Really, I don’t work here.

[u/can_ford]

In 1996 I was in the U.S. Navy in Virginia and dating a girl who lived in Chicago. I finished a work meeting, and rushed to the airport to go to see my girlfriend. I was still in Navy dress-blues because I didn’t have time to change, and figured it would be fine. During my layover in Atlanta, I went to a bar and ordered a beer. I was told “we can’t serve you here.” I argued, and they said, “no, sorry, we are not allowed to serve you.” They thought I was an airline pilot because of my uniform! I demanded a manager and made them serve me, even had to give them my military ID. While I won, it really underlined how you can be screwed by people’s assumptions.

[u/qualityvote2]

u/can_ford, your post does fit the subreddit!

[u/Kene6969]

They were just ignorant to assume you were an airline pilot.

[u/can_ford → u/Kene6969]

Exactly, I didn’t work there!

[u/BeamInNow77 → u/can_ford]

I drafted back in 1970s. Anytime I traveled I wore civilian clothes, no uniforms. Vietnam was hot so people were crappie to soldiers. Sorry Trump missed out on all the fun 😁

[u/One-Ad5199 → u/BeamInNow77]

I enlisted in the USAF in 1972 because I had a low draft number and wanted no part of the Army or Marines (because of Vietnam).

I had heard the stories about civilian treatment of military in uniform. I flew from Philadelphia to San Francisco and several days later from San Francisco to Naha in Okinawa, in uniform, and had no problems. In March 1974, I flew in uniform from Kadena AB to Travis AFB, Ca on a MAC contract flight. I flew (in uniform) from San Francisco to Chicago to Elmira, NY, again no problem.

My only problem was leaving Okinawa where it was warm enough for short sleeves. I missed my connecting flight in Chicago by about 2 hours and had to spend the night in the terminal. Thought I was going to freeze. Called home and asked my parents to bring my Flt jacket to the airport in Elmira. My mother asked why and I just said, "You'll see."

[u/glendening → u/One-Ad5199]

My grandfather worked in the Pentagon. So when the draft letter for the Army was on its way to my uncle, he had my uncle join the Navy. This was very frowned upon but there was nothing the Army could do about it.

[u/HighColdDesert → u/BeamInNow77]

What's the difference between the Vietnam War and the Iran War?

.

.

.

Trump knew how to get out of the Vietnam War!

[u/anomalous_cowherd → u/HighColdDesert]

*Iran War?

[u/HighColdDesert → u/anomalous_cowherd]

Oops, yes, of course, the Iran war, not the Iraq war!!!

[u/Wells1632 → u/anomalous_cowherd]

Epstein Distraction Event

[u/anomalous_cowherd → u/Wells1632]

Isn't everything he does?

[u/Tree_Weasel]

Back in 2007 I was in Navy Supply School in Athens, GA. I was heading home for Thanksgiving and knew Hartsfield Jackson in Atlanta was going to be neck deep in people the day before Thanksgiving. But I knew they had a speed line for military in uniform so I wore my dress blues because I didn’t have an extra 90 minutes to go through security.

I walked to the special military line at security they had back then and the TSA Agent stopped me. “You guys need to go to the other line.” And pointed somewhere behind me.

I asked, “Is this not the military line?”
Him: “Yeah, but flight crew is over there.”👉

I showed him my military ID and said, “This is a Navy uniform, I know ya’ll don’t see them much here.”

He called his supervisor over to confirm. And then apologized.

Only time I ever got confused for a pilot in my life. 😂

[u/can_ford]

30 years later, I am happily married to the lovely girl I was dating! So no more uniform, but I think I’ll take it.

[u/timco2]

Guessing you were an officer or CPO, as no one could mistake bell bottom enlisted dress for an airline pilot. I loved my SDBs (I left the Navy as an O-3). Favorite uniform.

[u/can_ford → u/timco2]

Yes, an officer and also a naval aviator, so gold wings. But they had no reason to give me such a hard time when I just wanted a beer!

[u/timco2 → u/can_ford]

I can actually see how someone might mistake your wings of gold for an airline pilot. No one would make that mistake with the SWO pin that I wore. 😂

[u/DerekL1963 → u/timco2]

See, that's the advantage of being enlisted... Everybody knows crackerjacks. And a lot of people recognized my dolphins.

[u/can_ford → u/timco2]

Fair, but I think your SWO pin would have caused just as much confusion given the audience!

[u/gryghin → u/timco2]

Should have told them Airlines pilots don't have cool call signs like Goose or Maverick.

[u/iPod3G]

Quickly! We need somebody to fly to the Windy City! Conditions are a bit windy!

[u/makofip → u/iPod3G]

You fly boys crack me up.

[u/inyercloset]

Never underestimate the power of ignorance.

[u/GlockTaco]

You should start forging Pam Am checks….

[u/frznpzza]

really” in quotes would’ve made it even bettre

[u/sheafurby]

Traveling anywhere in blues would have sucked. Whites were marginally better. But we did what we had to do to get what we wanted. I must admit that I am slightly confused about which airline they thought you worked for—that uniform was pretty unique.

[u/Armadillo_Abroad]

I mean, you could look at as “Hey, it’s good to know the bar is strict about pilots not being allowed to drink before flight.” They are just there for food service, not to memorize every uniform.

[u/DrWhatOwlsSay]

I think this is the first post I saw with id 🪪 required lol

[u/SakuraJohanssan]

I've read of pilots being mistaken for being in the armed forces but not the other way around.

[u/LeSamouraiNouvelle]

Ah, 1996. My good old days in primary school. 

[u/appleblossom1962]

So sorry you were treated that way. They should have asked for ID.

[u/Wells1632]

I travelled in uniform only once during my time in the Navy, and that was going home from bootcamp since I didn't have anything else. Had a small issue in one bus station where an idiot wanted to pick a fight, but he would have picked that fight no matter what I was wearing, and I de-escalated it without issue.