Sailors, Marines, Soldiers and Airmen

[Skids]

Why are our fighting men and women so disrespected by the public? Why, when we see them walking proudly down the street in uniform, are they subject to ridicule and not praise?

[Pinotage]

Who says they are subjected to ridicule?

But its  along time since I've seen a service person in uniform outside of a military parade,

[Quizmonster]

Click here to read Kipling's poem 'Tommy'. That might give a clue as to public attitudes.

[-=BigD=-]

I've never noticed any disrespect?!

British armed forces are not usally allowed to wear their uniform out side of their place of work. Usually travelling to work in civvys or an overcoat.
So anyone you see in uniform will be on recruitment/liaison duties or cerimonial/guard duties.
This is a hangover from IRA actions in the 70's.

[Fitzer]

The inclusion of Marines in the title leads me to suspect that the questioner is from the US as in the UK forces the marines aren't a separate branch, hence the question has no parallel over here as, has been pointed out, service personnel do not wear uniform off base/duty.

[Skids]

Actually, I'm from the UK.
As Fitzer says the Royal Marines aren't a separate armed force, they are one of the Royal Navy's four fighting arms. However, this is in fact the same as the US Marines, who are a corps of the US Navy.
BigD mentions that British forces are not usually allowed to wear uniform outside of their place of work. In reality, British Forces are encouraged by Command to wear uniform outside of the military environment and in public. The reason most don't is because public reaction is more often than not negative.

[dothawkes]

I'm lost with this question because i can't think of an incident when this has been reported in the papers or on the news, which I would have thought it would have been if it was a continuing issue.

[Chessman]

Going back a bit maybe, I wasin the forces in the sixties and seventies, a different climate than now, but we were encouraged to sometimes wear our uniform for different civilian events, and the public in general treated us with the greatest respect, and generally couldn't do enough for us. I have a nephew in the present day army, and the only time he wore his uniform outside, was his wedding. Times and attitudes change, but I have never heard anything detrimental about our present day fighting forces, just the ones in charge, at the very top.

[Narolines]

I'm interested to know what evidence there is for this as well - it's not a phenomenon I've ever come across or heard of before. Is it sopposed to be just in one or two places in the UK where there might be other factors in the equation, or reputed to be widespread?

[Skids]

I guess you'd need to be the one wearing the uniform to see it.

[-=BigD=-]

Skids, you mentioned that the forces are encouraged by "command" to wear uniform out of work. Wondering what arm or rank this applies to?

From personal experience active discouragement seems to be the norm. Wearing civvys to commute to work was as much a safety chore as checking under the car for bombs!

The armed forces may be involved in controversial actions (Iraq, etc. etc.) but i think most people realise Downing St is were to direct the anger.

I've always found people respect the forces and are proud of them!

[sinbag]

It' s the British public at fault Skids they are blinkered they only see what they want to see,anything that affects them they will take notice of anything  else does not matter, I served in the Royal Navy for ten years i was proud of the fact and was repected by the public, but when I was in the Korean War for the whole three years it was on, I was a regular  I expected to go a lot didn't   infact most was National Service men, and a lot was killed in a war that wasn't defending this country another American panic attack over big brother, the British public did not care WHY most people had never heard of it, (thats why it was called the fogotten war) un like  Irag now they whine over this ! are our boys defending this country NO but I for one respect them wheather in uniform or not they are doing there job.