Wearing ROTC uniform to a military funeral?

blackhawks26

5-Year Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2013
Messages
32
This isn't something I'm planning on doing - I'm just curious. If you're in ROTC and you attend the funeral of fallen service member, are you allowed to wear your ROTC uniform to the funeral?
 
Usually if you talk to your chain of command/cadre they will have no problem with it (of course it depends on how lax or strict they are). I asked for permission to wear my ACUs to a military parade in my hometown and the cadre were overjoyed to have me represent the program there; a military funeral should not be much different. Just keep in mind most people can't see the difference between cadet and soldier; be on your best behavior and represent your program and the Army proudly if you are given permission.:thumb:
 
This isn't something I'm planning on doing - I'm just curious. If you're in ROTC and you attend the funeral of fallen service member, are you allowed to wear your ROTC uniform to the funeral?

Not sure which ROTC you are referring to. The following is from CCR 670-1 (AROTC) and indicates the permission of the battalion commander would be required.

It dates back about 10 years, so I can't guarantee it hasn't been revised since then.

2-3. Wearing of the Uniform
a. The Army ROTC issue uniform will not be worn outside of the United States and its possessions, except by specific authority.
b. ROTC cadets may wear the issue uniform within the United States and its possessions when--
(1) Assembling for the purpose of military instruction.
(2) Engaging in the military instruction of a cadet corps or similar organization.
(3) Traveling to and from the institution in which enrolled.
(4) Visiting a military station for participation in military drills or exercises.
(5) Attending other functions as authorized by the Battalion Commander for such wear.
 
Not sure which ROTC you are referring to. The following is from CCR 670-1 (AROTC) and indicates the permission of the battalion commander would be required.

It dates back about 10 years, so I can't guarantee it hasn't been revised since then.

2-3. Wearing of the Uniform
a. The Army ROTC issue uniform will not be worn outside of the United States and its possessions, except by specific authority.
b. ROTC cadets may wear the issue uniform within the United States and its possessions when--
(1) Assembling for the purpose of military instruction.
(2) Engaging in the military instruction of a cadet corps or similar organization.
(3) Traveling to and from the institution in which enrolled.
(4) Visiting a military station for participation in military drills or exercises.
(5) Attending other functions as authorized by the Battalion Commander for such wear.

+1 to Parent Delahanty. Permission is needed. DS is a stickler on this and all I've ever been able to persuade him to do without permission is to pose for a couple pics. He wouldn't even wear his uniform to his WW II veteran granddad's funeral. I've little doubt permission would be granted.
 
You don't have to ask permission. Wear it.

I think the Academies have different rules and standards then ROTC since they are considered Active Duty. I always see cadets and mids from SA's in their uniforms at the airport, never seen a ROTC cadet or mid in their uniform.

Older son did travel home in his ACU's from Airborne School, all his clothes were packed and on the bus when they had thier graduation so he had no chance to change. That was the only time he ever wore his ROTC uniform away from school.
 
Years ago, we used to wear the NROTC uniform on the way to our summer training. We were "under orders" at the time.

My DS (NROTC MO) always travels in civilian clothes to training now.

I do see alot of ROTC uniforms in the summer and holidays at the airport. I wonder if the academy students are "under orders" as they travel home or to training?

Just a guess.
 
Years ago, we used to wear the NROTC uniform on the way to our summer training. We were "under orders" at the time.

My DS (NROTC MO) always travels in civilian clothes to training now.

I do see alot of ROTC uniforms in the summer and holidays at the airport. I wonder if the academy students are "under orders" as they travel home or to training?

Just a guess.

Agreed. NROTC MIDN now travel to and from summer training in business casual. Hard to hide that Marine option haircut though! :biggrin:
 
DS is a freshman at an SMC. They are required to wear their uniforms everywhere they go. We were in a mall an hour away from campus and a regular Army guy came up to him, looked him up and down real slow, then said, "What kind of Army uniform is THAT?" DS answered him respectfully, of course, and they got into a long conversation about active duty and it was good.

But -- my question is -- will DS have to wear his Class B uniform on the plane home for Thanksgiving, and then will he have to wear his uniform the whole time he's home (800 miles from campus)?

