# Soldiers wearing civilian clothes for daily duty
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-wearing-civilian-clothes-for-daily-duty/744376
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [January 27, 2016, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-wearing-civilian-clothes-for-daily-duty/744376 "2016-01-27T15:17:53Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Donnerwetter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donnerwetter)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2016, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-wearing-civilian-clothes-for-daily-duty/744376/1 "2016-01-27T15:17:53Z")
I was wondering what type of military personnel is allowed (required) to wear civilian attire for their daily duty. The ones that come to mind are members of the military law enforcement community and intelligence personnel (in both cases, of course, depending on the specific job/assignment). Anybody else?
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### Author:  [@Seren359](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seren359)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2016, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-wearing-civilian-clothes-for-daily-duty/744376/2 "2016-01-27T15:33:28Z")
Elite special forces like the S.A.S. who have a covert mission as their main role.
U.S. forces tend not to since they like to act as large units, not four man undercover teams.
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### Author:  [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2016, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-wearing-civilian-clothes-for-daily-duty/744376/3 "2016-01-27T15:41:18Z")
This is not meant to be snarky, but it’s hard to know, since they will look just like the rest of us. The purpose of wearing a uniform is to be recognisable. Many military roles these days probably require anonymity.
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### Author:  [@Donnerwetter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donnerwetter)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2016, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-wearing-civilian-clothes-for-daily-duty/744376/4 "2016-01-27T15:45:02Z")
> [@bob\_2](#):
>
> This is not meant to be snarky, but **it’s hard to know** , since they will look just like the rest of us. The purpose of wearing a uniform is to be recognisable. Many military roles these days probably require anonymity.
(bolding mine)
Hence the question … 😉
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### Author:  [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2016, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-wearing-civilian-clothes-for-daily-duty/744376/5 "2016-01-27T15:46:12Z")
I did for a while. I was a desk clerk for a facility on post which housed personnel and their families until permanent housing could be arranged. To simulate a hotel (I’m still not sure why), we wore sport coats and ties. That was 40 years ago, and I haven’t worn a tie since.
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### Author:  [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2016, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-wearing-civilian-clothes-for-daily-duty/744376/6 "2016-01-27T16:04:16Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Wearing Army uniforms is prohibited in the following situations:
>
> ```
> In connection with the furtherance of any political or commercial interest, or when engaged in off duty civilian employment.
> When participating in public speeches, interviews, picket lines, marches, rallies, or public demonstrations, except as authorized by competent authority.
> When attending any meeting or event that is a function of, or is sponsored by, an extremist organization.
> When wearing the uniform would bring discredit upon the Army.
> When specifically prohibited by Army regulations.
>
> ```
Those are not part of daily duty, but the regulations are interesting.
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### Author:  [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2016, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-wearing-civilian-clothes-for-daily-duty/744376/7 "2016-01-27T16:04:49Z")
I was in the Navy and serving at a Naval Air Station back in the mid 70’s. Our shop was half military, half civilian. We were allowed to wear civilian clothes to work on Fridays unless we had duty that day.
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### Author:  [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2016, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-wearing-civilian-clothes-for-daily-duty/744376/8 "2016-01-27T16:09:20Z")
David Brinkley wrote in _Washington Goes to War_ (good book about how the capital dealt with WWII) that military personnel were often ordered, in the years before Pearl Harbor, to come and go in Washington in their civvies. FDR, who advocated preparedness but had to deal with rampant isolationism, was worried that there might be a backlash if Congress and the public perceived a marked increase in uniformed personnel in the city. Eisenhower also wrote about being called to a meeting with Gen. George C. Marshall and told to wear a suit, not his uniform, IIRC.
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2016, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-wearing-civilian-clothes-for-daily-duty/744376/9 "2016-01-27T16:13:14Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#):
>
> Those are not part of daily duty, but the regulations are interesting.
I never knew that military personnel were allowed civilian employment or that they were “off-duty” to the extent it was possible.
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### Author:  [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2016, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-wearing-civilian-clothes-for-daily-duty/744376/10 "2016-01-27T16:22:12Z")
> [@running\_coach](#):
>
> I never knew that military personnel were allowed civilian employment or that they were “off-duty” to the extent it was possible.
It’s allowed with commander’s permission, and with the understanding that your civilian job is secondary to your military one. Five guys in a platoon I was in were fired from their civilian jobs because they had to leave in the middle of the shift because some joker let off a fire extinguisher in the barracks one evening.
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### Author:  [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2016, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-wearing-civilian-clothes-for-daily-duty/744376/11 "2016-01-27T16:23:07Z")
Uncle Sam trumps Walmart (or wherever).
