Hubby's going to dress in his formal blues!!!

[Sablerose]

I wanted to thank you guys for all the great tips so far and help with all my questions. I got to talk to my husband yesterday and he says it would probably be a nice thing if he would dress for formal night, in his Dress Blues.

 

That makes me really excited, because even when we got married he didn't wear his Blues. I'm so proud of him and think he looks so handsome when he's all gussied up.

 

Do you think this will make a big stir, with him in his blues? Do you guys often see men in their formal Military Dress on formal nights? I think a little attention and appreciation would do him some good (he's usually very uncomfortable making a "big deal" out of his military service, although I DO think it's a very big deal)... we shouldn't expect any negative attention or anything, should we?

 

Can you relate stories of when you've seen active-duty men dressed in their formal uniforms, on ship?

 

Thank you so much everybody. You're keeping me going and really giving me something fabulous to look forward to. If I could only find anyone who was going to be on our ship at our time! :)

[MERVYN BREMMER]

Put those Dress Blues on, stick that chest out, and be proud you are one of our elite sons. I for one am very happy to see our young men and women in uniform dress in their formal wear for dinner. There have been at least two on each of my cruises. Yes you will draw attention but none of it that I saw was negative. Most of what I saw was looks of admiration and several thank you's spoken.

Last but not least THANK YOU for putting it out there for those of us at home. From an Old Vet.

[lilmsonry]

Hi Sable my friend.....Even if he was the only service person on the ship...put those on, hold your head up high, and like previous poster said, stick your chest out, this is a time to shine!!!! We are so very proud of him also. Wish we were going with you!! You should receive nothing but praise and admiration!!:D :D :D

[molme]

Go for it. We have seen several in uniform on our cruises. My husband said if he could still get in his he would wear it, but he retired 25 years ago and it would be a little snug now. Our SIL is active duty and wore his mess dress on their recent cruise.

 

 

What does you DH do on the Awacs? Our son was a airborne radar tech (ART) from 92-97. Stationed at Tinker and Okinawa.

[bpatters1]

From a retired Navy Man......put that uniform on a be proud. It is a honor to wear that uniform and it would be a honor to be in the same dining room with him.

[dan40]

The dress blues would be 200% correct IM[not so]HO.

 

Dan

[happy cruzin]

I wanted to thank you guys for all the great tips so far and help with all my questions. I got to talk to my husband yesterday and he says it would probably be a nice thing if he would dress for formal night, in his Dress Blues.

 

That makes me really excited, because even when we got married he didn't wear his Blues. I'm so proud of him and think he looks so handsome when he's all gussied up.

 

Do you think this will make a big stir, with him in his blues? Do you guys often see men in their formal Military Dress on formal nights? I think a little attention and appreciation would do him some good (he's usually very uncomfortable making a "big deal" out of his military service, although I DO think it's a very big deal)... we shouldn't expect any negative attention or anything, should we?

 

Can you relate stories of when you've seen active-duty men dressed in their formal uniforms, on ship?

 

Thank you so much everybody. You're keeping me going and really giving me something fabulous to look forward to. If I could only find anyone who was going to be on our ship at our time! :)

 

 

 

AWESOME!! I would be proud to have dinner with him!! :D

 

Enjoy!

[SanFranBayCruiser]

I think it's wonderful! Enjoy! I'm sure he'll receive very positive attention!

[Sablerose]

Okay let's see if I can get all my thank yous and responses out here!

 

First of all I just read the other military dress uniform thread too, so that answered a few questions.

 

We don't have a Mess Dress uniform (tuxedo jacket/medals/etc.) so he will be limited to his Class A USAF dress uniform. I've only ever seen him wear it with straight tie, which might be our option if we go, as I don't know what else we would have to buy or add to his blues to make them ready for the bow-tie look. I'm new at this military wife thing. :) So I'm learning as I go. I just know that he does not have the Mess Dress tuxedo-style uniform, and don't know how much it would cost us to get one. As it is he has told me that he's working out a lot where he is and getting strong so we will probably have to buy him a bigger Blues jacket, as his shoulders and arms will be tight on the one he has. Whee!

 

Thank you, everyone, for your fabulous and positive comments. My husband is very proud of his service to our country, he just likes to keep it on the "down low" if he can. I think being on the cruise ship will be the perfect opportunity to let him shine. Now I just have to find an outfit that will go with it! :) I have never seen anyone actually come up to him, shake his hand, and thank him for his service. But where we live, there are a LOT of military folks, so perhaps it's not as "new and interesting." I will be so proud if something like that really happens.

 

molme: My husband is in AWACS support, he's not a flier. But since there are planes gone right now, he's gone with them. It's a pretty standard thing for someone in com/computer support to go remote with the AWACS.

 

lilmsonry: We should meet up some time. :)

 

Everyone with your thank-yous and fabulous compliments, thank you so much. It's a scary time to be a military family in this country, but the way people rally around and give back is always an inspiration.

