Screen shot of the Urban Outfitters vest with Ranger Scroll.
Spotted on the web: Urban Outfitters military-inspired clothing includes a vest with a 3rd Ranger Battalion scroll over the top left-breast pocket. Some in the military community were upset about it, and eventually Urban Outfitters removed the item from their website, although when you click on the original link the site says the vest is “sold out.” A screenshot of the original vest appears above. Other military themed clothing remains on the website, including jean jackets with Army and Air Force ranks, although other items with unit patches seemed to have been removed.
What do you think?
Was the vest an innocent fashion statement? Is it inappropriate to use the Ranger scroll this way? What about other military symbols and insignia?
Leave your comments below.
Hat Tip: Guardian of Valor
19 Comments
Unless you are wearing it to honor a fallen comrade or relative, you have no business with it on. I gave 20+ years of my life defending this nation, I have the right to wear things like this.
I think if Army items are going to be used on civilian fashion, the Army should get about 10%. And don’t forget about the other branches, they need their cut too.
If you didnt EARN it then you Dont wear it! its an Honor to wear this not a fashion statement.
Bad form and poor taste on urban outfitters part. It’s an honor to wear this, not a fashion statement.
The CEO of Urban Outfitters, Richard Hayne, formed the company when he was 23. He graduated Lehigh University one year prior to that. He has no military background and was listed as the 262nd richest person in the US in 2008. Obviously he cares more about his company and money than he does about the sacrifices of those that allow him his lifestyle. No respect shown and none shall be given.
Urban outfitters has every right to make this clothing. These are badges and patches. They pulled the items from the inventory because they don’t want to ruin their reputation by word of mouth. This is an American Company that has rights— Rights that our military has fought to maintain and we should respect those rights!! How dare you say that the corporation has NO RESPECT!!! Real warriors don’t complain about trivial badges and berets. If you think that a ranger tab or ranger scroll makes you “special”– than you are arrogant!!! Why not remember the legacy of the Rangers? Rangers fought for US citizens to have the ability to be free and retain their rights. There is a reason why the Army Times mentioned only the Ranger scroll in the article: because US Army Rangers get all “steamed up” about trivial stuff like this. What about the 1st ID and COSCOM? Why do you care what the CEO makes, are you arrogant AND jealous?
Note to fashion designers: the patches, tabs, scrolls, & other military emblems are not accessories. Many of us have put in time, blood, sweat, and tears to have both the priviledge and honor of wearing them.
I had to earn the right to wear the Ranger Scroll. That required graduating ranger school, serving in a regular infantry unit successfully then passing Regiment selection. I then got to wear the scroll after many years of hard work and sweat. It took a personal goal. I wore it through 4 combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and had my fellow Rangers wounded and I was injured wearing it. If I saw some kid sporting it on the street corner it would be a slap in the face to the blood, sweat and standards that have been attained by so many to wear it. Americans do have the right to wear one, sign a Ranger enlistment contract and go through the same process to earn the scroll and we will be happy to bestow the honor of wearing it on you. Find another form of fashion to express your individualism. The Scroll is not about individualism, it is about something larger than self, a brotherhood, and it sounds like Urban Outfitters found that out. Respect the honor of military medals and unit insignias, they represent more than those who have not served could ever understand and can sometimes only be understood by the thankful smile of someone you have helped in a country that is not your homeland.
I’m sorry, but I guess I’ll have to play devil’s advocate here. I can’t see why anybody would be truly upset over this. Cries and damnations over the fact that “you have to earn it to wear it” are mainly what I am reading.
You have to earn it to wear it if you wear the uniform, if you’re a civilian wearing a jacket, it doesn’t matter, it’s just another patch, a piece of cloth. I don’t see any disrespect with this article of clothing, in fact, I’m sure a large percentage of individuals would NEVER even catch on the reference anyhow. Maybe some people would even do a bit of research and learn about the Regiment when they never would have had a clue. We serve in a civilian ran military, I for the life of me can’t object to a civilian wearing a patch which belongs to a unit assigned to one of the branches of the military. Disrespect is damning those who serve, damning their families, speaking ill about those who serve. Wearing a patch? It’s not a big deal, we have much larger issues to worry about than things like this. If you lived that life, you have that forever, somebody wearing a jacket with a 3rd Bat patch can never take that away. Be humble with your accomplishments in the service, take solace in it, and let the civilians be civilians.
