll look like this douchenozzle.

/Public Service Announcement

CWOTUS's avatar

I wore military clothing in my teens, but none of it ever had any insignia. I think I’d take off the “US Army” patch if I were you.

And don’t wear the thing in the woods during hunting season!

woodcutter's avatar

I live next to an Army town and there’s so much TA-50 in second hand shops you could outfit a battalion with all the stuff they sell. Some of it’s new so GI’s can replace worn gear without having to go through all the bullshit requisition red tape to replace their stuff. I see it every day,BDU’s and ACU fatigue but almost never the top and pants together. That would look douchy even to all who are used to seeing troops downtown.
You can’t beat the field jackets and liners for top notch cold weather. I have a few pair of ACU pants. They have pockets all over them with rip stop fabric that is so light they almost feel like PJ’s.
Uncle Sugar buy’s the good stuff and we get to pay for it twice.

livestrong's avatar

I don’t think it’s disrespectful.

Nullo's avatar

Should be fine.

WestRiverrat's avatar

@CWOTUS depends on which hunting season. I wear mine for the early dove and waterfowl seasons so I blend into the background and don’t spook the doves, ducks or geese.

CaptainHarley's avatar

If you’re familiar with military uniforms and insignia, just watch the actors in a military movie, what they wear and how they wear it. There’s always some little discrepancy between the actor’s uniform and the actual military uniform… maybe just the wrong insignia, maybe just wearing a ribbon or some other decoration incorrectly. This is so they can legitimately say, “I wasn’t impersonating anyone. The uniform wasn’t correct.”

digitalimpression's avatar

@yuengling1829 That particular jacket is no longer used (at least in the American Army). I wouldn’t call it disrespectful in any way to wear it. The only exception would be if you were to lie to people and tell them you were in the armed forces. That would be disrespectful and dishonest.

However, I have a feeling you are going to be self conscious wearing this jacket anyway. Perhaps you’d be more comfortable in something else.

plethora's avatar

I’m with @CaptainHarley and @Fiddle_Playing_Creole_Bastard

But I also think they are grossly ugly…...but that’s just my fashion statement. There’s no harm in wearing it without insignia.

dreamwolf's avatar

Dude, they sell em in arguably every thrift shop in San Diego. Wear it loud, wear it proud. :D

Response moderated (Unhelpful)
King_Pariah's avatar

Why not? BDU’s are pretty much out of service anyway so even if you said you are a soldier a good number of people would know you’re spouting bullshit

XOIIO's avatar

It’s not direspectful. If you walked aroudn in a mountee jacket however… XD

Scooby's avatar

Wear it with pride if anything, I have two British Army jackets I wear over the winter months when out walking & about town, they’re purely functional in that they are very warm & very well made, have lots of pockets & tough wearing… I’ve had them for years, bought them from an Army & Navy store when I was in my twenties & I’ve never been mistaken as being disrespectful….. Besides there’s enough designer garments on the market now copying camouflage print I think it’s become very acceptable as casual wear……. Why worry :-/

lucillelucillelucille's avatar

I occasionally wear Marine Corp covers given to me by both my father and my friend who are Marines. They gave me these things expecting that I might wear them and I do.
As for the Swiss Naval coat I own? Wear that if you never want to get a date. ;)

CaptainHarley's avatar

Landlocked Switzerland has a NAVY?? :O

CaptainHarley's avatar

LOL! Good morning, nice lady! : ))

lucillelucillelucille's avatar

@CaptainHarley—Good morning! Here is what it looks like
I would try it on and post a photo but it would ruin the look of my bathrobe. XD

wilma's avatar

I’ve been wearing mine for 35 years.
Don’t pretend to be something that you aren’t and you should be able to wear it for years.

CaptainHarley's avatar

Ah! They’re taking about the COLOR, not that Switzerland has a navy! LOL!

cheebdragon's avatar

If it is, then I’ve been disrespecting them for years.

gilmourfan's avatar

You won’t be seen as disrespectful. A lot of people wear fatigues for different reasons – that’s why the Army surplus stores do such good business. ;)

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