Or is he not supposed to wear uniforms at all? He's been looking forward to showing up at church in his dress uniform. His school, by the way, wears regular Army uniforms -- their uniforms are not school-specific, like at VMI or Citadel. I guess he'll check with cadre, but I'm just wondering what you guys think.
 
DS is a freshman at an SMC. They are required to wear their uniforms everywhere they go. We were in a mall an hour away from campus and a regular Army guy came up to him, looked him up and down real slow, then said, "What kind of Army uniform is THAT?" DS answered him respectfully, of course, and they got into a long conversation about active duty and it was good.

But -- my question is -- will DS have to wear his Class B uniform on the plane home for Thanksgiving, and then will he have to wear his uniform the whole time he's home (800 miles from campus)?

Or is he not supposed to wear uniforms at all? He's been looking forward to showing up at church in his dress uniform. His school, by the way, wears regular Army uniforms -- their uniforms are not school-specific, like at VMI or Citadel. I guess he'll check with cadre, but I'm just wondering what you guys think.

I'm sure rules at SMC's are different from both academies and ROTC. Wish I could get DS to wear his dress blues at church, but nooooooooo!
 
DS is a freshman at an SMC. They are required to wear their uniforms everywhere they go. We were in a mall an hour away from campus and a regular Army guy came up to him, looked him up and down real slow, then said, "What kind of Army uniform is THAT?" DS answered him respectfully, of course, and they got into a long conversation about active duty and it was good.

But -- my question is -- will DS have to wear his Class B uniform on the plane home for Thanksgiving, and then will he have to wear his uniform the whole time he's home (800 miles from campus)?

Or is he not supposed to wear uniforms at all? He's been looking forward to showing up at church in his dress uniform. His school, by the way, wears regular Army uniforms -- their uniforms are not school-specific, like at VMI or Citadel. I guess he'll check with cadre, but I'm just wondering what you guys think.

When DS was a freshman at Norwich we went to the parents weekend. He was able to leave the campus with us but had to wear his uniform everywhere he went. He stayed in the hotel with us overnight. After going to a convience store for coffee in the morning he was glad he was wearing his Norwich uniform. The clerk in the store was an upperclassman in the corps of cadets. He said at the time as a freshamn he could have gotten in trouble if she recognized him and he was not wearing the uniform. The SMCs are strict especially with freshman. Sophomores to seniors not as much. Always can tell the freshman at SMCs on the Amtrak trains wearing their uniforms. Wear the uniform on the plane if he must wear it anywhere else. It is better then getting in trouble at the school. No need to wear it at home at all.
 
Last edited:
I'm sure rules at SMC's are different from both academies and ROTC. Wish I could get DS to wear his dress blues at church, but nooooooooo!


I can relate, I cant even get DS to even bring his Army uniforms when he comes home(the rare times he has been home). We live too far from a military base he says.
 
I can relate, I cant even get DS to even bring his Army uniforms when he comes home(the rare times he has been home). We live too far from a military base he says.

And then there's the whole Facebook issue. Hometown bros are likely to post dozens of pictures of DS, which cadre will see, so...

Btw, I posted a picture of DS his first day in uniform and a Cadet Sgt posted a comment about the fact that he had his hand in his pocket.
 
And then there's the whole Facebook issue. Hometown bros are likely to post dozens of pictures of DS, which cadre will see, so...

Btw, I posted a picture of DS his first day in uniform and a Cadet Sgt posted a comment about the fact that he had his hand in his pocket.

The corps is a wonderful thing in that it gives you training in dealing with nuts and nutty rules. On that parents weekend we were to meet DS in his room. He left the room door open for us because he would be late. The corps Sgt tore apart the room for leaving door open. He was finishing this task just as we got there. Seeing us arrive he was absolutely horrified as was the Corps Lt who was supervising him. To me they were just kids too so I said it was alright. It was difficult to get them to stop apologizing. They were in fact good friends with DS who laughed he arrived. As your DS rises through the corp keep in mind that he should want to build his charges. He should help them succeed in GPA and ROTC. Dont ever break or haze anyone. Always uderstand that some will not commision for one reason or another. Use logic in all actions. For now DS must focus on GPA and fitness.
 
