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#1
30 March 2007, 05:38 PM
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Are uniformed military allowed to drink in public?
I mentioned this in an old thread about airport stories, and received several comments that uniformed military are not permitted to consume alcohol in public. I remember there being several sides to the issue, but I never got a clear answer. As background, I travel frequently. Several years back, while between planes in Chicago, I noticed two servicemen at the bar in a Chilis restautrant and bought them a round (heck, company credit card). It is my habit to do this, and it happened again yesterday at the Little Rock airport. Am I doing anything that is likely to get someone in trouble?
Or does it matter what branch of the service you are in? I can't say for certain, but I think one was Air Force - he was drinking a cosmopolitan- and the other was regular Army - he had bitten off the top of a shot glass of Old Bushmills and was chewing on the glass. BB "just asking" &S
__________________
Some of us worship in churches, some in synagogues, some on golf courses. - Adlai Stevenson 
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#2
30 March 2007, 05:59 PM
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I am in the military and as far as I know there is no regulation against it. I certainly hope not since I have been known to drink in uniform in airport bars and on aircraft. I have even had drinks bought for me and have bought them for others who were in uniform when I was not.
The thing that might get someone in trouble if they are drinking in public while in uniform would be their behavior. But that would come under a different article of the UCMJ.
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#3
30 March 2007, 06:15 PM
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For the Army...the "Army Green Service Uniform" can be worn anytime anywhere. The Dress and Mess Blues and Whites can be worn at "social occassions." The BDUs, ACUs, DBDUs and ABDUs can be worn off-post but cannot be worn in an establishment that sells only (or primarily) alcohol, or if at a restaurant, your main activity is drinking. So for the servicemen you saw, if they were wearing BDUs (the tree uniform) or the ACUs (the new digital pattern) or Desert BDUs, and all they were doing was drinking, they were wrong. Otherwise they're fine.
pinqy
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#4
30 March 2007, 06:38 PM
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BB&S You made me laugh.
 In answer to your question, I'm not aware of any regulation that doesn't allow drinking in uniform and, to the contrary, I've imbibed myself many a time in uniform, although usually in a social setting. Alcohol use, though, is very much discouraged in uniform and public intoxication is dealt with fairly harshly. This is a big change from when I got in when it was almost encouraged. Benig drunk on duty would be Article 112 of the UCMJ. Soldiers in an airport terminal in uniform would be on duty (travel is considered "on duty"). Could be also Article 134. That said, many commands have local policies against drinking in public, or against drinking at all. General Honoree, for instance, has published a policy prohibiting soldiers preparing to deploy or undergoing demobilization from overseas from drinking at all. So yes, it is possible also that specific soldiers shouldn't be drinking in uniform. That said...thanks for giving that fine soldier a drink! Oh, and the airman too 
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#5
30 March 2007, 08:29 PM
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There might be a tiny hint of truth to this...
There are rules set up for each service about "conduct" while in uniform. I know the two that I get to yell about rather frequently is, "No eating or drinking while WALKING in uniform." and "No using cell phones while walking in uniform.". So, as long as the GI's don't WALK anywhere with the drinkg in their hands, you can buy them as many as they care to drink!
__________________
Opinions aren't excuses to remain ignorant about subjects, nor are they excuses to never examine one's beliefs & prejudices...
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#7
30 March 2007, 08:45 PM
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I think it is back to the idea of appearance. I have seen several military person in uniform at various bars (being something of drinker myself). Often, other customers will buy some drinks for the individual (as a token of gratitude for serving).
I think the deal is with being "drunk" in uniform. Don't want to be seen as a stumbling, vomiting lush when in the easily recognized uniform. Doing something wrong will be associated with the uniform (think about Motorcycle leathers and violence. we accept those two go together, but many, many riders are respectful law-abiding folks). Perhaps it flows from breaking laws in uniform (Drunk in Public is a minor crime). Such crimes cast a bad name for the Service and the command wants to avoid a bad rep. I am curious about the BDUs vs. everyday vs. whatever uniform having an impact. Maybe I will try to research it later.
__________________
Despite the high cost of Living, it is still a very popular thing to do. It is a sad fact that 50 percent of marriages in this country end in divorce. But hey, the other half end in death. You could be one of the lucky ones! - Richard Jeni
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#9
30 March 2007, 09:02 PM
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Quote:
__________________
I got an idea... an idea so smart my head would explode if I even began to know what I was talking about. Avoid missing ball for high score ~ Pong
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#10
30 March 2007, 09:05 PM
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Quote:
pinqy
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#11
25 July 2007, 01:20 AM
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Drinking's okay. Being drunk isn't.
