Henry Rifle Forums

Talking with one of my daughters during a visit not too long ago, and we got on the subject of military service. She and her husband had both been in the Air Force, he still teaches for the Air Force and in fact, just scored a great promotion. (GS12? Department Head, Private Office, secretary...) I made the comment that after my military and subsequent Government careers it was nice to finally NOT be in uniform... It got quiet, then she and Miss T busted out laughing, I thought they were going to have strokes.



"What's so funny?"

"You, Urkel."

"What?"

"You are STILL in uniform."

Unless it's a special occasion, which are RARE these days, you wear the same thing EVERY day. EVERY DAY. Black sweat pants, Black or burgandy pocket T shirt, Black PLAIN running shoes like you wore on patrol, and because you have NO butt to keep the sweats up, suspenders (Urkel). In the winter, the T-Shirt adds long sleeves and you might add a Black Hoodie. It's YOUR uniform.

"If Mom puts YOUR clothes away, you go behind her and make sure the SHIRTS are neat in the drawers, black shirts in the one pile, burgandy in the other. On REALLY HOT summer days, the sweat pants are shorts, but still black sweat pants. Mom bought dark blue sweats, you NEVER wore them. She donated them to Goodwill unworn. UNIFORM."

"Face It, you are still in Uniform, Marine."

I thought about what she said, and thought about my other Marine friends who retired and how they always said it was nice not to have to wear that uniform every day. Then realized they dressed every day in pressed khaki dockers, a clean white shirt, and polished black shoes. Or Neat Jeans, a Marine T-shirt and Running Shoes. Most of the retired Marines I knew... rarely let it all hang out.

One... became an IT professional and let his hair go, his beard go wild, bought a full dress bike and loves life. But he is pretty much the exception.
I cut my hair SHORT in the summer, but let it grow a bit longer in the cold winters, almost an inch. Summer, cop cut. State Trooper short again... LOL. I always threaten to grow a beard, I just can't stand to let the hair on my face get that long. A goatee, for a bit, then I give up and shave it. Beard, can't stand it. Always wanted one... never could put up with it.

I only did one hitch in the Army but what you learn from the military stays with you for life. I wear the
same basic clothes every day except Sunday, and then after church I change back into them. Not really
a uniform, but basic, blue jeans and a sweat shirt in cold weather and jeans and a T in warm weather.
Sometimes I even wear that to church as well.
When I got out of the Army back in the sixties I started growing a mustache and I still have one today.
I shaved it off one time and my late Mother said, "Grow it back", so I did and never shaved it off again.
Last Fall, prior to Thanksgiving I started a beard. It came in think and white. I trimmed it to keep it
neat, but a week ago I just got tired of it and shaved it off. I now have a mustache and a goatee. I like
that look and the wife does as well.

I think you should just be comfortable with yourself, and of course listen to the wife as well.

I'm sure that if most folks think on it, they'll realize they wear a uniform as well. My neighbor across the street says he has never been one to wear a uniform, but every single day he steps into his overalls. Same brand, same color, same style, for sixty years. Levis. In the summer he wears a T-shirt under them. In the winter a flannel shirt. When the temp drops, he adds his barn coat. Wife says he has six pairs, when one wears out she buys a new one. But they have to wear out... and she does mean OUT...