Military in Uniform at Airport

[RangerMateo]

From a technical standpoint this is correct. I think what the other posters were saying is that the Army guys who've been gone for such a long time deserve it. Bumping them up to 1st class for their flight home is a pretty small thank you and one they technically can't accept but I don't know many people who would blame them for doing it.

Completely agree, just wanted to know =)

[Karl Hungus]

Now you can wear ABUs on commercial flights

Staff report

Posted : Thursday Apr 3, 2008 17:35:39 EDT

Airmen are finally cleared to wear the Airman Battle Uniform while flying commercially in the continental U.S.

Though airmen are still encouraged to wear blue service uniforms when crisscrossing the country on official business, they can now don the tiger-stripe Airman Battle Uniform, first widely distributed last year, without breaking regulation.

Wearing the discontinued but still ubiquitous Battle Dress Uniform, or the desert camouflage when appropriate, is also permissible.

Wearing flight suits is not.

Generally, airmen on business can wear civilian clothes as well, though commanders have the authority to restrict this privilege.

[Boxhead]

Wearing flight suits is not.

lol, I know lots of folks that have not got that message. :)

seperate note: This last go, I made it all the way to my tent in theater with no one so much as questioning the fact I was in civies. It was great. I went with the George Kastanza "just look busy and no one will bother you" techniqe.

[HerkDerka]

Blues - authorized

ACU's - authorized

BDU's - authorized

DCU's - authorized

Bags - No, permission not granted.

Yeah, that makes sense.

HD

[Hotel]

It makes tons of sense since I only have bags in my closet and one set of blues collecting dust. It's an AAFES conspiracy to force us to buy a bunch of other uniforms we'll never wear again.

[Scooter14]

If I flew back to Robins on a tanker from a deployment, landed and took a bus to Hartsfield to catch a flight home, I would like to have the option to wear the tan bag. My primary duty requires a flight suit. That's what I wore. I'm not going to wear ABUs/DCUs just for the flight home. Doesn't make sense. Airman Snuffy from CE can wear his uniform all the way home, why do I have to change into civvies?

Other than that, I'm happy in cargo pants, a decent shirt and my Merrells.

[Hotel]

I agree with Scooter on this. The bag is our daily uniform. Why it wouldn't be allowed is beyond me. Not to mention it's great to travel in - it wears like a pair of pajamas and has a zillion pockets to stuff things like ipod's, altoids, beer, airline tickets, just about anything you can think of.

[Guest AndThenSome]

Would anything really happen to you if you did? So if I'm walking through the airport in a bag, what's the worst that could happen? Some shoe clerk/reg nazi major happens to see you, and walks up and gets in your chili about being in a flight suit and tells you to change? Or writes down your name and contacts your squadron to report the "incident", to which your commander will probably laugh and do nothing? This seems like one where common sense should prevail. If you're traveling on official business and decide to do it in uniform, wear the only one you ever wear, not every other uniform you never wear.

[pawnman]

Just wondering, who here would (given the option) really like to wear a flightsuit while sitting coach class on a commercial airliner?

Between a flightsuit and ABUs? Or Blues? I'll take the bag in a heartbeat.

[M2]

Would anything really happen to you if you did? So if I'm walking through the airport in a bag, what's the worst that could happen? Some shoe clerk/reg nazi major happens to see you, and walks up and gets in your chili about being in a flight suit and tells you to change? Or writes down your name and contacts your squadron to report the "incident", to which your commander will probably laugh and do nothing? This seems like one where common sense should prevail. If you're traveling on official business and decide to do it in uniform, wear the only one you ever wear, not every other uniform you never wear.

Another good reason to carry "spare" nametags and patches...nudge, nudge, wink, wink, know what I mean!?!

Cheers! M2

[RangerMateo]

Okay, I was just wondering. Personally, I can't envision a scenario where I wouldn't have civies and wouldn't prefer to wear them over a flight suit. That's just me and I'm sure lots of people have their reasons for wanting to wear it.

That way when the pilot has a heart attack everyone knows who is assumed to be taking over.

[Butters]

That way when the pilot has a heart attack everyone knows who is assumed to be taking over.

Thank you! I have been waiting over a year to get that answered!

[ClearedHot]

Another good reason to carry "spare" nametags and patches...nudge, nudge, wink, wink, know what I mean!?!

Cheers! M2

My "spare" nametag looks like this;

Ben Doverbich

[amcflyboy]

My "spare" nametag looks like this;

Ben Doverbich

or how about Neil Anblomi

[Guest SATCOM]

or how about Neil Anblomi

My old one says "Craven Morehead" and there's a dude in the unit that has "Wood J. Blome"

[KWings06j]

After being stuck in Chicago overnight and talking to people in the USO out of nothing better to do thanks to this snow storm I found out at least one reason so many army wear there uniforms. Not that this will come as a surprise to anyone but most of the people I talked to said they did it because they got to jump in line at security, get priority on boarding, get free upgrades or discounts at the food courts, or even skip to the top of the standby list. The ones leaving from school houses had to be in uniform for there first flight anyway but that was actually a small percentage. Though there were also more AF in uniform than I've seen in past years, probably due to allowing ABUs now.

