Military question

[mhalachai]

So I'm just rewatching the Stargate movie, and since I know better than to trust Hollywood for (American) military accuracy, a question:

Would anyone, officer or enlisted man, be chewing gum while on duty in their dress uniform? I know the military has many, many regulations on appearance and behavior while on duty, but do they address gum chewing? How about cigarette smoking?

So many irrelevant questions, so little patience for Google...

Comments

[millylicious.livejournal.com]

According to my cousin, no. But she hasn't been in the army long (a year or so) and says they're usually harder on the new ones to 'break them in', so I don't know if that's part of that or not.

[millylicious.livejournal.com]

Oh, and that's canadian military

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

From what I gather, the North American military cultures aren't that different. It makes sense, in any event.

What branch is she in?

[millylicious.livejournal.com]

22nd Royal Regiment (infantry)

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Very awesome :)

[millylicious.livejournal.com]

Indeed. You know the Vandoos?

[millylicious.livejournal.com]

Nevermind, I totally forgot for a second there that you were Canadian *facepalm*

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Indeed I do know the Vandoos :) I know only a little about the Canadian Forces, but I know the Vandoos (and the Princess Pat Light Infantry, but that's mostly because of the song)

[millylicious.livejournal.com]

The 'What does Vandoos stand for?' question is the one we get the most from anglo kids in Old Quebec, because it's on all the scavenger hunts the tourist businesses/school groups use.

We're just like *says 22 in french* 'Now repeat it back to me?'

And they get it right away, lol.

[(Anonymous)]

That just hurt my French-speaking heart. Maybe it's *Canadian* French that pronounces it that way...
Either that, or they learned it from The Nanny (you know, "Shut the door" instead of "Je t'adore").

[millylicious.livejournal.com]

No, we say it the normal way (I'm french canadian), but have you ever heard an anglophone (american, english canadian, british, etc) trying to say 22 in french? They make it sounds like Vandoo, because they can't pronounce Vingt-deux right.

The english soldiers weren't able to pronounce 22 right, so over time 'Vandoo' became the 'nickname' for the 22nd royal regiment, because there were only french soldiers in that regiment. (and they were known for their valor, as well as their stubborness and daredevil tactics).

[neviditelny.livejournal.com]

According to Skippy's List (http://skippyslist.com/list/), there is no chewing gum in formation. Whether or not this applies to dress uniforms, I don't know.

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Skippy's list has given me many a laugh. And many ideas :)

[jo_anne_storm]

OK, so, talking to the hubby, he doesn't think that there's an actual regulation against chewing gum in uniform. But its one of those things where if you get caught doing it, you get chewed out. So why bother?

As for smoking, you can smoke in any uniform. When and where you can smoke are the things that are regulated. So, maybe 50 feet from the building is the smoke free zone. And, apparently, its against regulations to smoke and walk at the same time.

He's US Army, BTW. If that helps at all.

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

So why bother?
Makes sense. And there's all that off-duty time to chew gum, if one is a true gum-aholic.

Is there a law about smoking in federal buildings down there? We have such laws up here in Canada. I walk past the main post office every day in Vancouver and see a huddle of posties across the street, smoking in the rain. Poor guys.

No smoking and walking? Does it make me a bad person to really, really want to make a joke about that one?

[jo_anne_storm]

No smoking and walking? Does it make me a bad person to really, really want to make a joke about that one?

No, it doesn't. I want to make the same joke.

And, yes, according to my handy Google, there are laws against smoking in federal buildings.

Also, random, but maybe helpful: there's no rule against putting your hands in your pockets while in uniform (at least in the Army). I know that Jack does this all the time in Stargate. It's considered "unmilitary" and will get you yelled at.

A lot of times, when there's no regulation in place, they use the gentlemanly tradition. Could you imagine Rhett Butler chewing gum or slouching around with his hands in his pocket?

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

I don't recall seeing Jack with hands in pockets in his dress blues, only the every-day outfit (where hands in pockets isn't going to shove anything out of shape). Mitchell too, in later seasons now that I think of it.

the gentlemanly tradition
Now that makes the most sense :)

[morgie.livejournal.com]

Assuming the person is on watch/duty, he'd probably get a serious ass chewing if caught doing either. Duty/watching radar? Gum would probably be okay as long as it's not an ass in charge, smoking is done outsdie. ;)

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

I guess that blowing bubbles isn't exactly conducive to paying attention to approaching dangers :)

[heeroluva.livejournal.com]

I just asked my friend that lives on the local base and she says that no chewing gum in not allowed while on duty nor is smoking. Though you can do either while in uniform but not on duty. She's Army, and it might vary for Air Force. I can ask one of the people I known in AFROTC tomorrow about it.

