US Army uniform question.

[weswood]

Not quite OT. On US Army's name tape and the tape thaqt says "US Army", isn't the name supposed to be over the right pocket and the US Army over the left?

I'm watching a show on the SciFi network and the mistakes I've seen in the 1st 10 minutes are giving me a headache. One guy is running around with no rear sight for his M4, and when they show brass hitting the floor from freshly fired rounds, not only does it hit in groups like someone just dropped a handfull, it's clearly old and tarnished like it's been left out on the firing range for a month.

[ArmySGT.]

Yes, U.S. Army is over the heart. Soldiers left, viewers right.

What do you expect of Hollywood?

However every military movie, there will be intentional uniform mistakes as it is illegal to impersonate a Service member.

[dragoon500ly]

LOL!

Like when SiFry had an Army general wearing a SEAL qualification badge?

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by dragoon500ly

LOL!

Like when SiFry had an Army general wearing a SEAL qualification badge?

Well, the special ops units have long been sending their troops to each others' schools. So that one is actually possible.

[natehale1971]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

Well, the special ops units have long been sending their troops to each others' schools. So that one is actually possible.

Heck... I knew a US Navy SEAL who had left the US Navy and reenlisted into the Army because of an injury that percluded him from further service as a SEAL. But the army didnt hold that minor injury against him and allowed him to go into the US Army Special Operations Command. And the Army even commissioned him.

[Schone23666]

Well, like or hate the tv show JAG, they did have fairly accurate uniforms, if nothing else...

I sort of both liked and hated that show in equal measure, though guys I hung with back in my AF days laughed and snickered at it, saying it should have been called "combat lawyers"

Then again, when it came to the uniforms, I always seemed to have my eye on Catherine Bell's uniform more often than most. No way THAT uniform was standard issue the way it fit her though...

[dragoon500ly]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

Well, the special ops units have long been sending their troops to each others' schools. So that one is actually possible.

I know that its possible, it was just the whole fruit salad this "general" was wearing that had me howling...you know, the Combat Infantry Badge, worn under an Expert Infantry Badge; a Navy Cross, a Silver Star with five repeats, a Purple Heart, A SEAL Qualification Badge on the right pocket; the Royal Thai Parachute Badge worn over his ribbons (and no US parachute badges); a Special Forces tab on the left sleeve, a Ranger tab on the right and no unit patch on his right shoulder and no green tabs......it truly was a sight to behold!

And a great big thank you SiFry for the laugh!

[natehale1971]

Originally Posted by dragoon500ly

I know that its possible, it was just the whole fruit salad this "general" was wearing that had me howling...you know, the Combat Infantry Badge, worn under an Expert Infantry Badge; a Navy Cross, a Silver Star with five repeats, a Purple Heart, A SEAL Qualification Badge on the right pocket; the Royal Thai Parachute Badge worn over his ribbons (and no US parachute badges); a Special Forces tab on the left sleeve, a Ranger tab on the right and no unit patch on his right shoulder and no green tabs......it truly was a sight to behold!

And a great big thank you SiFry for the laugh!

Sounds like one of two of the Fake Vets that was running around in this area a few years ago. One had said he was a POW who got rescued by SEALs during Vietnam. The other claimed to have saved some POWs while he was in Vietnam. The two had been totally unrelated with each other. But enough people who had been buying their stories thought that they matched enough that they had to be real. a news paper got the two together.... and they didn't miss a beat and claimed that the other was the one who was rescued/was the rescueer... for several years the two ran around getting local awards and the like until someone saw them wearing medals that just didn' go together.

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by dragoon500ly

I know that its possible, it was just the whole fruit salad this "general" was wearing that had me howling...you know, the Combat Infantry Badge, worn under an Expert Infantry Badge; a Navy Cross, a Silver Star with five repeats, a Purple Heart, A SEAL Qualification Badge on the right pocket; the Royal Thai Parachute Badge worn over his ribbons (and no US parachute badges); a Special Forces tab on the left sleeve, a Ranger tab on the right and no unit patch on his right shoulder and no green tabs......it truly was a sight to behold!

And a great big thank you SiFry for the laugh!

I wish I had seen that show! Oh good god, what a mess...the producer probably sent some flunky down to the nearest military surplus store and told him, "just grab some stuff that looks cool."

[weswood]

Originally Posted by ArmySGT.

However every military movie, there will be intentional uniform mistakes as it is illegal to impersonate a Service member.

I was aware it's illegal to impersonate a service member, but somehow that never translated to movies for me.

I gave up the show after about 20 minutes, I can only handle so much stupidity at once.