[HeloDude]

...I found out at least one reason so many army wear there uniforms.

Not sure if it's been mentioned in this thread or not (didn't feel like reading through the 4 pages) but guys taking their mid-tour leave on a year or longer deployment are 'supposed' to be in uniform until their final destination. That's at least what was briefed to us when we left Kuwait for our mid-tour leave.

Sure it's nice getting to jump to the front of the line, getting some hook-ups on food/drinks at times, and getting thanked for your service--but there's something to be said for being comfortable on a flight. On the rotator no one really cares when people take their boots and ACU/ABU blouses off, but I don't think that would portray the best image on a civilian flight.

I for one am happy they don't make us wear our uniform when traveling somewhere TDY--besides, I'd rather wear one of my Ohio State shirts and get into a conversation about college football.

[Wolf424]

My buddy's alter ego is Gabe Asher. Sounds like a spare nametag might not be a bad investment...

[zrooster99]

Sure it's nice getting to jump to the front of the line, getting some hook-ups on food/drinks at times, and getting thanked for your service--but there's something to be said for being comfortable on a flight. On the rotator no one really cares when people take their boots and ACU/ABU blouses off, but I don't think that would portray the best image on a civilian flight.

I'll take being anonymous and comfortable any day. I changed in BWI last year when I got off the rotator and I'll do it this time too...in about 3 weeks, in fact!

[Guest]

My old one says "Craven Morehead"

My old boss.

https://www.af.mil/information/bios/bio.asp?bioID=6527

Last time I saw him at the Nellis club he was wearing his "Gimme Morehead" nametag in the bar as a LtGen. Total warrior leader that I would to this day follow into hell wearing a gasoline suit.

[amcflyboy]

My old boss.

https://www.af.mil/information/bios/bio.asp?bioID=6527

Last time I saw him at the Nellis club he was wearing his "Gimme Morehead" nametag in the bar as a LtGen. Total warrior leader that I would to this day follow into hell wearing a gasoline suit.

Dude, there are no words that can explain the "awesome" in that one!

[HeloDude]

My old boss.

https://www.af.mil/information/bios/bio.asp?bioID=6527

Last time I saw him at the Nellis club he was wearing his "Gimme Morehead" nametag in the bar as a LtGen. Total warrior leader that I would to this day follow into hell wearing a gasoline suit.

Having been reading/posting on this forum for almost 5 years now, I would like to say welcome back Rainman. I look forward to reading your insightful and humorous posts once again. I for one was taught to respect my elders--question is, who's the oldest guy on here? Brick has to be up there.

[Guest PerArduaAdAstra]

I saw a marine in his dress choker black uniform (think they call them blues) at a bar/club last night in Texas. Obviously he thought it was a cool idea to go out to a bar in his dress uniform...b/c the chick he was with was just wearing jeans, so it's not like they came from something formal. And he obviously didn't just get off work or something. This was also at 130 am. WTFO on that one.

Jumping back 3 pages to the Marine in his Dress Blue 'B' uniform (the difference between 'A' and 'B' is whether he is wearing medals or just ribbons), it's altogether possible he was returning from escort duty to a fallen comrade as this is the normal uniform for that duty.

Knowing Marines, I would doubt very much that he "thought it was a cool idea to go to a bar in his dress uniform", that just ain't they way they roll (generally).

[uhhello]

Jumping back 3 pages to the Marine in his Dress Blue 'B' uniform (the difference between 'A' and 'B' is whether he is wearing medals or just ribbons), it's altogether possible he was returning from escort duty to a fallen comrade as this is the normal uniform for that duty.

Knowing Marines, I would doubt very much that he "thought it was a cool idea to go to a bar in his dress uniform", that just ain't they way they roll (generally).

Was TDY to Guam a while back and it just happened to be the Marine Corps birthday. The "strip" was jam packed full of Marines in their dress uniforms.

[Smokin]

You know how I know Rainman's been here a while? When his profile says he has four posts, registered yesterday, and still has a ranking of "the godfather". Welcome back.

On topic, I don't care if I get to jump in front of the line in security (which usually doesn't happen anyway; reference a previous story on here about some over-zealous security agent almost arresting someone for "trying that"). I use my mil ID to check in, if they're gunna give me an upgrade, it usually happens then anyway. After that, I'm John Doe reading my book in my jeans and a T-shirt.