When I was in the Army I used to drink in uniform ever day after work. After I had a few, I would change into my civies then drink as much as I wanted. That way when I got stupid drunk I wasn't in uniform. The NCO Club was full of people drinking in their BDUs. And so was the 123 Club that was for the lower enlisted ranks. It was the same thing way back when we wore green fatigues too.
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#12
05 August 2007, 12:29 PM
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This might be country specific too - while I was in the Finnish Navy, we were told not to be seen drinking alcohol while on leave and in uniform (I can't quite recall, but I believe you weren't supposed to smoke in public either).
I do remember that one guy got disciplined for being seen drunk in public while in uniform (he didn't get into any legal trouble, but just being obviously drunk in front of numerous witnesses was enough). - Il-Mari
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#13
06 August 2007, 06:46 AM
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It depends also on post and command. Some posts have stricter rules than the whole-army regulations, and some commanders have special rules for soldiers under their command. Also, anyone deployed in Iraq right now, in the Army at any rate, can't drink at all unless on leave, and then the uniform isn't supposed to be worn.
Of late, the Army has been discouraging soldiers from wearing uniforms off duty, least they become targets, not just endangering themselves, but any civilian place they happen to be. Since soldiers can't drink on duty, only during the rare times they are somehow nebulously not really on or off, such as when traveling under orders would you see soldiers drinking in uniform. another time might be a military-sponsored social event, where soldiers would need to be in uniform, but not performing duties, and allowed to enjoy themselves. This would usually be at some kind of military facility. This is why the main place you would see soldiers drinking in uniform would be in an airport bar. By the way, soldiers are not always required to travel in uniform. Usually only when a unit travels together do the soldiers wear uniforms. Occasionally a commander may specifically instruct personnell to be in civilian clothes. Soldiers traveling alone on commercial flights, even under orders, usually do not wear uniforms. Those who do may simply need to be in them very soon after getting off the plane, and not have time to change; others may be hoping someone will notice and buy them a drink.
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#14
06 August 2007, 01:41 PM
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MNC-I (Multi-National Corps-Iraq) has a policy letter on the subject. Fortunately I'm no longer in a position to access said policy letter.
But since I almost got an article 15 for it I'm familiar with it. Primarily General Order # 1 prohibits the consumption of alcohol while in theater, or transiting to and from theater. AR 670-1 (the regulation covering wear and appearance of Army uniforms) specifies that BDUs/ACUs/DCUs are not to be worn to social functions, only official duty and transit to and from the place of duty and your home of record.
__________________
"Ranger school gives you skills. RANGER skills, like ruck marching, mountain tossing, super rappelling, and DEATH BLOSSOM!" - Ranger school promotional video
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#15
06 August 2007, 05:52 PM
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For the record, I was drinking water last night while sitting at the bar in Olive Garden on my way home from drill....
Army soldiers are now encouraged to wear the uniform when traveling on orders. Something about reminding the civilians there's a war on. Came in handy when United lost my luggage a couple of week ago - I didn't have to report in in civvies. While the Army pretty much wears ACU's for everything now, the Marines have been told the Utility uniform is forbidden off post except in the car to and from post.
__________________
There's a widow in sleepy Chester, Who weeps for her only son; There's a grave on the Pabeng River, A grave that the Burmans shun; And there's Subadar Prag Tewarri, Who tells how the work was done.
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#16
09 August 2007, 02:52 PM
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Quote:
Quote:
pinqy
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#17
09 August 2007, 03:16 PM
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MNC-I policy (and I'm sure it's a similar policy for servicemembers moving back and forth to Afghanistan) is no alcohol while in uniform when going home on pass or when your unit is transiting in and out of theater.
__________________
"Ranger school gives you skills. RANGER skills, like ruck marching, mountain tossing, super rappelling, and DEATH BLOSSOM!" - Ranger school promotional video
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#18
09 August 2007, 10:15 PM
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AR 670-1 amendment, 03FEB05:
Quote:
Quote:
Saw the new Army Combat Shirt today...not sure what to think of it yet. That logo has to go...
__________________
There's a widow in sleepy Chester, Who weeps for her only son; There's a grave on the Pabeng River, A grave that the Burmans shun; And there's Subadar Prag Tewarri, Who tells how the work was done.
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#19
09 August 2007, 10:18 PM
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Quote:
__________________
"Ranger school gives you skills. RANGER skills, like ruck marching, mountain tossing, super rappelling, and DEATH BLOSSOM!" - Ranger school promotional video
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#20
09 August 2007, 11:04 PM
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Quote:
__________________
There's a widow in sleepy Chester, Who weeps for her only son; There's a grave on the Pabeng River, A grave that the Burmans shun; And there's Subadar Prag Tewarri, Who tells how the work was done.
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