I always spent the least amount of time in my uniform. At first it was a novelty to be saluted, wear it around base, heading home etc but then it becomes part of the job where you take it off as soon as possible at the end of the day. It was even worse when I had no rank as a cadet so I felt even weirder wearing it ever away from training. That's probably why some of you parents are getting such reluctance from your cadets to wear it or bring it home.
 
The SAs require uniforms a lot the first few years (I think most SMCs follow pretty close to these rules with slight variations). Plebe year that is all you are allowed, except when on leave. Sophomore year is pretty much the same except outside a certain radius from campus. Junior and Senior year are more liberal, but pretty much M-F is uniforms. The last thing we wanted was to wear uniforms on leave! I think I wore mine once; my grandfather's funeral. This probably also attributes to why most of us are fashionably challenged when we graduate and can wear clothes every day!

At the time I was there we were required to travel to/from training in uniform. We actually were waiting for an ROTC Mid to show and he was in civilian clothes and they tore into him pretty good, made him change, then let him report. From the sounds of it, they require business casual now, I like that change! Last year I was actually going through BWI and there was a VT Midshipmen in summer whites trying to go through TSA screening. He kept beeping and the TSA agent was nearly screaming at him to check his pockets again. The poor kid was freaking out. I finally told him his shoulder boards, name tag, and shirt stays were all going to keep beeping and they were going to have to pat him down and scan him with the wand, no way he would make it through. The agent then started yelling at me. That gave me a good laugh. I fly several times a week and am used to the amazing TSA service.
 
DS is a freshman at an SMC. They are required to wear their uniforms everywhere they go. We were in a mall an hour away from campus and a regular Army guy came up to him, looked him up and down real slow, then said, "What kind of Army uniform is THAT?" DS answered him respectfully, of course, and they got into a long conversation about active duty and it was good.

But -- my question is -- will DS have to wear his Class B uniform on the plane home for Thanksgiving, and then will he have to wear his uniform the whole time he's home (800 miles from campus)?

Or is he not supposed to wear uniforms at all? He's been looking forward to showing up at church in his dress uniform. His school, by the way, wears regular Army uniforms -- their uniforms are not school-specific, like at VMI or Citadel. I guess he'll check with cadre, but I'm just wondering what you guys think.

He should not be required to wear uniforms at home if he is on leave. I am going assume that he attends either North Georgia based on your remarks. I'm sure the regs are clear on it, regardless of where he attends.

It's not easy to say this kindly, but I'll try. The longer I'm in the military, the more I'm put off by things like wearing a uniform to church or other non-official venues. It can come off as attention-seeking and self-aggrandizing. I am sure he is proud of his time in ROTC. He should be. I hope he takes a moment to reflect on the reasons for wearing the uniform and the proper humility that comes with it. He'll likely find himself dealing with a great many "thanks for your service" remarks that will make him feel a bit sheepish.

Just my opinion. If he does wear a uniform, it needs to be the right one. Class Bs are not it.
 
The longer I'm in the military, the more I'm put off by things like wearing a uniform to church or other non-official venues. It can come off as attention-seeking and self-aggrandizing.... He'll likely find himself dealing with a great many "thanks for your service" remarks that will make him feel a bit sheepish.

You're certainly right about that last remark. DS gets it quite a bit while traveling just because of his high and tight and his physique, even without the uniform. He is constantly fending them off with the explanation that he hasn't served yet.
 
I am sure he is proud of his time in ROTC. He should be. I hope he takes a moment to reflect on the reasons for wearing the uniform and the proper humility that comes with it. He'll likely find himself dealing with a great many "thanks for your service" remarks that will make him feel a bit sheepish.

All I can say is I hope to high heaven, my DS feels sheepish if someone thanks him for his service. At this stage he needs to be thankful to "those who have gone before," his cadre, the AROTC review board, and the taxpayer.

But I do have serious question along these lines and I would particularly appreciate Scout's take.

Being of 1/2 Scottish Presbyterian extraction, DS knows every US military discount and benefit on the planet...discounts on everything from haircuts to pizza, to airplane tickets and ski lift passes. If he flies somewhere involving an extended layover, he checks to see if the airport has a USO.

Is he crossing a line? Particularly with the USO thing?
 
Back
Top