# On actors portraying military personnel: UL or true? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 23, 2006, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-actors-portraying-military-personnel-ul-or-true/361912 "2006-06-23T21:13:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![brad\_d](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@brad\_d](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brad_d)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-actors-portraying-military-personnel-ul-or-true/361912/1 "2006-06-23T21:13:20Z")
So over at IMDB there is a list of “goofs” associated with many/most of the movies. I’m looking over [the one for _Crimson Tide_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112740/goofs) and see this: > [@](#): > > By law, when an actor portrays military personal in a movie or TV show they are required to be what the military call, out of uniform. For example, ribbons or medals out of order, or improper insignia on clothing or hats. This is so that technically they are not impersonating military personal. I get a reading on my BS detectors when I see this, but I’m not in a position to know for sure. Snopes doesn’t seem to address it one way or the other on their [Military](http://www.snopes.com/military/military.asp) page, and I couldn’t find any threads on the topic here (although it’s entirely possible I chose my terms poorly). Does anybody care to affirm (preferably with a citation of the “law”) or refute this claim? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-actors-portraying-military-personnel-ul-or-true/361912/2 "2006-06-23T21:17:03Z")
Yeah, the allegation is false, but there is a nugget of truth. 10 USC 771 and 772 say: “Except as otherwise provided by law, no person except a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps, as the case may be, may wear - (1) the uniform, or a distinctive part of the uniform, of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps; or (2) a uniform any part of which is similar to a distinctive part of the uniform of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps …” unless: "(f) 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. " ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-actors-portraying-military-personnel-ul-or-true/361912/3 "2006-06-23T21:22:59Z")
And I highly doubt you could actually sucessfuly prosecute someone for “wearing a military uniform in a movie which discredits the armed forces,” what with that pesky First Amendment and all. ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-actors-portraying-military-personnel-ul-or-true/361912/4 "2006-06-23T21:27:45Z")
In fact, in _Schacht v. United States_ (398 U.S. 58), the Supreme Court ruled that the “tend to discredit” clause was unconstitutional. ---
**Author:** ![brad\_d](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@brad\_d](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brad_d)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-actors-portraying-military-personnel-ul-or-true/361912/5 "2006-06-23T23:07:09Z")
Good info, all. Many thanks. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2006, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-actors-portraying-military-personnel-ul-or-true/361912/6 "2006-06-24T03:42:35Z")
> [@JeffB](#): > > In fact, in _Schacht v. United States_ (398 U.S. 58), the Supreme Court ruled that the “tend to discredit” clause was unconstitutional. If James Cagney’s portrayal of the Captain in _Mr. Roberts_ didn’t tend to discredit naval officers who command ships nothing will.