Rank On A2 Epaulettes

[wop54]

Goodmorning Everyone!
A couple of weeks ago I have ordered a GW Werber Sportswear (JC told me that the wait time is now 12-14 weeks. Lets say that id be happy to receive it between sept and oct, when in Italy the weather allows you to wear a leather jacket, after our long hot summer,but i don't care too much: waiting is part of the fun :roll: ).
I wanted the GW for the daily wearing, w.o. usaaf decal, nametag, patch. My other gorgeous ELC Star will be worn during our historical vehicols reunions and kept as a part of my Usaaf collection. It already has decal and nametag but i decided to go "full optional" sewing a patch and rank on it (i know that perhaps it will lose value but i don't care as will consider it as a keeper).
Now my questions: i've bought the rank of a Major on brown leather (im 54, a bit of a belly and what remains of my scalp is slowly turning silver: not really the classic ltn or capt. joung flyboy.. ): what is the right postion of the leather rank on epaulettes? What's the right sewing? How are orientated the oak leaves?
Thanks in advance for your expert and higly appreciated advice!!!

 

[Roughwear]

Goodmorning Everyone!
A couple of weeks ago I have ordered a GW Werber Sportswear (JC told me that the wait time is now 12-14 weeks. Lets say that id be happy to receive it between sept and oct, when in Italy the weather allows you to wear a leather jacket, after our long hot summer,but i don't care too much: waiting is part of the fun :roll: ).
I wanted the GW for the daily wearing, w.o. usaaf decal, nametag, patch. My other georgius ELC Star will be worn during our historical vehicols reunions and kept as a part of my Usaaf collection. It already has decal and nametag but i decided to go "full optional" sewing a patch and rank on it (i know that perhaps it will lose value but i don't care as will consider it as a keeper).
Now my questions: i've bought the rank of a Major on brown leather (im 54, a bit of a belly and what remains of my scalp is slowly turning silver: not really the classic ltn or capt. joung flyboy.. ): what is the right postion of the leather rank on epaulettes? What's the right sewing? How are orientated the oak leaves?
Thanks in advance for your expert and higly appreciated advice!!!

This picture from my RW 23380 should help. They were machine sewn round the edges and centred over the box stitching on the epaulet.

 

[wop54]

This picture from my RW 23380 should help. They were machine sewn round the edges and centred over the box stitching on the epaulet.

[/quote]

Andrew, your answer is P.E.R.F.E.C.T !!!!!!! Exactly what i needed!!!!
Thanks!!!!!!

 

[Steve27752]

In my opinion. Unless you were in the military and earned the rank you should not wear it.

 

[Roughwear]

In my opinion. Unless you were in the military and earned the rank you should not wear it.

This observation has been made before and there is no agreement about wearing rank insignia on a jacket. I have several original jackets with rank insignia on them and I wear them from time to time. I would not remove them as they are part of the jacket. However I would not put them on a repro, but re-enactors do and that's fine by me.

 

[wop54]

In my opinion. Unless you were in the military and earned the rank you should not wear it.

I don't know.... ive never worn them before, but, as i said, im only wearing it while driving or riding in a Willys in historical vehicols reunions... to wear a period uniform is part of the historical re-construction, of course with all the due respect to those people that really earned the right to wear those ranks...
look at this vid that i made, and my 17 years old son edited and posted on youtube, a couple of years ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih2qBLY5jJc

 

[Vcruiser]

In my opinion. Unless you were in the military and earned the rank you should not wear it.

I don't know.... ive never worn them before, but, as i said, im only wearing it while driving or riding in a Willys in historical vehicols reunions... to wear a period uniform is part of the historical re-construction, of course with all the due respect to those people that really earned the right to wear those ranks...
look at this vid that i made, and my 17 years old son edited and posted on youtube, a couple of years ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih2qBLY5jJc

That's just the opinion of some...not all. Wear it as you like...as a tribute to those squadrons,groups,ranks who also earned our gratitude. I do.
Van

 

[CBI]

for living history I guess rank is OK but I think it crosses the line otherwise. I would never do it.

 

[ausreenactor]

G'day..

This has been popular debate for some time. I am not fussed either way. I have to endure the rants of the living history guys here, who have never been military, who award rank based on organising training days or BBQ's. Regular Army members are not allowed to wear the E-5, E-7 equivalents of US WWII ranks. What is even stranger is the fact they all portray Airborne and wear Para Wings on Class A's without completing a single civilian tandem freefall jump. Let alone Military Static Line! I would never pull rank off an Original for the pleasing of some(not that my jackets get worn outside), and to portray/honour/imitate a particular rank is fine also. Do draw the line at Ribbons though...While I do consider my ribbons a bit bright for a Class A or RAF BD, I would rather that than wear a DFC or Good Conduct Medal I did not earn..

