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What is considered offensive?


ev1436

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If you follow that line of thinking, Costume parties would be very disrespectful, for most of the guests never were Spartans, Roman generals, Superheroes, Sexy Nurses, etc.

 

You have given me an idea. I am going to airsoft in a sexy nurses uniform and see if anyone is offended... :D

 

(btw, Im a guy, 16st+ and very very NOT sexy :D ).

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It varies, depending upon who you ask. A guy I knew was in the US Army Special Forces back in the 70's and he said he didn't care if I wore any SF insignia, as long as I honored the insignia and the real SF soldiers. I come here and everybody yells at me TAKE IT OFF. ...

It's just because we like your *albatross*.

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The majority of my loadouts are based on what the normal infantryman would wear, im not too keen on all the SF or Spetsnaz loadouts, theres probably more merit trying to look like a regular infantry man or motor rifles trooper than Uberl33tdeltasealzspetznazsasNinja loadouts....

 

Saying that, this is airsoft, hence why most people want to be the leet units, even in WW2 games, its always Airborne or SS...

 

Just to add to this (and second it), that it's never realy been much of an issue until the past few years of Russian loadout, as patches weren't really that heavily used until very recently.

 

I've worn one full set of Spetsnaz pouches (on the incorrect bdu, but meh) for one weekend event purely because it was the team loadout. No-one found it offensive, but I didn't keep the uniform for long afterwards.

 

I have some unit pouches I might one day sew on purely because they're awesome (a cobra in front of a heart, etc), but none of my bdus now have any form of patch on.

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personally i dont see a problem with any form of insignia at all.

rank slides would help you identify leaders and such if your team is very big. my team has only 8 players so

theres no need, but if we got bigger we might take it up , or maybee make our own rank symbols if chevrons offend people.

 

we dont wear unit insignia simply because wear not trying to emulate a particular unit. but one of our guys has royal engineers patches on his combat jacket because they were already there when he bought it from the surplus store. noone has ever commented on it or even noticed for that matter. maybee its just in our area but i relly dont think people are paying that level of attention to your attire in the field.

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One of the members of my team sometimes goes dressed as a COE operator (spanish special forces,land army) and some other players have got UOE patches (spanish special forces,marines) of course we play with military veterans of that units and i never seen anyone say to other to get out their patch, beret, badge, etc...

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I personally don't see a problem with rank patches that you've earned, and use out on the field, just make it so that your rank corresponds with the one you were last promoted to, not the one you want to be.

:) Sturm that was what I thought so too. However some people seem to think otherwise. It probably is pointless to wear something one's earned, but since its on a military uniform, and airsoft's the only time I'll be wearing a military uniform for the foreseeable future, then why not? Equally pointless to ask whats the point. The point is that I like it? Unlike what SB says, I've never really told people what to do because im ex-military, nor do I tell people they should respect me because of it. Conversely most people I meet in airsoft are at CQB sites where I wear black overalls with no rank or patches. People who respect or listen to me when I make a suggestion do so because they've seen me play. I on the other hand, also take orders when I have to, and I don't do so because I think someone else is ex-military. If I'm part of a team and someone has a suggestion that sounds good, I'm totally happy to follow orders whether they've ever served in the military or not. In fact its easier being told what to do than to have to tell people what to do.

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:) Sturm that was what I thought so too. However some people seem to think otherwise. It probably is pointless to wear something one's earned, but since its on a military uniform, and airsoft's the only time I'll be wearing a military uniform for the foreseeable future, then why not? Equally pointless to ask whats the point. The point is that I like it? Unlike what SB says, I've never really told people what to do because im ex-military, nor do I tell people they should respect me because of it. Conversely most people I meet in airsoft are at CQB sites where I wear black overalls with no rank or patches. People who respect or listen to me when I make a suggestion do so because they've seen me play. I on the other hand, also take orders when I have to, and I don't do so because I think someone else is ex-military. If I'm part of a team and someone has a suggestion that sounds good, I'm totally happy to follow orders whether they've ever served in the military or not. In fact its easier being told what to do than to have to tell people what to do.

 

That sounds very reasonable.

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I have ran into people playing both airsoft and paintball wearing rank and insignia and i have never said a word to them.... On the other hand while at a fast food joint myself and some others watched as a teenage kid came in wearing dirty *albatross* BDU's covered in scary badges and tabs

 

No biggie till he decided to show his *albatross* in the restaurant... At which point one of the guys with me sat down at his table and had a little discussion with him... Needless to say he reeled his dumbass back in rather rikky tik

 

I guess the point of the story is wear whatever you want... If it gets your rocks off to have a shoulder full of unearned tabs or rock some O3 rank to play a game then go for it... But be prepared to be called out (or receive some wall to wall counseling) if you act like an *albatross*

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Yeah, i mean, people in public wearing uniforms, saying they were/are military is obviously not on, but on the airsoft field you wear what you like, as a sign of respect, beacuse it looks cool, youre a reenactor, whatever reason.

