Off campus uniform wear

Why even wear the uniform off campus? Just make your life easier and only wear it when you have to avoid trouble.
I have no class around noon so I can go out with my friends and eat so.......why would I go change just for that...
Well, I'll tell you why you would/should change for that. I'm assuming you are a cadet in AFROTC and that your questions are sincere.

That being the case, I'll tell you that I am a "not so recently retired" senior military officer; I've been a commander, etc...etc. And here's the bottom line: if the regulation states "X" then I expect, no, I DEMAND that you adhere to it. Period, end of statement. It's not yours to question, it's not yours to disobey (except at your peril), but it is yours to salute smartly, say "yes sir" or "yes m'am" and then carry out your assigned duty.

It's a part of that thing we call discipline and leadership. How well you serve as a follower will determine how well you will ultimately develop as a leader and that is the purpose of the ROTC programs (and the service academies): to create leaders for our soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and coast guardsmen. If you can't follow a simple regulation, whether or not you agree/like it, then I question whether or not I could trust you with the lives of others. And in the end, that's what you're asking the air force to do: to entrust the lives of others to you. It's the most awesome responsibility one can have, IMHO, and one that is also very frightening. To know that a decision you make, may end the life of another person...and that the mission is such that you MUST make that call...it's not a fun situation but one that you must be prepared to make. And your ROTC training, and your follow-on training, will help prepare you for that moment, should it ever arise.

36-2903 tells you what you need to know about uniform wear and in it there's a phrase about the commander making the determination of when/where you may or may not wear the ABU. It's simple; follow the rules.

There's plenty of places on college campuses to eat with friends on the day you wear your uniform.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
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Marines are pretty obsessive about rules of wearing cammies in public... as stated, follow the rules and change. It's not that hard. Rules are rules, follow them.
 
Why even wear the uniform off campus? Just make your life easier and only wear it when you have to avoid trouble.
I have no class around noon so I can go out with my friends and eat so.......why would I go change just for that...
Come on dude it takes 2 minutes of your whole day to change in and out of the uniform. Just leave it in your car. Plus people these days can be malicious and target you just for being a in uniform. You'll probably end up spending more time explaining why you are in a military uniform in public than the time you could have saved if you just took off the top blouse.
Sure keep the pants and T shirt on at least. Plus are you really gonna hang out with your friends? Seems like your just looking for an excuse to wear a military uniform to pick up girls.
So would you walk around in public wearing your underwear just because "why would I go change just for that". If you want to be an officer you should learn the proper times to wear the uniform. You'll definitely get picked on by people, but you can just ignore them if its that big of a trouble. But that should be the least of your worries you could be sent to lead in a war and you're afraid of wearing a uniform in public? Good luck
 
Why even wear the uniform off campus? Just make your life easier and only wear it when you have to avoid trouble.
I have no class around noon so I can go out with my friends and eat so.......why would I go change just for that...
Come on dude it takes 2 minutes of your whole day to change in and out of the uniform. Just leave it in your car. Plus people these days can be malicious and target you just for being a in uniform. You'll probably end up spending more time explaining why you are in a military uniform in public than the time you could have saved if you just took off the top blouse.
Sure keep the pants and T shirt on at least. Plus are you really gonna hang out with your friends? Seems like your just looking for an excuse to wear a military uniform to pick up girls.
So would you walk around in public wearing your underwear just because "why would I go change just for that". If you want to be an officer you should learn the proper times to wear the uniform. You'll definitely get picked on by people, but you can just ignore them if its that big of a trouble. But that should be the least of your worries you could be sent to lead in a war and you're afraid of wearing a uniform in public? Good luck
LOL....do you even know me for you to be that aggressive?
1. I have to find a place to change which will takes me 5 mins or more.
2. People wouldn't just ask me to explain why I'm in the uniform because I have a bunch of friends that's also gonna be in uniform.
3.I don't know why you would say that I would go around wearing a "underwear"?.....Since I already said that I don't want to change
4. And.....since when I said that I'm "afraid" of wearing uniform in public?
I like your assumptions but I suggest you to not be so aggressive in real life tho...Maybe your just like this on the internet??? IDK.. :) and don't reply cuz I don't want to start a war.
 
