Haha, Army-Navy surplus store was swamped with calls asking for SEAL insignia/patches!1

[UTUSN]

This is anecdotal only, but I'll bet it was happening all over. This was Tuesday, when the elation was at a peak. I happened (not related to the news) to be at an Army-Navy surplus store. While I was there, about a half an hour, they got at least two phone calls asking whether they had patches or something saying "SEAL Team (number whatever)."

They were asking for their own Team number, not the one from the news, so I don't think they were planning to do a Stolen Valor thing, but were expressing their own SEAL pride. But maybe they are going to go around claiming they killed BIN LADEN.

[FreakinDJ]

1. My Gawd - wearing a patch you never earned

how scummy

[UTUSN]

6. As I said, the two calls I heard were about OTHER team numbers, NOT "six."

I'm guessing, charitably, that the callers might have been genuine SEALs with their pride re-awakened.

Otoh, at halloween I was shocked to see one of those stores SWAMPED with kids snapping up all kinds of stuff to dress up with, especially getting dog tags punched with their names on them.

[TornadoTN]

9. I've never met a SEAL whose pride was ever anything but awakened

I work with one and he's not exactly bragging and putting it out there in every conversation, but he (and his friends) are always keyed in on their service. I would think that if you got to that point of being chosen to be in the SEAL's and endured their training & lifestyle, you would always have your pride awakened.

[UTUSN]

10. Yip, let's say not their pride reawakened, but current events stoking

an update of their memorabilia.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

11. I bet former SEALS have a better source for patches than an Army/Navy surplus store.

I said, to myself, when the OBL kill news broke: I bet the number of "former SEALS" just grew by the thousands.

I once knew a bouncer who claimed to be a former SEAL. He was no more a SEAL than I was a Porpoise.

[TornadoTN]

12. The SEAL's I know don't even need something that says they were a SEAL

Most of what they do and have done will never be spoken of and they will never be in the spotlight as individuals. Their pride is in the mind and in everything they do, and they don't need a patch to know it or show it off.

Maybe it's just the ones I've met, so there could be a whole different mindset out there, but this seems pretty inherent in their culture.

[UTUSN]

16. I guess we're going to hone my choice of words till they reach a Shakespearean level

Military "surplus" stores handle new inventory and some of their stuff comes from the same suppliers that the military uses. I used the word "surplus" as shorthand.




While I'm at it, might as well fix the word "swamped." *Two* phone calls, albeit within a half-hour, doesn't make it a "swamping." But for the sake of the anecdote, let's allow that this might have been happening at militaria outlets all over the country and all over the internet.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

18. Military "surplus" stores handle new inventory?

As in they are an outlet for active duty personnel?

[UTUSN]

19. They and countless internet vendors handle new or old or a combination

Active duty personnel get their first medals/decorations issued free to them via their branch channels, but replacements are bought by them at stores like this, many of them clustered around the streets leading in and out of military bases. Veterans and police and security guards get stuff from them. Not to mention bikers and paint-ballers.

I addressed my use of the word "surplus" in the previous post. Some are all surplus, some all new, some are a combination.

Check out Medals of America, or Soldier City, or countless websites.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

20. Ahh. I see. That makes more sense.

I had visions of the surplus stores I see here in Chicago - frequented by by Halloween goers and attendees of freaky gay raves. Not that I would know anything about that!:)

[TornadoTN]

2. Why do I get a picture of a bunch of middle-aged guys sitting around with a beer

talking about their time with the SEAL's?


*E* Could also be Paintball/Airsoft teams trying to put together a team that's themed around those units. Which isn't exactly much better, but at least they aren't trying to say they were actually *IN* the SEAL's....

[UTUSN]

8. Haha, exactly!1 n/t

[bullwinkle428]

3. I posted something on this subject yesterday, but wanted to mention

that I heard that approximately 100 people claim some kind of affiliation with the SEALS for every actual genuine SEAL!

[madamesilverspurs]

4. Not that different

from those who routinely wear shirts, etc., declaring their favorite team. When the team does well, it's "WE won!" When the game goes badly, it's "Those bums!"


-

[alcibiades_mystery]

5. What kind of non-SEAL douche would wear a SEAL patch?

Yeesh. Some people are fucking dunces.

[UTUSN]

7. See post #6, above. n/t

[JohnnyLib2]

13. Next: action figures, video games.

Jeez.

[TornadoTN]

14. Video Games & Movies are probably already being made

And I'm sure some enterprising flag-waver has already been in touch with China to get action figures started and someone has a commemorative coin being minted.

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. SOCOM VI has been out for a while

The commercials are a funny

[malaise]

15. Did Bush order one for his

Mission Accomplished fake gear. :evilgrin: