Thought and Ideas

[English Bloke]

A mixed bag of opinions there eh Jason? I’ve been watching this thread for a couple of days and it’s interesting to see how it unfolds.

For what it's worth I personally agree with Hospitaller for the reason that the US Military Tartans along with others like Royal Air Force and Royal Navy are not officially sanctioned and are therefore by definition 'Universal'.

I'm ex British Army and I am fully aware of soldier’s sensitivities as well as the legal implications of impersonation but I don't believe in this case it can be applied. I see blokes in my current (non Mil) work environment wearing combat gear all the time because it's practical and cheap (when bought 2nd hand surplus) but I don't assume they are currently serving or have served because of it... (and if they did and it was 'issued' to them, they should have handed it all in when they left anyway, the naughty chaps )

To see someone wearing proper medals they haven't earned, or wearing genuine identifying insignia (not baseball caps and t-shirts) to which they are not entitled, that really would rattle my cage but I don't see how a universal, commercially produced Tartan falls into this category.

I was out in a Pub with a couple of mates (also ex Army) last month and we met a Bloke who was telling us tales of his former military service. We were listening along to this compilation of other peoples bar stories without giving said Bloke any idea we had been IN and that we knew (with our 56 years combined service between us) that for sure he was talking sh… err.. telling lies. What he told us just didn’t tally with what WE knew. We found it quite amusing, if a little pathetic. We didn’t burst his bubble either until just before we left, He appeared quite deflated when he realised he'd been caught out and we departed, laughing at him rather than with him. Hopefully this was sufficient to deter him from Walter Mitty-ing again.

Had he been wearing medals falsely, or wearing kit to pass himself off as 'in' or 'been in' and told us the same stuff, that would have been a very different circumstance and our reaction would have been, like as not, much more hostile!

On the other hand, I’ve seen Ladies of all ages at Remembrance ceremonies in UK wearing sweetheart brooches of military badges and miniature medals (or sometimes even full size medals) worn on the right hand side and I think that to honour those you love in such a way is truly fitting and shows great respect. My sons wear family related miniature medals on the right side at Remembrance in honour of their Grandfather’s service in WW2 (My Father. He died in 1975) and another relative killed in WW1 (at 3rd Ypres – Passchedale, in 1917). They are not claiming to have been awarded the medals themselves; they are merely honouring those that have passed and a 16 y/o youngster wearing WW1 miniatures? Chances are they’re not his! Wearing them on the right indicates, by convention at least that they are not the wearer’s medals. Sweetheart Brooches and other badges like lapel pins, tie clips, embroidered caps etc are not official either so that's OK in my book too. On occasions of Remembrance and ONLY these occasions, I wear my own, full size medals on the Left along with my Beret and former Cap Badge and that's because I feel I can. I can’t think of any other time when wearing my issued medals or head-dress would be appropriate, even as an ex…. (Not that I've still got my issued head-dress you understand... I handed it back in when I left )

Anywhoo, back to universal Tartans. Clearly, there are those on this forum and presumably elsewhere who disagree with these sentiments and see the Military Tartans as out of bounds to most, regardless of any motivation of respect for the service and the personnel there-in, past or present. As a mark of respect to these people, and despite what Hospitaller say’s about 99% of people not having a clue, which they don’t… I suggest if you do decide to wear this Tartan, think carefully about why you want to wear it and be prepared to have a good answer ready if challenged. So long as you are honest and don’t claim to be something you are not, I’m sure you’ll have no problems from reasonable people.