[natehale1971]

I really miss Stargate: SG1 where they actually stayed as close as posible to the actual uniform standards with very MINOR changes that only someone who knows exactly how things are suppose to be done (ie... putting badges in a SLIGHTLY different order).

I watched "The Morlocks" last night, and it was hilorious watching guys wearing the ACU's with the mandrin collar closed, and olive drab rank patches not only on both sides of their thoat, but in the centre of their chest.

[weswood]

Originally Posted by natehale1971

I really miss Stargate: SG1 where they actually stayed as close as posible to the actual uniform standards with very MINOR changes that only someone who knows exactly how things are suppose to be done (ie... putting badges in a SLIGHTLY different order).

I watched "The Morlocks" last night, and it was hilorious watching guys wearing the ACU's with the mandrin collar closed, and olive drab rank patches not only on both sides of their thoat, but in the centre of their chest.

That's what I was attempting to watch. If it wasn't for the wife & kid, I'd probably sell all our TVs.

[natehale1971]

It's not that bad... History Channel has some good stuff on it.

I watch all kinds of things... But i think TNT & the USA Network are the two channels above all others that I watch along with the two main news channels I like.

But I will admit that one of the things that worries me about shows/movies like "The Morlocks" is that civilians would watch it, and actually think that's how the military works.

I REALLY wish that someone would do a show based on Twilight 2000... or use the background proposed by the 'documentary' of a ficitional World War Three that happened in 1989 that was done with by David McCallum narrating it... I really wish i could find a copy of that movie.

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by weswood

I was aware it's illegal to impersonate a service member, but somehow that never translated to movies for me.

I gave up the show after about 20 minutes, I can only handle so much stupidity at once.

My favorites are the bottomless magazines, infinite revolver cylinders, and rocket launchers and grenade launchers that fire repeatedly without reloading. I actually made a joke out asking a drill sergeant for "one of those bottomless magazines they have in the movies." He laughed, then dropped me for 50.

[Fusilier]

Originally Posted by ArmySGT.

However every military movie, there will be intentional uniform mistakes as it is illegal to impersonate a Service member.

I don't think so, unless you have a source for that (about movies being subject to the law). Mine says that isn't true for performances.

From Title 10, U.S. Code:
CHAPTER 45—THE UNIFORM

While portraying a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps, an actor in a theatrical or motion-picture production may wear the uniform of that armed force if the portrayal does not tend to discredit that armed force.

Further to that, the 1970 case SCHACHT v. UNITED STATES found that the 'discrediting' portion of the law was unconstitutional and civilian actors do in fact have every right to wear the uniform in a production and discredit the military if they so choose.

[Top-Break]

When it comes to getting things wrong, there's none better than some of the clowns in Hollywood. Most of Hollywood (with some now ageing exceptions) has no practical experience with the military. Producers and directors are counting on the audience knowing less about military matters than the average potted plant. They also go for the close enough rule. If it can fool the casual observer at 10 feet, then it's spot on. When productions do make the effort, the results can be astounding. When they don't, it's either insulting or hilarious.

Besides, how many people leaned a little closer to the screen when the mock-Panzers arrived in Saving Private Ryan? After seeing zillions of Pattons, Pershings, and Chaffees given a quick spray of gray paint and a couple of dozen Iron Crosses and called Panzers, the Ryan Panzers were amazing.

[Top-Break]

Here's a link for anyone interested in nitpicking movies.

http://imfdb.org

Enough gun/uniform/gear nitpicking for at least one forum.

[Schone23666]

Originally Posted by weswood

Not quite OT. On US Army's name tape and the tape thaqt says "US Army", isn't the name supposed to be over the right pocket and the US Army over the left?

I'm watching a show on the SciFi network and the mistakes I've seen in the 1st 10 minutes are giving me a headache. One guy is running around with no rear sight for his M4, and when they show brass hitting the floor from freshly fired rounds, not only does it hit in groups like someone just dropped a handfull, it's clearly old and tarnished like it's been left out on the firing range for a month.

Ugh....I know B-grade movies only have so much of a budget to work with, but they can be done SOMEWHAT decently if they really do try to work hard within their means...but it seems SYFY and their ridiculous BS obsession with CGI effects, recycled plots, recycled characters, idiotic dialogue....gawd, Roger Corman's stuff looks like damn genius in comparison (though he really did put out a few decent creepy titles like the Dance of the Red Death, and Pit and the Pendulum).

All that said, I would almost kill just to see maybe a few decent scifi or fantasy flicks where the military types at least get portrayed somewhat realistically as professional yet flawed human beings and not cliches?

Rant over, getting off the soapbox now...