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### Author:  [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2016, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-wearing-civilian-clothes-for-daily-duty/744376/12 "2016-01-27T16:24:52Z")
> [@running\_coach](#):
>
> I never knew that military personnel were allowed civilian employment or that they were “off-duty” to the extent it was possible.
Civilian employment is allowed at the discretion of the member’s commander. Not everyone asks for permission, though.
To the OP, there are certain training environments where civilian attire is required; if they’re sending you to a local college course, for instance, you’re on duty but you’re usually expected to dress like the locals. Or if you’re attending a class run by a non-DoD agency, there’s a good chance you’ll be asked to wear whatever the standard of dress is for that agency (say, a suit).
There are also uniforms that don’t really look like uniforms. The guy checking you in at the base hotel might be wearing an official uniform that consists of a polo shirt, slacks, and a nametag.
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### Author:  [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2016, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-wearing-civilian-clothes-for-daily-duty/744376/13 "2016-01-27T16:53:35Z")
CID agents in the Army often wear plainclothes during their investigations.
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### Author:  [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2016, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-wearing-civilian-clothes-for-daily-duty/744376/14 "2016-01-27T16:59:57Z")
> [@Donnerwetter](#):
>
> I was wondering what type of military personnel is allowed (required) to wear civilian attire for their daily duty. The ones that come to mind are members of the military law enforcement community and intelligence personnel (in both cases, of course, depending on the specific job/assignment). Anybody else?
I have never been in the military, but I have been around people who have. I have absolutely never heard of military police wearing anything other than military uniforms.
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### Author:  [@Donnerwetter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donnerwetter)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2016, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-wearing-civilian-clothes-for-daily-duty/744376/15 "2016-01-27T17:08:59Z")
> [@Flyer](#):
>
> I have never been in the military, but I have been around people who have. I have absolutely never heard of military police wearing anything other than military uniforms.
In my OP I wrote “military law enforcement community” which would include organizations like the Navy NCIS or the Army CID.
On the other hand, I know that for instance in Germany, “regular” MPs (there is actually no equivalent for the Army CID in Germany) would routinely put on civilian clothes when they were looking for soldiers (usually conscripts) who had gone AWOL.
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### Author:  [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2016, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-wearing-civilian-clothes-for-daily-duty/744376/16 "2016-01-27T17:15:53Z")
AF Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) personnel (similar to Army CID) wear civilian clothes. Some others wear civilian clothes depending on their assignment. When required to wear civilian clothes, a civilian clothes allowance is given which is pretty cool. Certain White House duties, or other similar type positions require civilian clothes to be worn on duty.
Sometimes civilian clothes are worn back and forth to work, and then are changed into uniforms once at work. I did this when I was deployed to extreme hardship duty in Budapest during the Kosovo war 😃
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### Author:  [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2016, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-wearing-civilian-clothes-for-daily-duty/744376/17 "2016-01-27T17:20:45Z")
From person experience in the Navy: inspectors/auditors from Naval Reactors (NAVSEA08), when going to a nuclear sub/carrier for an inspection or audit, wear civilian clothes – this is so the inspector/auditor has no visible rank. They might be enlisted, or an officer, or even a civilian, but those being inspected won’t know, and thus won’t treat them any differently.
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### Author:  [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2016, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-wearing-civilian-clothes-for-daily-duty/744376/18 "2016-01-27T18:36:35Z")
Another example is the [White House Communications Agency (WHCA)](http://www.disa.mil/careers/whca). When I applied \\* years ago, the inbrief stated that appropriate non-casual civilian business attire was the uniform of the day when working within the White House office spaces. A civilian clothing allowance was part of the package for enlisted members.
We’re talking suits and ties here.
\*decades ago. And I didn’t make the cut. But I’m not bitter or anything. 🙂
ETA: I suspect the principle is applicable to all elements of the [White House Military Office](https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/whmo/), in which the DoD provides support services to the Administration in a civilian environment.
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### Author:  [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2016, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-wearing-civilian-clothes-for-daily-duty/744376/19 "2016-01-27T18:42:40Z")
Military attaché personnel at embassies across the world, Counter-intelligence agents, and CID are the big three that come to mind for the US Army.
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### Author:  [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2016, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-wearing-civilian-clothes-for-daily-duty/744376/20 "2016-01-27T18:44:15Z")
> [@running\_coach](#):
>
> I never knew that military personnel were allowed civilian employment or that they were “off-duty” to the extent it was possible.
Tons of soldiers delivering pizzas, waiting tables, DJing and bouncing on their nights and weekends.
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