Why even wear the uniform off campus? Just make your life easier and only wear it when you have to avoid trouble.
I have no class around noon so I can go out with my friends and eat so.......why would I go change just for that...
Well, I'll tell you why you would/should change for that. I'm assuming you are a cadet in AFROTC and that your questions are sincere.

That being the case, I'll tell you that I am a "not so recently retired" senior military officer; I've been a commander, etc...etc. And here's the bottom line: if the regulation states "X" then I expect, no, I DEMAND that you adhere to it. Period, end of statement. It's not yours to question, it's not yours to disobey (except at your peril), but it is yours to salute smartly, say "yes sir" or "yes m'am" and then carry out your assigned duty.

It's a part of that thing we call discipline and leadership. How well you serve as a follower will determine how well you will ultimately develop as a leader and that is the purpose of the ROTC programs (and the service academies): to create leaders for our soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and coast guardsmen. If you can't follow a simple regulation, whether or not you agree/like it, then I question whether or not I could trust you with the lives of others. And in the end, that's what you're asking the air force to do: to entrust the lives of others to you. It's the most awesome responsibility one can have, IMHO, and one that is also very frightening. To know that a decision you make, may end the life of another person...and that the mission is such that you MUST make that call...it's not a fun situation but one that you must be prepared to make. And your ROTC training, and your follow-on training, will help prepare you for that moment, should it ever arise.

36-2903 tells you what you need to know about uniform wear and in it there's a phrase about the commander making the determination of when/where you may or may not wear the ABU. It's simple; follow the rules.

There's plenty of places on college campuses to eat with friends on the day you wear your uniform.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
Damn......So official....Ok, I got you
THANK YOU SIR!
 
Why even wear the uniform off campus? Just make your life easier and only wear it when you have to avoid trouble.
I have no class around noon so I can go out with my friends and eat so.......why would I go change just for that...
Come on dude it takes 2 minutes of your whole day to change in and out of the uniform. Just leave it in your car. Plus people these days can be malicious and target you just for being a in uniform. You'll probably end up spending more time explaining why you are in a military uniform in public than the time you could have saved if you just took off the top blouse.
Sure keep the pants and T shirt on at least. Plus are you really gonna hang out with your friends? Seems like your just looking for an excuse to wear a military uniform to pick up girls.
So would you walk around in public wearing your underwear just because "why would I go change just for that". If you want to be an officer you should learn the proper times to wear the uniform. You'll definitely get picked on by people, but you can just ignore them if its that big of a trouble. But that should be the least of your worries you could be sent to lead in a war and you're afraid of wearing a uniform in public? Good luck
LOL....do you even know me for you to be that aggressive?
1. I have to find a place to change which will takes me 5 mins or more.
2. People wouldn't just ask me to explain why I'm in the uniform because I have a bunch of friends that's also gonna be in uniform.
3.I don't know why you would say that I would go around wearing a "underwear"?.....Since I already said that I don't want to change
4. And.....since when I said that I'm "afraid" of wearing uniform in public?
I like your assumptions but I suggest you to not be so aggressive in real life tho...Maybe your just like this on the internet??? IDK.. :) and don't reply cuz I don't want to start a war.
Yes this confirms hes in Air Force ROTC
 
I agree it is probably easier to change, but from what I understand, you could go to somewhere like McDonalds and it wouldnt be an issue. Am I understanding this correctly?
 
I agree it is probably easier to change, but from what I understand, you could go to somewhere like McDonalds and it wouldnt be an issue. Am I understanding this correctly?

My DS has no issues with going to a fast food joint within walking distance of campus especially with other battalion members. Use common sense and take your cue from cadre.
 
