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I have never associated the uniform with desertion prevention. Rather, it gave me identity as a member of a team with an honorable goal.
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I have never associated the uniform with desertion prevention. Rather, it gave me identity as a member of a team with an honorable goal.I believe the main reason soldiers were forbidden from "owning" civilian clothing during WW2, was not to distinguish them as servicing with honor and pride, but rather to make desertion more difficult.
I have never associated the uniform with desertion prevention. Rather, it gave me identity as a member of a team with an honorable goal.
I am not sure how the uniform would prevent desertion. A person could go out the gate in uniform, purchase civilian clothes and take off. A lot of government policies made little or no sense and in my opinion this is one.I agree with you, and am sure it was like that for most soldiers. I was implying that this was the reason the government required soldiers to only have uniforms during there enlistments/service periods.
I am not sure how the uniform would prevent desertion. A person could go out the gate in uniform, purchase civilian clothes and take off. A lot of government policies made little or no sense and in my opinion this is one.
A determined person will almost always find a way around a problem, the idea is to make it difficult enough so that most won't even bother.I am not sure how the uniform would prevent desertion. A person could go out the gate in uniform, purchase civilian clothes and take off. A lot of government policies made little or no sense and in my opinion this is one.
Thanks for the intell !Ribbons left to right: Air Medal, European Theater, Victory Medal.
I had respect for the uniform even when I didn't have it on. It was difficult to relax when in uniform because of the discipline it mandated. I walked a little taller with it on.I've seen pictures of my uncles, and dad, on leave during WW2.
They're wearing military class A uniform on a picnic, a little lax, maybe. No hats, but outside.
There's also pictures of them eating a meal indoors, no uniform, I think, but it's hard to say for sure from a black and white picture.
Then there's some pictures of them hunting while they're on leave, definitely not military clothes.
I just thought they wore their military uniform even when home on leave, mainly when they out in public. Because they didn't want no one to mistake them for a 4-F. Surely even the military knew they couldn't control every facet of your life when you were on leave.
Your "will shrink" comments make me feel much better.Bill
It is a well known fact, among the Vets I know, that our uniforms hanging in a closet or folded in a trunk will shrink over time. It seems to have to do with age and the condition of the wearer, but many of us have "lost" our uniforms due to this insidious shrinkage; It is especially sad as we certainly haven't changed any in all this time.
Seriously: Thank you for your incites and input to help all of us understand more about the " way it was".
Back in the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave wearing a uniform in 1968 was a good way to get shunned, spit-on, beat-up, etc.
First let me say being called a boy scout is a compliment. I achieved my eagle scout award at age 15 in 1940 of which I am very proud. However, I understand your feelings. On receiving my commission and bombardier wings during WWII I also walked tall. I was proud to be in the military.I missed "The 'Nam," having just graduated high school in '75. I did have some friends who went, including the older brother of my best friend, who flew UH-1 gunships. When I was entering high school (ours was just last three years, 10th -12th grades), in September '72, I started in Army Junior ROTC. I was SO proud to be in the uniform. We had standard issue army khakis and garrison caps. The only thing different from regular army was our collar and hat brass. We didn't even have JROTC shoulder patches yet, which we would get later. I was leaving a drug store I stopped into after school, when a kid and his mom were going in the other door. He looked at me and smiled. I felt ten feet tall. Then, he said to his mother, "Look mommy, a boy scout." Some days it just doesn't pay to get out of bed.
-Irish
Your feelings are commendableI started in Cub Scouts early on, so I've worn the BSA (what it used to be called) uniform and loved it, but being even a small part of the Army, getting to go on weekend FTXs (field training exercises) and having trips to places such as Fort Benning are absolutely highlights of my high school days. Having the US Army uniform mistaken for that of a boy scout just seemed wrong on so many levels. Maybe if I was a few years older, I wouldn't have still been giving off that "doesn't shave yet" vibe.
le
-Irish
If you'd been wearing Navy class A's nobody would mistake you for a Boy Scout."Look mommy, a boy scout."
I'm missing something here. That's an airline, is it not? And service weapon?American Eagle Captain's uniform, she would invariably get asked to give up her service weapon
Yep, they were so unused to the idea of women pilots that they took one glance at her uniform and assumed she was some esoteric form of cop.I'm missing something here. That's an airline, is it not? And service weapon?