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So a bit of backstory. My Senior Year of HS a group put on a sort of learning day, where people who are Holocaust Survivors, Veterans, Aids Survivors and Internment camp survivors and such. ME and a buddy where in charge of the Veteran Seminar, so a classmate brought in her dad who was a veteran of the Army Airborne If I remember correctly. He told his story to various groups and we became chummy(Even though I forced him to tell the monkey story to each group). Flash forward to graduation I meet him again as im walking around. He gives me and army airborne pin, saying he talked to his company and friends and decided to give it to me and my friend for helping him share his story.
I recently found it again. Now Since then i have amassed a large collection of pins I put on a hat and carry around with me. I showed it to my friends who are Vets. Some say never wear it because it is an insult to vets, some say it is a awesome story and they think they intended for me to wear it.

What good are pins if you never wear them?

What good are stories if they never get told?

Meh. Do what you want.
When I was in, there really wasn't any desire on any of our parts to wear militaryish stuff on our parts outside of duty hours. I don't feel the need to get a license plate or anything else to advertise I'm a vet, but that's up to individuals. I wouldn't personally care if I saw someone wearing any of the various pins or anything.
The only thing that bugs me is when I'm at the mall and I see people in full uniform just sort of hanging out, eating taco bell and trying to show off that they somehow didn't fail out of basic or AIT.

 Bromsy wrote:

The only thing that bugs me is when I'm at the mall and I see people in full uniform just sort of hanging out, eating taco bell and trying to show off that they somehow didn't fail out of basic or AIT.

This....

Or when folks claim something theyve never earned, or never did (see stolen valor act)

Sounds to me like the pin you have could be a good conversation starter, provided you don't act like an idiot while wearing it, and if people ask, you inform them properly that you were given it by a vet, etc.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
the monkey story

I'm intrigued.

When he was a private and on lookout he got moneky poop thrown at him. He promptly shot the monkey.........Exposing where his camp was, so the entire camp had to be moved durung the middle of the night.

Not sure what 'airborne' pin you mean, but I assume it is either a set of jump wings or a pin of the 'Airborne' tab that goes above certain unit patches.

Either way, wearing it around me wouldn't bother me a bit. You may at some point have some old paratrooper like myself come up and ask you about it. Politely explain the story you just did here and I can't see any issues coming from it. It shows you supported a group of vets and they thanked you for it. Those are good things.

Now, if you were to pin on a purple heart or some medal passed out for valorous acts in combat without having actually earned them, AND tried to pass yourself off as having earned them, I would consider you trash.

Just don't be this guy:

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
When he was a private and on lookout he got moneky poop thrown at him. He promptly shot the monkey.........Exposing where his camp was, so the entire camp had to be moved durung the middle of the night.

Thats hilarious (though probably not at the time). did he get a funny nickname?

 CptJake wrote:
Not sure what 'airborne' pin you mean, but I assume it is either a set of jump wings or a pin of the 'Airborne' tab that goes above certain unit patches.

It looks like this, but with wings coming out the side

More like this one?



I'm not a vet, but I was 50/50 on wearing it.

If it's that pin then it's not exactly an official uniform item and more of an informal regimental pin. I wouldn't feel bad about displaying it if that's the case, especially if you are not presenting yourself as a soldier/vet.

Almost. But ther is an empty space in the wings.

This one?

Yes that one. I looked around the net and coult not find it.

https://82ndairbornedivisionmuseum.com/cube/pins/novices-wings-with-82d-airborne/prod_842.html

According to google, that is a hat pin and thus can be put on a hat. You should be okay displaying that as it's a cool looking pin and a cool story.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Yes that one. I looked around the net and coult not find it.

That one definitely looks more like a "I think the 82nd Airborne is awesome" pin and less like an "I am/was a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne" pin. I don't think you would have any problems with that one.

I say wear what you want, but only on the condition that you get "Fly Navy" tattooed somewhere on your body.

 Seaward wrote:
I say wear what you want, but only on the condition that you get "Fly Navy" tattooed somewhere on your body.

Would it be appropriate to get it tattoo'd on my buttocks?

 Desubot wrote:

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
When he was a private and on lookout he got moneky poop thrown at him. He promptly shot the monkey.........Exposing where his camp was, so the entire camp had to be moved durung the middle of the night.

Thats hilarious (though probably not at the time). did he get a funny nickname?

No. But he did have alot of funny stories, Like how during a war exercise he an his buddies highjacked tank from the lot by getting the guys inside to give them toilet paper and the went on a joyride in a tank off base, then drove it into a ditch.

Also, Thanks for the help guys, Im less apprehensive about wearing it now.

 Seaward wrote:
I say wear what you want, but only on the condition that you get "Fly Navy" tattooed somewhere on your body.

Seconded

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
highjacked tank... then drove it into a bitch.

That must have raised a few eyebrows

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Like how during a war exercise he an his buddies highjacked tank from the lot by getting the guys inside to give them toilet paper and the went on a joyride in a tank off base, then drove it into a bitch.

Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I got no problem with it. Could start some interesting conversations.

 SilverMK2 wrote:

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
highjacked tank... then drove it into a bitch.

That must have raised a few eyebrows

I want to say he meant 'ditch', but then, it's the army...

 Avatar 720 wrote:

 SilverMK2 wrote:

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
highjacked tank... then drove it into a bitch.

That must have raised a few eyebrows

I want to say he meant 'ditch', but then, it's the army...

You weren't there man! You weren't there!

I meant ditch. He got an official reprimand from his CO, but an unofficial pat on the back for it

He gave it to you (always remember his name and platoon number)
You know his stories.
Your honor his memories.

The pin starts the conversation and his experiences are remembered by others.

As stated, as long as you do not make it appear you earned that pin: all is well.

So many of these symbols get stuffed into a drawer never to see the light of day except once a year.

Celebrate the interesting life of the individual rather than the "honor" of the force.

 Alfndrate wrote:

 Seaward wrote:
I say wear what you want, but only on the condition that you get "Fly Navy" tattooed somewhere on your body.

Would it be appropriate to get it tattoo'd on my buttocks?

If there is one universal constant, it's that the Navy is all about butts.

 Alfndrate wrote:

 Seaward wrote:
I say wear what you want, but only on the condition that you get "Fly Navy" tattooed somewhere on your body.

Would it be appropriate to get it tattoo'd on my buttocks?

So long as you get that above a submarine, which goes across the crack... That way, you can say you have a ship tattooed on your bum, and it has a crack in its hull

Yep, those are not even a uniform item. Wear them when you want.

Though you should know what a PLF is and what your 4th point of contact is.