A story about that. Originally the new USAF dress uniform as not supposed to have epaulets. Gen McPeak said, "Our uniforms should look like airline uniforms, just as US Navy uniforms look like commercial ship uniforms (no schifft! He really said that!)
At an event in DC (I think at the Smithsonian ASM) a Congressman walked up to a USAF General and said, "Well, Admiral, this is a nice event." I can understand the error. I was at an event where a USAF General was wearing one of the new suits and I thought he was an Admiral, too.
After that, they put the epaulets back on the uniform. Of course numerous retired USAF generals had been saying, "Are you people freaking crazy!!!!?" But that Congressman's comment was the final straw.