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

[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 :)