Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1919-01-29
Sol DER STRIPES AND
:<CHEVRONS EXPLAINED
Public Anxious to Know What Gold
and Silver Bars on Sleeves
Stand for.

| Chevrons, insignia, hatcords, varf.
GUS parts of the Uniform and leggings
as are worn by soldiers returning
home after having been honorably
! discharged are puZz11ng to those not
familiar with military regulations.
The misuse and abuse of various
army regulations regarding dress
serve to arouse curiosity on the part
! OF civilians and interest on the part
Of soldiers.
The wearing Of overseas caps, the
small olive drab pointed skull cap,
by men who have not been overseas
| is not only in violation to regulation
but displays great disrespect towards
Americans who have seen foreign
service on French, English, Belgian,
Italian, Siberian and other fields. It
robs them of distinctive and signi-
hcant privilege to which only they
are entitled and which a million or
more Buddies regret they couldn't
earn to deserve.
Overseas soldiers also have the
privilege of wearing what are
known as wrap leggings" or spiral
1eggings-" The wearing of such leg
gings Is prohibited in camps and can
tonments and soldiers are often
stopped by Military Police in many
cities for wearing them. However,
many enlisted men wear wrap Leg
gings available to them for dress
wear.
Service chevrons and wound stripes
are Of Importance. Overseas men
wear on their left arm gold "
shaped stripe for each six months of
service "over there" and a blue stripe
for each period less than six months
and more than three months. Sol
diers who serve in their home coun-
try may wear silver stripe for each
six months period but none has been
prescribed for service of less than six
months. The war department recent
ly ordered that every discharged man
be supplied with two scarlet chevrons
to be worn on their left sleeve to
show service to their country. This
order is understood by some to mean
that they are to be worn on the sleeve
Of civilian coats.
Wound stripes are gold V-shaped
bars worn. one for each time wound
ed, on the right sleeve
The various hat cords worn by dis
charged soldiers designate their
branch of service and several Of the
latest prescribed" by the war de-
partment may need explanation.
Men who were discharged while in
training at officers schools wear red,
white and blue hat cords. The SER
vice cord has the three colored
strands quite indistinct while the
dress and silk cords worn by officer
candidates show the three colors much
distinct. Officer candidate cords
have various colored acrons; infan-
try, blue acorns; artillery, red; mach
inc gun, red and blue Aviation and
balloon cadets wear a white band
around the hat.
S. A. T. c. hat sords as prescribed
should be olive drab in color.
Green hat cords designate "unas-
signed" and includes men of cooks
and bakers schools, technical schools,
such as Dunwoody, etc. Purple cords
are worn by men of army trade
schools
1t is improper for any soldier to
wear a part Of the U. S. uniform,
hat, breaches, overcoat or the like
over civilian or with civilian clothes
When in uniform he should keep
all buttons policed" and collars
hooked.
The matter of dress of discharged
soldiers Is watched not only by civil
1ans but the men watch each other
and criticism runs freely of incor-
rect practices.