This is a subject that I think everybody deals with at sometime or another in their life that has a job to which you deal with life and death matters on a daily basis. To some it is nothing to others it is a downright "smack in the face" followed up with fistacuffs.
The subject is the wearing and/or displaying of certain t-shirts, patches, and decals. With you guys who are the "real deal" SF troopers and have earned the right to wear and display just about anything you want to in public, what about John Q citizen who is walking by you wearing a t-shirt with the SF emblem and logo?
I come across people every once in a while wearing t-shirts that one could say would portray/perceive them as being in Law Enforcement. I don't take offense or even do a double-take, nor do I challenge them as to how they obtained that shirt. The same goes for people who have FOP placards on their plate(s). It doesn't bother me a bit if they aren't in L.E. as long as they do not try to act as a LEO or "bully" people around by false impression(s) and for personal gain. The reason why I am asking this is because of a B-Day gift and a talk with someone in SF. Here is a Reader's Digest version of the stories:
Mr brother-in-law recently retired from the USAF. He now works as a "civillian" contractor at Pope/Bragg. His job, from what I understand, is to procure items from various manufactures and issue them (as kits) to all ETAC's that will be deployed overseas. Items such as watches, flashlights, GPS's, boots, etc., etc. Basically whatever they need to accomplish their mission and make life easier and safer. This year he purchased a green muscle shirt from the JFKSWM that had the SF logo and patch on the left side and gave it to me a s agift for my birthday. I asked him what he thought of me wearing it around jogging. He didn't think it would be a problem as long as I didn't run around telling people who may ask that I was/am in SF. No problem there, not my nature. I then asked him if HE would wear it around Pope/Bragg while jogging. He stated, emphatically I might say, "absolutely not, are you kidding!" He further stated that those things in the SpecOps community around there just aren't done unless you are actually assigned to one of those units and it you wouldn't fair well if you did. I asked well what if you are a relative of someone serving in SpecOps or are just a public "supporter/fan" and you want to show your pride and support of those who are? He didn't know how to answer that one and just said go with your judgement and cop's six sense.
Recently, I wore the shirt while jogging and I ran into a guy who is in the 19th group ( I cannot remember his name now but do know of him to be in SF and that group). Other than to go into great depths as to what we talked about, let me just say that his reaction to me wearing such a shirt was that of "you didn't earn it, you shouldn't be wearing it, period!" I haven't worn it since.
What are your opinions? Is it OK to wear such items in public without ever having earned it? The more the better and are greatly appreciated. My intention(s) are to never portray myself in that light, nor bring dishonor to you guys.