 

Sincerely, thank you very much, and thanks for any more advice, feedback or ideas you might have.

[corina27]

Sablerose the two of you will look great!:)

[Guest Crazeecat5]

As a mother of a son who is in the United States Army, I would say it would be an honor for all of those aboard to see your husband in his dress uniform. I would certainly shake his hand and thank him for working to protect all of us.

Sheryl

[tjohn159d]

You should have him check with his commander and see when he is allowed to wear it. I was just at a beauty pagent with a retired marine. His daughter (a finalist) wanted him to escort her on stageduring the formal wear competion, in his dress blues, but he said he was not allowed to wear it for that type of event. I would hate to see him get in trouble for wearing it at the wrong place. IMHO he should be able to wear it, but I know they have certain rules they have to follow.

 

As a side note at the start of the final contest at the pagent, the coordinator asked all of the miltary active duty, veterans, police, and firefighters to stand and they sang God Bless America for us and said thank you. I thought that was very nice of them. I never really thought I was in such a small group, until then, and I saw only about 20 people stand up, out of the 300 or so that were there.

[Sablerose]

He can wear it on the ship, I am sure, just like he could wear it to get married in. The thing is, if they are a "participant" in a "public event," they are not allowed to wear it unless the military sanctions, or is actively participating, in the event.

 

He would not be able to wear it in a talent show or something, but he could wear it to the dining room and around the ship as long as he wasn't participating in some kind of "event." That's how I understand it.

[bpatters1]

Sable,

 

You are 100 % correct, he can wear his uniform anywhere and anytime he desires as long as he is not participating in a non military event or there is a perception of his association to an event that is not USAF sanctioned.

[heymom32000]

My dh will be wearing his as well when we go on our cruise. Our boys are both Civil Air Patrol Cadets and will wear their blues as well. Dh is required to attend the dining outs now that we live in the same area as his unit. So he will have to put out $500 for a Mess Dress (formal tux blues). Not sure we will get it before our cruise though since it's so costly. Would be nice if we can swing it though. Enjoy your cruise and tell your hubby to wear his uniform with pride!

 

Michelle

[WeatherGeek]

My fiance wore his on the last cruise we went on. People came up to him all night both nights and thanked him for his service - it was really nice.

[bluejeans]

I was married to a Navy man once, and when he donned those dress blues or whites, it gave me goose bumps. He has something to be proud of. :)

[Ms Belvedere]

I agree with everything written above. Make sure you get plenty of pictures taken, too. They'll be a wonderful memory.

[luci]

Sable,

 

So wonderful to hear your DH is wearing his dress uniform for formal night. Were we cruising with you, we would be most proud to shake his hand and thank him. In fact, my DH said your DH would never have to buy a drink as long as we were around!!!:)

 

 

Luci

[nybumpkin]

DH's brother wore his Navy dress uniform when we married. I still think my dad (WWII, submarine service) wondered, "Why couldn't she be marrying that guy?" Wear the uniform with pride!!! We're proud of you!

[rangerdog]

I'm proud to be an American!!! Thank you to all you men and women who fight so unselfishelly for our country, my freedom and for our next generation. God Bless America and our service men and women!!!

[fishinguspo]

Dress blues are meant to be worn for special ocassions, formal night is one of them. It is not often a service member can wear blues, therefore remind him he is regarded highly by many. Brave Rifles!!

 

Get yourself a real long formal dress for the first formal night, enjoy your meal and make sure you go dancing.

[Sablerose]

Everyone's been so supportive. I'm getting really excited both about seeing him dressed up and about being on his arm. I truly think it would be a lifechanging experience if someone actually came up and shook his hand and thanked him for what he does.

 

Not to mention the idea of a free drink or two is also appealing! Hey, we military families are on a budget! :D

 

Do y'all think formal night is more fun if you stay dressed up? Anyone been on the Elation to be able to tell us about the night life there and is many folks stay all gussied up for the whole night? I think our first formal night will be Halloween but then there will be another one.

 

More and more excited every moment. Thank you all for your support.

[waterrats]

Total non-milatary people here. I think it would be great if he did wear his dress blues. People would be talking about your husband all night.

 

It would be like the little guy (about 2) that we saw on our cruise last year in a tux. It will just stand out and there is nothing ashamed in that since he will be dressed better than the guys in tuxes. I bet your husband won't have a single wrinkle in the uniform and also every crease will be sharp as a knife.

[Longsx3]

Sable,

I think that your DH wearing his Dress Blues is a great idea! My Dh is wearing his Mess Dress for our Liberty Cruise. I was actually able to find a great deal on a Navy Blue Formal, on ebay, and I bought dd a Steel Grey Dress, also on ebay :), ...I am hoping that are pictures turn out well enough to get a large one made for the house since it has been a while since we have had a family picture made.

 

 

Enjoy your Cruise!

 

Kelly