 

i dont understand why there is such a problem....

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Stolen Valor mainly in the US... you got guys claiming the Medal of Honor and other things just to make themselves seem cool. On another forum, we've had guys comin' in saying that they were Raptor pilots or Naval Aviators when they really weren't. It just really ticks off the real military members that there are people out there claiming awards and positions that they had to earn.

 

But, from what I've seen, my dad doesn't really care, he just thinks that they're really stupid. (Note that my dad is a Sergeant Major in the United States Army with 29 years in.)

 

Also, I think it has something to do with some people confusing the fakers with the real guys...

 

As for me, I'll wear an American flag, no rank (I haven't earned a rank in the US military, although, if I were to enlist, I'd be a PFC right off the bat), and maybe an Iraqi patch my dad brought back.

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I would be pretty upsett if i went to an airsoft event and some id was wearing my units insignia. I have personally been through alot to get were I am, wearing that beret and badge represents a certain level of pain endured and pain expected. People who wear it have an understanding with each other and it goes far beyond somthing any of you can understand. So wear a patch if you like but be prepared for what can come along with it...

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People who wear it have an understanding with each other and it goes far beyond somthing any of you can understand. So wear a patch if you like but be prepared for what can come along with it...

 

A sweeping generalisation there. Who is this "You" you're describing? Not everyone who has served their country wants, or feels the need to yell about it ;)

 

I'd also be interested into what exactly can "come along with it".

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Maybe he means if you act out of turn he'll give you a talking too. I would think that someone who was once (Or is) a part of the military would not want to beat someone up just for playing with toy guns and wearing patches, I mean thats a bit harsh.

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I prefer it when it's the other way round. A couple of weeks ago an absolute geardo was gobbing off about how my MOLLE pouches were authentic and weren't being used by Brits. At which point I commented that the sand engrained in my gear wasn't Kyrlon but was actually the property of the Iraqi government. That kind of shut him up.

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Going along that line of thinking then you shouldn't wear the BDU's/Uniforms etc neither as you havn't earned the right to wear them also, that is if you have never been in the military. So I can see how some people would think its a bit mad saying you can't have the badges etc but its okay to wear the uniform. Catch 22

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Harsh? It's pathetic.

 

Airsoft is a game. It's that simple. I don't care how milsim you get.... It's still a game.

 

I know if a squaddie turned up at my local and started yelling at some poor lad for wearing a patch, they'd be politely reminded that they're not at work.

 

If units are really that bothered about it, stop making your insignia available to the general public. If it really means that much to you, why can I buy it on Ebay?

 

As has been mentioned, a Russian unit does feel that way, and made sure those people who may choose to wear their kit, knew how the unit felt about it.

 

Knowing yourself, and that you did what it took to achieve these little bits of cloth really should be enough. If you have truly earned them, wear them on the inside where it matters.

 

 

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bottom line, where what you like, don't bulls***! you wont go far wrong!

 

Well said. My brother is serving in the RAFR atm, and when he came to pick me up from a game he was appalled to see 45 year old men pretending to be some SEAL.

Much to my embarrassment, he (I quote) said "Hey, you spend all this money pretending to be some guy you're not. People have to earn the right to wear that badge. If you want to wear it, go do it for real."

I can imagine I'm going to get stick for posting that but I think he had a point.

As current military, I 'm sure you can appreciate the the pride serving personnel get when receiving their pathces and the horror they get when they see some wannabe telling everybody he was at Goose Green and killed 11 Argentines with his bare hands.

 

TheBearr.

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Well said. My brother is serving in the RAFR atm, and when he came to pick me up from a game he was appalled to see 45 year old men pretending to be some SEAL.

Much to my embarrassment, he (I quote) said "Hey, you spend all this money pretending to be some guy you're not. People have to earn the right to wear that badge. If you want to wear it, go do it for real."

I can imagine I'm going to get stick for posting that but I think he had a point.

As current military, I 'm sure you can appreciate the the pride serving personnel get when receiving their pathces and the horror they get when they see some wannabe telling everybody he was at Goose Green and killed 11 Argentines with his bare hands.

 

TheBearr.

 

The difference being wearing the badge because you think it looks cool on your loadout, and pretending you were actually in said unit.