I think this is BS and the Ranger scroll should ONLY be used by those Rangers who EARNED it. Its not a FASHION statement, it represents the Rangers, a group of honored men who have fought and died for their country and still continue to put themselves in harms way today. This store needs to take that off.
Lighten up, Francis. It’s not as if any of those limp-wrists who would actually wear such an item of clothing would be confused with a real Ranger.
This is not a complete uniform and in no way exhibits pretending to be a soldier. Freedom of speech! Constitutional rights…..you stand for them and would fight for them. Think about what you say before you deny these rights to the citizens YOU are sworn to protect. For all you know, a civilian might think the patch is for a forest ranger. Get off your high horse!
I was an Infantryman in Bco 3/325 ABCT 91-94. To this day i will not wear an article of clothing that has a patch, badge or tab that I didn’t earn. It’s an exercise in common courtesy and propriety. These virtues seem to be in short supply as of late. The people that patronize the likes of Urban Outfiters would do well to learn about the patches they sport casually. Many of our heraldry devices were born in the fires of combat, that’s worth knowning and respecting.
I can’t believe that no one has pointed out the fact that the 1st Coscom patch is pointed in the wrong direction. And where’s the Airborne tab??
Pffft. Come on guys, seriously…
Looks like something that some douchebag hipster club kids would wear. If it makes them feel like the king of the dip5h!ts in front of their friends, thats wonderful. One day they will try to act like a bad arse to someone who knows whats up and they will learn a very valuable lesson in life.
They still have clothing listed with unit patches. They are on the back of this jacket. http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=28733475&color=001&parentid=MORE%20IDEAS
Personally I’ve earned badges and tabs and I could care less if someone wears one on some stupid looking clothing. No different then the people walking around in cut off BDUs/ACUs. I personally just look at them like they are a dumb****.
To Mojo and the others that “do not see what the big deal is”… you are correct. You do not and can not understand the problem. These badges are the product of shared suffering and shared experience. They have meaning. Wearing them without earning them is a slap in the face to every man who has suffered to earn them. It may be your choice to Steal Valor by wearing them, but it is not a good choice.
They have meaning: Yes. Is it ok to wear? Let’s see. Does it violate any laws? Not that I know of. Does it offend people? Obviously, from this website, YES, it does. If you go to AAFES where the Ranger bat is, I would bet there are shirts available with the scroll on it, just like at Bening, there are shirts available with the Airborne wings on it. I don’t think they check your military record when you buy one. If somehow they made it clear it was honoring the military by the shirt instead of simply making a fashion statement (and what is that statement?), then it would be a little more acceptable. If they only used unit patches, they probably wouldn’t have offended as many people.
Not sure why the individual unit doesn’t add this to the list of Registered trademarks. Don’t think the intent of AO was to cause any disrespect or controversy, but I don’t think it is proper.
Yes, badges might have meaning and if it was someone wearing a real uniform posing as someone who suposidly earned the right to wear those items, that is something to be really upset about. To me, duty, honor and sacrifice for country is something only a uniformed member can and should understand. Maybe it’s just the generation I come from, but material things have little meaning. Yes, I am still pround to wear my wings on my left chest of my uniform, but once I retire, those wings will sit in a Shaddow box on my wall. It’s what I did for my country and having had the honor of serving with GREAT AMERICAN’s who really understand what sacrifice is all about; that is a badge I wear and will wear proudly untill the day I die. Not some man made accouterment. Yes, they might look stupid, it might be upsetting, but it is only in America where brave individuals who stood up to do their duty for country, that a free people can remain free. That is a product of all of our hard work, blood, sweat, tears and sacrifices. Great individuals worked hard, made sacrifices and sometimes paid the ultimate sacrifice to keep this country FREE. That is a badge to really be proud of, and it’s something you can’t put on clothing. Soldier Up and let the hippies be the cry babies!