Wearing SDB's

M

MIDNMartin18

Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2014
Messages
16
Good Evening All,

I was wondering if it was okay if I go to Christmas Eve mass in my Service Dress Blues. I talked to people around the unit and they kinda gave me vibe like, "If you want to."
The MIDN Regulations doesn't say I can't, but I also don't want to ruffle any feathers. I have seen an Academy kid wear his stuff at my Parish for Christmas but, as an NROTC MIDN I know we fly by different rules.
Thank you for your time.

V/r
 
MIDNMartin18 said:
Good Evening All,

I was wondering if it was okay if I go to Christmas Eve mass in my Service Dress Blues. I talked to people around the unit and they kinda gave me vibe like, "If you want to."
The MIDN Regulations doesn't say I can't, but I also don't want to ruffle any feathers. I have seen an Academy kid wear his stuff at my Parish for Christmas but, as an NROTC MIDN I know we fly by different rules.
Thank you for your time.

V/r
Click to expand...

Why would you want to use the occasion of Christmas Eve mass to call attention to yourself?
 
MIDNMartin18 said:
Good Evening All,

I was wondering if it was okay if I go to Christmas Eve mass in my Service Dress Blues. I talked to people around the unit and they kinda gave me vibe like, "If you want to."
The MIDN Regulations doesn't say I can't, but I also don't want to ruffle any feathers. I have seen an Academy kid wear his stuff at my Parish for Christmas but, as an NROTC MIDN I know we fly by different rules.
Thank you for your time.

V/r
Click to expand...

Don't be that guy.
 
I'm not using it to call attention to myself, nor do I want to be "that guy". I know a MIDN from the USNA wears his SDB's to mass and was wondering if I could.
I am proud of being apart of NROTC, and would like to demonstrate my pride by wearing my uniform to mass and to family celebrations, not to flaunt it and say, "look at me, I got a nice uniform".
But this isn't the only "don't be that guy" talk I've gotten about it, so I'll reconsider wearing it. I am proud of being apart of NROTC and wanted to show my pride.
 
I can only tell you what I would do. I wouldn't wear them.
 
USNA mids have some different rules than ROTC. USNA plebes (4/C) and youngsters (3/C) basically can't wear civilian clothes...that's a privilege reserved for upper classmen. The rules are different when they are on leave status, but the culture overrides some of that.

That said, you can wear them. It is an authorized leave and liberty uniform. In my son's unit however, it's frowned upon. They reserve SDBs for formal events like the Birthday Ball and change-of-command ceremonies...basically formal unit functions.

sorry for the edits, but I did want to add one more comment:
It's awesome that you're proud of what you're doing. You're volunteering to be part of something that not many are these days. You know your community and parish better than anyone on this forum, I suspect. Trust to your own judgement (that's part of being an officer) and do what seems appropriate. You won't be breaking any rules.
 
I don't know, I'm in the minority here I guess.....

Wear whatever the heck makes you/your mom/dad happy.

Maybe 4-5 years ago if you had asked me I would have been more on the don't wear it side, but I seem to have mellowed a bit on this over the years. People will ask about it, tell them you're in ROTC. When they say Thanks for your service, simply say Thank you for your support and move on.
 
Lots of great advice here.


we have a military ball coming up this wkend. My USNA son will wear his bull-fighting looking formal-wear because he has to, My AROTC cadet will wear a suit because he can. As a mom I dont care what they wear. Im equally proud of both!

....and "Thank you for your support" and move on, is customary in our house. Its a great response when you haven't really done anything yet, but appreciate the appreciation.

However, I would recommend you follow USMCDad's advice.
 
MIDNMartin18 said:
I am proud of being apart of NROTC, and would like to demonstrate my pride by wearing my uniform to mass and to family celebrations, not to flaunt it and say, "look at me, I got a nice uniform".
Click to expand...

Demonstrating that pride by doing something that will, as you well know, cause people to look at you.

I might feel differently if you'd actually done something. An enlisted servicemember with a deployment or two, perhaps. But as a kid in NROTC, it just screams "look at me and pat my back" more than anything else.

