Disrespectful uniforms and Greer's rank

[FeloniousMonk]

My first beef is with how the producers have decided to dress the members of this expedition. I don't know too much about the regulations for Air Force ACUs but I know full well that the way they showed people wearing the Marine uniforms is not just out of code but outright disrespectful. Wearing the blouse unbuttoned is bad enough but to wear the cover backwards? These items sport the Eagle, Globe and Anchor; while that may not seem important to most people, to those of us that bled and sweated through the training to earn the right to wear those uniforms, it holds a lot of meaning.

My other accuracy issue is the ridiculous idea that Greer would be a Master Sergeant. He's in his late 20s/early 30s at best. There is no way in hell he would be at that rank. I might believe Gunnery Sergeant but most likely he'd be a Staff Sergeant...up until whatever he did to get thrown in the brig. That would mean a lot of rank, no two ways about it. Realistically he should be a Sergeant or probably a Corporal after his punishment.

Does anyone really care? Doubtful. There are few of us that would but for a spinoff of a show that at least tried to get the military stuff accurate, this one fails miserably.

[thekillman]

well i'm not extremely familliar with the uniforms and all, however it seems that after SGA had it's own atlantis uniforms, the Stargate Programme seems to more and more develop it's own uniforms.

also, it's international, it's not the USAF anymore. so it has influences, yet isnt "pure"

Sg1 was pure and it was pure USAF, infact everything was checked by the USAF. SGU is a mix of multiple things so has more freedom

[FeloniousMonk]

I understand it has more freedom, I'm just venting that with that freedom shouldn't come laziness in fact checking. If they want to use Marine uniforms in the show at least show us a modicum of respect in wearing them properly. Men and women have died wearing uniforms with the EGA sewn in; it bothers me to see them worn improperly.

Again, I'm not sure if the ACU (Air Force cammies) fall under similar regulations but I'm assuming they do. I don't know if the zoomies would get as irritated by this as I do, however.

[Major Tyler]

As far as I could tell, the only one's wearing the uniforms incorrectly were the civilians, so hopefully they can be forgiven. I remember Eli was wearing an Air Force uniform, but had a Marine cover. Since they didn't bring a lot of clothes along with them (presumably), they probably have to make do with what they have, which means they might not have enough to give everyone a "full and proper" uniform.

That's my guess, anyway.

[dosed150]

As far as I could tell, the only one's wearing the uniforms incorrectly were the civilians, so hopefully they can be forgiven. I remember Eli was wearing an Air Force uniform, but had a Marine cover. Since they didn't bring a lot of clothes along with them (presumably), they probably have to make do with what they have, which means they might not have enough to give everyone a "full and proper" uniform.

That's my guess, anyway.

what i have a problem with is i swear they all had those black uniforms last week, so they just happened to grab a box full of desert uniforms on the way out of the base, probably see them in woodland gear at some time as well

[FeloniousMonk]

As far as I could tell, the only one's wearing the uniforms incorrectly were the civilians, so hopefully they can be forgiven. I remember Eli was wearing an Air Force uniform, but had a Marine cover. Since they didn't bring a lot of clothes along with them (presumably), they probably have to make do with what they have, which means they might not have enough to give everyone a "full and proper" uniform.

That's my guess, anyway.

Good point on both counts. Still, Eli's cover and the open blouse should have been corrected.

[reddevil18]

Good point on both counts. Still, Eli's cover and the open blouse should have been corrected.

And who should correct him? He's a civilian. Even if the circumstances weren't so dire and everyone had other issues to deal with, how many people out there would care that an overweight gamer/nerd is wearing that uniform improperly or that Rush is wearing an AF jacket with jeans? At the end of the day, out there, especially for the civilians...it's just clothing.

[FeloniousMonk]

And who should correct him? He's a civilian. Even if the circumstances weren't so dire and everyone had other issues to deal with, how many people out there would care that an overweight gamer/nerd is wearing that uniform improperly or that Rush is wearing an AF jacket with jeans? At the end of the day, out there, especially for the civilians...it's just clothing.

I meant it should have been corrected in production.

I'm sure the whole thing can be explained away with the limited resources angle but that's fan-wanking at best. At the end of the day, as you say, it's a production staff that thinks camo uniforms look cool and want to show them on screen without actually caring whether or not it's accurate.

edit: in-universe, I can understand why in such a dire situation none of the Marines - especially a so-called MSgt - is taking offense to the uniforms but in a non-dire situation even I would rip that cover off his head and take those blouses away. Hell, the blonde's even had the "U.S. MARINES" name tape on it.