Couchy

 

[CHECK6]

I don't wear any rank during re enactors or commeration days ,it's the same for the medals,i have a principe "you don't wear what you didn't earned".if it's an original jacket it's ok for me but worn with civilian clothes.I'm in the military for 23 years and i see lot of re enactors showing on their class a or combat uniform ,medals ,para badges,combat infantryman,....
and they don't know how sometimes it's hard to get these little pieces of metal.But with experience i listen them explaining their combat facts of the last weekend have a look to my buddy who spend sometimes with me in real world hotplaces and with laugth,and have a beer
it's only a question of how do you wear it ,and a question of respect
Have a nice week end
FAB

 

[capt71]

Deleted

 

[Vcruiser]

Come on..any of us wearing a WW2 A2 embellished with period patches or rank will never be questioned by anyone of authority...or even given a second look. That's just obsurd. Now if I put back on my Drill Sgt dress greens with ribbons and tried to claim that I was still active duty for some reason..that would be a different story altogether. Hell..I wore my field jacket with Sgt stripes for years throughout the '70s after my return from the Army with absolutely no problem.
I think everyone knows what those military regs are implying.
I don't think Re-inactors would really be considered "theatrical"...and haven't heard of any raids on them by the military cops.
Probably..."tend to discredit that armed force" is key.
I will continue to wear my WW2 repro with bombardeir wings...squadron patch...name strip...and even rank..if I so desire.
If the Feds corner me..and there's a shoot out...I'll let the VLJ know!
Van

 

[asiamiles]

United States Code:
10 USC Sec. 771. - Unauthorized wearing prohibited
Except as otherwise provided by law, no person except a member of the
Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps, as the case may be, may wear -
(1) the uniform, or a distinctive part of the uniform, of the Army, Navy,
Air Force, or Marine Corps; or
(2) a uniform any part of which is similar to a distinctive part of the
uniform of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps.

Bit of an odd one. Seems to state that in America anyone wearing anything from a flying jacket to a pair of combat pants is, in fact, breaking the law, that's if the USC = laws of the USA...forgive us foreigners for not knowing such things. The fact that this law has been broken by millions for the last 40 or 50 years suggests it should probably be amended, even though it would presumably only be evoked in certain extreme circumstances

 

[watchmanjimg]

United States Code:
10 USC Sec. 771. - Unauthorized wearing prohibited
Except as otherwise provided by law, no person except a member of the
Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps, as the case may be, may wear -
(1) the uniform, or a distinctive part of the uniform, of the Army, Navy,
Air Force, or Marine Corps; or
(2) a uniform any part of which is similar to a distinctive part of the
uniform of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps.

Bit of an odd one. Seems to state that in America anyone wearing anything from a flying jacket to a pair of combat pants is, in fact, breaking the law, that's if the USC = laws of the USA...forgive us foreigners for not knowing such things. The fact that this law has been broken by millions for the last 40 or 50 years suggests it should probably be amended, even though it would presumably only be evoked in certain extreme circumstances

Agreed, and more importantly I wouldn't expect those of you living abroad to worry about our laws. The bottom line is anyone on this forum is highly unlikely to display uniforms or insignia without the utmost respect, which should be the sole relevant factor in determining what is appropriate. Personally I wouldn't feel comfortable wearing anything I didn't earn except in a reenactment or living history event, but to each his own as long as it's done with the right intentions.

 

[navvet]

Such regulations surely refer to current uniforms. WW2 uniforms and repros are obviously dated, and obsolete.

 

[watchmanjimg]

I was thinking that might be an issue, but I haven't researched it specifically. Good point, though.

 

[capt71]

Deleted

 

[BONNIEGIRL4]

Whoever started this nonsense: You wouldn't add rank to an original because you didn't earn it, did you earn the right to WEAR the jacket ? They WERE only issued to Aircrew? - TOM

 

[deeb7]

... did you earn the right to WEAR the jacket ? They WERE only issued to Aircrew? - TOM

Good point .... :lol:

 

[capt71]

Whoever started this nonsense: You wouldn't add rank to an original because you didn't earn it, did you earn the right to WEAR the jacket ? They WERE only issued to Aircrew? - TOM

Not quite sure I follow your post. The original poster (ex-military) asked about the proper placement of rank insignia on the epaulets of his repro jacket and the question came up whether it is legal or proper for anyone who is NOT in the military to put such insignia on. We're not talking about active duty military: of course they would not and could not display any rank, etc. they weren't authorized to wear. We're talking about civilians like you and me displaying these items on our own jackets, shirts, etc. This doesn't just apply to flight jackets, it applies to any item of clothing. Sorry this has stirred up such a ruckus :roll:
Bill