If you're proud of NROTC, you're proud without a uniform in church.
 
I am a civilian so take my two cents as just that. I am and would be proud to see a cadet or mid wearing the uniform to the Christmas eve service. It takes a lot of maturity to undertake a commitment to serving our country. You belong to this nation and serve all of us regular people by agreeing to give your life for our protection. If you wear your uniform it shows that you are proud of your commitment. I would never assume you are prideful or boastful. I would be honored that you go to my church and are a part of my community. I say wear it! AND thank you for your service!
 
As a Midshipman on a summer cruise, for weeks I would follow my shipmates in changing into civilian clothes and hitting the bars and low life of whatever port we put into in a seemingly fruitless search for female companionship. One guy never came with us and he maddeningly always linked up with some stunning young woman. Usually we saw her as she dropped him off at the pier in her car shortly before we pulled out and would give him a goodbye to curl your hair in front of a railing lined with us envious and drooling spectators. As a desperate young man, I begged for his secret and all he said was "Get into your Trop Whites and come with me and don't screw things up". I gratefully met him one Sunday morning in my Trop Whites and we took a cab to......wait for it......church. At the coffee and refreshments after the service we were gently mobbed, if not by the girls themselves (we did look very studly in those virginal white uniforms) but by old Navy salt fathers (and mothers) of daughters who enjoyed telling us old tales of the sea and then introducing us to very pleasant and interesting young female relatives. It was the best cruise I ever had in my whole Middie career. The guy was a fricking genius and my hero to this day.
 
Spud said:
As a Midshipman on a summer cruise, for weeks I would follow my shipmates in changing into civilian clothes and hitting the bars and low life of whatever port we put into in a seemingly fruitless search for female companionship. One guy never came with us and he maddeningly always linked up with some stunning young woman. Usually we saw her as she dropped him off at the pier in her car shortly before we pulled out and would give him a goodbye to curl your hair in front of a railing lined with us envious and drooling spectators. As a desperate young man, I begged for his secret and all he said was "Get into your Trop Whites and come with me and don't screw things up". I gratefully met him one Sunday morning in my Trop Whites and we took a cab to......wait for it......church. At the coffee and refreshments after the service we were gently mobbed, if not by the girls themselves (we did look very studly in those virginal white uniforms) but by old Navy salt fathers (and mothers) of daughters who enjoyed telling us old tales of the sea and then introducing us to very pleasant and interesting young female relatives. It was the best cruise I ever had in my whole Middie career. The guy was a fricking genius and my hero to this day.
Click to expand...

If someone looked good in knee length white shorts, tall black socks (wait were they white socks, i forget now), and the oxford shoes then they deserved all the attention they could get :shake:
 
MIDNMartin18 said:
If it's really frowned upon and is a little much I won't wear it.
Click to expand...

Real career advice: buy a decent suit. It isn't good to be the underdressed officer when you have to be somewhere in fancy civvies. I've met very few service members who didn't frown upon wearing a uniform somewhere when you didn't have to. In my experience, the ones who do are usually very inexperienced junior service members. It just screams "Hey, look at me, I'm shiny!" Take Scoutpilot's advice and don't be that guy. Nobody wants to have a beer with that guy.
 
JMPO,

I wouldnt wear it. Wear it only if you have no other option....no button down shirt, tie, slacks at home.

In all of the years Bullet was in the AF he wore his blues once for a function at church...our dress rehearsal dinner.

When we were ADAF we would goto church on base and you never saw anyone in their blues....that should be telling you something. My DS that is an O2 does not wear his uniform to church (he attends mass off base).

Wear what you are comfortable in, but many fall on the side that it is a look at me aspect, especially if they are a cadet. Christmas is the time to be humble impo and shine the light on Jesus.

Plus....as you get older the last thing you want to wear is your uniform off duty, which might be why many look at it from that guy aspect.
 
According to my autocorrect if you type too fast for the word self (switch e and l) we can have Xmas year round. For our poster Sled he will always remember that it service first with that adage.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top