I agree it is probably easier to change, but from what I understand, you could go to somewhere like McDonalds and it wouldnt be an issue. Am I understanding this correctly?
Yea......just near campus i guesss
 
I know for my DS he never wore his AFROTC uniform off campus to any establishment. On the days he had to wear his uniform he would get lunch at the dining hall or the student union. Let's be real, most colleges have multiple fast food places on campus. I know for my kids that attended 3 different colleges, all of their student unions had at least several, ranging from Chick Fil A to Taco Bell to pizza joints.

Here is my question, are you a student at the host detachment or do you live off campus? (I can't determine because you state about nowhere to change). If you are a student doing x-town than why would you be there during lunch? If you live off campus, than I get it.

I will also say that at least for my DS, him and his pals would go grab food to go and meet back up at the det. lounge, and that was when he lived on campus. Not because they did not want to be in public in uniform, but because their det. was loaded with fun things to pass the hour away...i.e PS4, Xbox, DVDs, foosball, crud table, etc.

I know you came here for answers, but I would say that you will find out very quickly when you get to your det. Some dets are insanely strict, some are more laid back. Some posters may have kids at an SMC where I am guessing that would not be allowed, whereas some posters may have kids at xtown and get the fact that their kid is doing classes in the a.m. at their school and LLAB at the host, thus if they are carpooling in for LLAB, popping into Mickey Ds outside the campus on their way in is no biggie.

Honestly, and this is going off track a little, the thing to be more concerned about right now, which many incoming cadets don't get is social media. The uniform issue as stated before will be easily determined once you get to the school. The social media, especially if you have joined the dets. FB can bite you big time. All of those funny pics may not be so funny later on.
~ Nobody expects a halo over your cranium, but I can tell you that us old folks like your CoC know how to creep on FB. You youngins accept friends like candy on Halloween. Those friends will tag you in pics, which in turn means that they can see the other side of your life.
~~ I am not kidding. A cadet at DS's det on scholarship was brought in by the CoC because they saw a picture of them (tagged) on FB and he was at a keg pouring beer underage. The CoC told him that although he could not prove he was drinking it, it was not prudent to have pics like that. It ran rampant through the det. and the next thing you knew every cadet was removing friends and pics. DS even now does not go on FB a lot, even when his 1st born came into the world, there were no pics on his FB page.

Welcome to the 21st century of technology, it can help and it can hurt.

Off my soapbox.

PS. Other question, what if I said cucklecake was a retired 2 star, would you have responded in the same way or would you have replied the way you did to flieger? Again this is coming from the fact that this is an anonymous forum and you don't know their backgrounds, just assumptions. Respect works both ways. Part of life is growing up and accepting things that you may not want to hear or how it is said. I didn't see them as being a hard arse. I saw their post as being blunt and truthful.
 
I have to endorse Pima's comments on FB. DS rarely posts to FB since joining NROTC. He has been active duty for 2.5 years and continues the extremely infrequent posts. If he does post, it's a picture of him on top of Mt. Fuji with his girlfriend, or something.
 
PS. Other question, what if I said cucklecake was a retired 2 star, would you have responded in the same way or would you have replied the way you did to flieger? Again this is coming from the fact that this is an anonymous forum and you don't know their backgrounds, just assumptions. Respect works both ways. Part of life is growing up and accepting things that you may not want to hear or how it is said. I didn't see them as being a hard arse. I saw their post as being blunt and truthful.

+1 Pima
 
I have to endorse Pima's comments on FB. DS rarely posts to FB since joining NROTC. He has been active duty for 2.5 years and continues the extremely infrequent posts. If he does post, it's a picture of him on top of Mt. Fuji with his girlfriend, or something.
LMAO. The only new pic on FB was DS with squadron mates on a TDY (no uniforms) at an animal sanctuary. That was how I knew he was alive and safe! Well maybe not so safe when I saw the animal they were posing with!
 