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

I think it's a good practice to have the Air Force generals behaving in much the same way. I should know better than to pay any attention to Hollywood's version of the Air Force :)

Mostly, I wanted to know about the general attitudes. It says a lot about how one is expected to behave if there's no gum chewing allowed.

[practical-puss.livejournal.com]

Going by mt cousin (Army) HELL NO. I'm not sure if it's actually against any one rule, but gum chewing is really, really not encouraged. And dress uniforms are taken kind of seriously. Battle dress uniforms get considerably less respect. Smoking is a little better (more manly) but you still wouldn't want to get caught.

[ladycolete.livejournal.com]

It all depends on where you are at. From what I remembered, I've smoked and chewed gum/ate food while in dress uniform. Now, if I'm at a ceramony in front of a bunch of people to include Generals, I wouldn't be. But I got out in 2003 and rules could have changed. Plus, I was in the Air Force.

rachel

[kaylashay81]

At Ft. Campbell... I've seen many soldiers smoking in uniform, outside, in smoking areas.

I don't recall any of the soldiers in uniform coming into Vehicle Registration chewing gum, but then I sometimes get distracted... especially when asking their marital status. ;-)

PS: I got distracted by the Army CID guy that came in too...

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Smoking's always seemed to me to be more... I dunno, professional than chewing gum on the job. Must be all those years of seeing doctors smoke in the exam rooms. Actually no, I'm not that old.

Your job sounds *very* interesting...

[kira-snugz.livejournal.com]

our last base was norad run, which meant mixed crew. and the Americans were ruthless about gum. just in reg dress, you could only get away with it if it was a quitting smoking aid, and you needed a drs note.

if you get caught doing it in dress they did have fines.

this is the USAF though and the branches all have different rules for that stuff.

[roga.livejournal.com]

In the Israeli army it's fine. Like, you wouldn't chew gum in the middle of a meeting with your commander because it's impolite - unless they're chewing gum too - but otherwise it's fine. And, you know, semi OT :-)

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

When I was a kid and we got caught chewing gum in class, the teacher would tell us that we could only chew gum if we brought enough for everyone. I suppose that would apply with a commanding officer as well :)

[flingslass.livejournal.com]

I don't think we'd chew gum in a dress uniform. I could ask my brother, he's a Colonel in the reserves but he'd want to know why and I don't want to tell him. I think it would be about disrespecting the uniform.

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

It does make sense to not do anything that would seem unprofessional - gum's not exactly that professional of a thing to be doing, military or civilian professions. I've heard a lot of the same thing out of other countries with a distant connection to old Britain (past colony or whatever the technical connection the USA has with Britain)

[watcher457.livejournal.com]

I called my father. he's retired air force. you do not chew gum in dress blues in formation. there are no rules preventing it out of formation, but you shouldn't make it obvious, as that's common courtesy. in fatigues, there is no real problem with it as long as your job doesn't specifically prohibit it and i would imagine that would be according to rules you would find at any job, i.e. mechanic, office worker, etc.

for the most part, you rely on the rules of common etiquette (you know, the ones most people don't follow any more)

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Common etiquette no longer is, sadly. These days, it's startling when someone holds the door for me. When I have kids, I'm gonna teach them some manners. While yelling at their friends to get off my lawn.

Ahem.

Because I have no idea, I'll ask -- what's formation? When would one be in formation?

(I'm totally amazed how many people on my f-list have connections to the military. In my real life, I don't know anyone in the military. Hrm)

[watcher457.livejournal.com]

think geese or a marching band. usually that's at ceremonies, so obviously no gum allowed.

[watcher457.livejournal.com]

you know the one etiquette thing i desperately wish was still in effect? spitting in front of a lady. i hate it when people just are spitting. it's nasty and uncouth and rather disgusting.

[aceandscarecrow.blogspot.com (from livejournal.com)]

In formation would mean if there were many people walking/moving together.
However Dress Uniforms are reserved for meeting the higher ups, social events, award cermonies ETC. Not sure what the situation is in Stargate, but if it's one soldier talking to a friend, or close colleague (SG-1 Example Jack to Hammond) then gum could be overlooked. Dress uniforms are not used for Sentry Duty.

It really depends on the people involved. It can be overlooked if among friends, but if with a hardass officer or something it would get you in trouble.