Yes, for civilians it's just clothing. For those of us that wear it every day, it's not. Especially for Marines.

[reddevil18]

But the fact is that they DO have other problems to deal with. Eli's just being your typical nerd. That's why the production crew didn't correct him. It was the whole point. And, like I said, within the show, it's just clothing. Maybe you'll think I'm being disrespectful myself, but I personally hope the military personnel themselves will see it as such in time, because there are bigger issues at stake. And when a large part of your crew is civilian, scientists that know a hell of a lot more about the technology than you do, and you have limited guns and ammo...As an officer, would you really snap at someone because they're wearing a bloody jacket in an improper fashion? With the whole tension on the ship? You'd have an uprising faster than Tigh did when he declared Martial Law. Yes, I just used a BSG comparison.

[FeloniousMonk]

Let's also ignore the fact that wearing any hat backwards - especially in the desert - completely negates the design of the bill intended to shade one's face.

If they had stated that in the show, I would buy it. But there's no reason to believe that's why they were given mismatched uniforms, especially since they didn't need to be wearing them in the first place. The producers just wanted digital camo on screen to make the show look more modern.

[aretood2]

Let's also ignore the fact that wearing any hat backwards - especially in the desert - completely negates the design of the bill intended to shade one's face.

If they had stated that in the show, I would buy it. But there's no reason to believe that's why they were given mismatched uniforms, especially since they didn't need to be wearing them in the first place. The producers just wanted digital camo on screen to make the show look more modern.

you do know that they have military advisors, right?
It is also unrealistic that Eli would care to wear a uniform properly, and not all of the evacuee's had black uniforms, some soldiers had the desert camo.
You can't just state every single detail on screen. You have to use your head you know.

all in all you are missing the point, Eli knows nothing regarding survival.

[Major Tyler]

Let's also ignore the fact that wearing any hat backwards - especially in the desert - completely negates the design of the bill intended to shade one's face.

Eli did have it switched around properly shortly after arriving.

Perhaps Eli's the mismatched cover was tolerated because he seems to be the only civilian that Greer doesn't want to shoot. Maybe the Master Sergeant told the other Marines to cut him some slack. Honestly, I think Greer really likes the nerd. He hasn't said even one unkind word to Eli. I wonder why...

[FeloniousMonk]

you do know that they have military advisors, right?

Obviously not very good ones. Either that or they're not listening to them anymore. Besides, I thought the military advisers stopped associating with the franchise after Atlantis.

It is also unrealistic that Eli would care to wear a uniform properly

as unrealistic is a Marine MSgt not caring that their uniform was being worn improperly

, and not all of the evacuee's had black uniforms, some soldiers had the desert camo.
You can't just state every single detail on screen. You have to use your head you know.

This is a nitpick as valid as any of the nitpicks about anything on any other sci-fi show.

all in all you are missing the point, Eli knows nothing regarding survival.

Apparently neither does anyone else or they would have told him that the bill would have helped keep the sun off his face.

[FeloniousMonk]

Eli did have it switched around properly shortly after arriving.

Perhaps Eli's the mismatched cover was tolerated because he seems to be the only civilian that Greer doesn't want to shoot. Maybe the Master Sergeant told the other Marines to cut him some slack. Honestly, I think Greer really likes the nerd. He hasn't said even one unkind word to Eli. I wonder why...

As a matter of fact, the uniforms don't bother me nearly as much as the idea of Greer being a MSgt. You don't make it to that rank at his age. Unless they're going to tell us he's nearly 40 yet magically looks 25, it's a clear oversight that wouldn't happen if they actually did have military advisers on the production staff. You certainly don't keep the rank after doing anything that gets you thrown in the brig. And you damn sure know to use "sir" when speaking to an officer, let alone complying when being ordered to lower his weapon when given a direct order.

[reddevil18]

As a matter of fact, the uniforms don't bother me nearly as much as the idea of Greer being a MSgt. You don't make it to that rank at his age. Unless they're going to tell us he's nearly 40 yet magically looks 25, it's a clear oversight that wouldn't happen if they actually did have military advisers on the production staff. You certainly don't keep the rank after doing anything that gets you thrown in the brig. And you damn sure know to use "sir" when speaking to an officer, let alone complying when being ordered to lower his weapon when given a direct order.

I think the rank thing is too much on the hypothetical side for me. I mean, on SG-1, Carter went from Captain to full-bird Colonel in 10 years which is quite something, especially for a woman. It could be that serving within the SGC means faster advancement.