AS for traveling, all I can tell you is that when my son flew to Air Force Field Training, they were specifically told not to wear anything military. I guess it is not to attract attention. Having said that, their haircuts and the fact that they were carrying military duffle bags made it obvious who they were. I saw some Marines in civilian clothing (no idea if they were AD or Rotc) at the airport at that same trip and it was obvious who they were. I think their duffle bags had Marine Corp on it to confirm.
 
AS for traveling, all I can tell you is that when my son flew to Air Force Field Training, they were specifically told not to wear anything military. I guess it is not to attract attention. Having said that, their haircuts and the fact that they were carrying military duffle bags made it obvious who they were. I saw some Marines in civilian clothing (no idea if they were AD or Rotc) at the airport at that same trip and it was obvious who they were. I think their duffle bags had Marine Corp on it to confirm.
:)
 
I know for my DS he never wore his AFROTC uniform off campus to any establishment. On the days he had to wear his uniform he would get lunch at the dining hall or the student union. Let's be real, most colleges have multiple fast food places on campus. I know for my kids that attended 3 different colleges, all of their student unions had at least several, ranging from Chick Fil A to Taco Bell to pizza joints.

Here is my question, are you a student at the host detachment or do you live off campus? (I can't determine because you state about nowhere to change). If you are a student doing x-town than why would you be there during lunch? If you live off campus, than I get it.

I will also say that at least for my DS, him and his pals would go grab food to go and meet back up at the det. lounge, and that was when he lived on campus. Not because they did not want to be in public in uniform, but because their det. was loaded with fun things to pass the hour away...i.e PS4, Xbox, DVDs, foosball, crud table, etc.

I know you came here for answers, but I would say that you will find out very quickly when you get to your det. Some dets are insanely strict, some are more laid back. Some posters may have kids at an SMC where I am guessing that would not be allowed, whereas some posters may have kids at xtown and get the fact that their kid is doing classes in the a.m. at their school and LLAB at the host, thus if they are carpooling in for LLAB, popping into Mickey Ds outside the campus on their way in is no biggie.

Honestly, and this is going off track a little, the thing to be more concerned about right now, which many incoming cadets don't get is social media. The uniform issue as stated before will be easily determined once you get to the school. The social media, especially if you have joined the dets. FB can bite you big time. All of those funny pics may not be so funny later on.
~ Nobody expects a halo over your cranium, but I can tell you that us old folks like your CoC know how to creep on FB. You youngins accept friends like candy on Halloween. Those friends will tag you in pics, which in turn means that they can see the other side of your life.
~~ I am not kidding. A cadet at DS's det on scholarship was brought in by the CoC because they saw a picture of them (tagged) on FB and he was at a keg pouring beer underage. The CoC told him that although he could not prove he was drinking it, it was not prudent to have pics like that. It ran rampant through the det. and the next thing you knew every cadet was removing friends and pics. DS even now does not go on FB a lot, even when his 1st born came into the world, there were no pics on his FB page.

Welcome to the 21st century of technology, it can help and it can hurt.

Off my soapbox.

PS. Other question, what if I said cucklecake was a retired 2 star, would you have responded in the same way or would you have replied the way you did to flieger? Again this is coming from the fact that this is an anonymous forum and you don't know their backgrounds, just assumptions. Respect works both ways. Part of life is growing up and accepting things that you may not want to hear or how it is said. I didn't see them as being a hard arse. I saw their post as being blunt and truthful.
Jeez...How long did it took you to type this...xD
 
I saw some Marines in civilian clothing (no idea if they were AD or Rotc) at the airport at that same trip and it was obvious who they were. I think their duffle bags had Marine Corp on it to confirm.

Uh yeah... any reasonably conscious person can spot a Marine a mile away (civilian clothes or not)! ;)

But for purpose of clarity: It's "Marine Corps" and we carry "seabags".
 
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