Originally Posted by
ArizonaGuy
Ok, I'll play devil's advocate. Does traveling in uniform automatically mean the person is en route to or from a combat zone? How does one know that it's not simply service man or woman traveling on official business? Say from DC to San Diego? Seattle to Los Angeles? Honolulu to the mainland? Okinawa to the US?
And so I'll probably get flamed for this.. I'll survive.
Time alters many practices....
There used to be a fare class, "Military Standby", about 1/2 the cheapest available economy, much used by active duty travelers on leave and reservists, usually officers traveling to and from training duty, on a reimbursement basis (X cents per mile) rather than government purchased tickets.
The secret to success was to travel in "Service Dress" uniform, nattily turned out in full fig rig with ribbons, etc. (Back then, few boasted of more than a row of decorations, with Vietnam and the decades since introducing previously unheard of awards and citations).
Routinely, the "Stewardesses" and GAs of that long forgotten era would fill seats at the front of the bus with those who at least appeared to exhibit First Class qualities, although then as now, sharp uniforms could conceal all sorts of blunt, dumb objects.