 

A serviceman having a word with someone who had falsely claimed to have been in their regiment/unit/whatever is fair enough, I would personally expect it to be done in a calm and adult manner.

 

Although I do find it interesting that those I know who are still "in" and skirmish, wouldn't field their issue kit anyway. Firstly because they want a quiet Sunday skirmishing, not being surrounded by kids after war stories. Secondly because who on earth wants to drag their work into their hobby?

 

I can totally understand the pride that comes from earning a patch, no-one doubts that. But it's relevance in the world of airsoft is limited. I find the flip side of the coin equally bizarre - where skirmishers go onto military forums, and act like they have the slightest clue about what the "real world" (for want of a better term) is like. That's something that I think understandably irritates the military personnel, as much as it irritates experienced skirmishers when the military guys seek to rubbish their tactics on the playing field as "not what the real guys do".

 

Airsoft is pantomime combat, and supposed to be fun. Anyone who finds real combat fun, needs their wiring checked.

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A sweeping generalisation there. Who is this "You" you're describing? Not everyone who has served their country wants, or feels the need to yell about it ;)

 

I'd also be interested into what exactly can "come along with it".

 

 

You refurs to anyone that has not been in the SOF community. Im not yelling about it. i posted my views on the subject if you dont agree with them that is fine. As far as what comes along with it, again your not in my unit nor in my shoes so to describe to you what that is would have no effect on your idea of what is fair. Making items public is not the units choice, and it is not a valid point to try and stand on. Please if you have a probelm with what I say take it to pm.

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You refurs to anyone that has not been in the SOF community. Im not yelling about it. i posted my views on the subject if you dont agree with them that is fine. As far as what comes along with it, again your not in my unit nor in my shoes so to describe to you what that is would have no effect on your idea of what is fair. Making items public is not the units choice, and it is not a valid point to try and stand on. Please if you have a probelm with what I say take it to pm.

 

Why would I want to take it to PM? This is a discussion, everyone's views are equally valid. I don't have the slightest problem with what you're saying, I simply disagree with it.

 

So what comes along with it? I'm sure everyone is extremely interested in what is fair in your eyes - as a member of the SOF community. It certainly comes across like a threat, although I'm sure I'm reading it wrong....?

 

I think you need to take into account you're on an airsoft forum, that deals with skirmishing and the equipment that goes with it. Not a military forum. Military uniforms like it or not, are part of the package due to the very nature of the hobby. Some people (I'll point out at this point I wear nothing I haven't earned) choose to buy commercially available patches and insignia to make the scenario more realistic for them - this does not automatically mean they consider themselves members of that unit, or affiliated to it in any way. To them it's just a badge that looks cool. I could go on about comparative symbolism for pages, but people would nod off :P.

 

I'd be the first to show distaste towards someone claiming to be a member of any military forces falsely - not just the 'special ones' either at a skirmish, or outside of it. As would probably every member on these forums. However once at a skirmish, you're dealing with a fictional environment. Some people dress up as futuristic spacepunks, some dress as SAS uber soldiers etc, it's costume. To you, a badge represents blood, sweat, and achievement - but outside of your enclosed environment, it reverts to being a badge. That does not detract from its meaning to you, and those you work with.

 

Are you equally offended when an actor wears your uniform in a film? Personally I don't see the difference. I can't imagine anyone at a skirmish event, when seeing someone dressed as a SEAL, actually assumes that person is one. There more likely to think 'cool loadout'.

 

I've no doubt you'll disagree, and hey - that's fine too. I would however genuinely be interested in why. Even though I'm not in your shoes I am capable, as are others, of understanding the opinions of others ;)

 

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i personally have no problem with rank or unit patches, just stuff like the SEAL trident and the USMC globe & anchor. theres no question about it, anybody falsely posing to be military(especially special forces) deserves to get called out on it, embarrassed, etc. i am kind of curious about wearing non military patches and insignia, such as stuff earned at ROTC, or maybe sharpshooter patches that i have earned. also, D0LCE, you said you were SOF and while we admire your input, i'm kind of curious, what unit did you serve in?

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really, if your playing airsoft to do milsim then to not wear the patches of whatever army/unit you are imitating is simply put: failing.

personally im not in to milsim, i mean i wear hunting camo hah, but if someone wants to pretend/reenact a particular unit then fine, let them.

if i were in to milsim and some guy called me out on wearing a badge i would come next time covered in every conceivable military patch i could find and wear a pink afro wig to top it off just ###### him off.

however if i were claiming to actually be part of a unit in real life when i am not then sure, calling me out would be perfectly acceptable and deserved.

 

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