... impress the POTUS PUTZUS.
Many years ago I participated in a high level review of a military space system. The review was conducted by a senior level civil servant in the pentagon procurement division. His position was the civil equivalent of a brigadier general. Everyone treated him with the deference and formal decorum due to that rank in the military.
He wore a suit and tie.
The military personnel on the review panel dressed in some sort of "dress uniform". They looked sharp, like in a parade, not a combat zone.
The military sponsor of the space system, who was not a part of the review, came by to give us a an introduction and overview of the system. She was a brigadier general. And yes, she was a she.
The Brigadier General wore combat boots and camo overalls with a few velcroed on patches.
Obviously she was not trying to evade the enemy by blending into the conference room office environment. What she was doing was conveying a message: I'm a warfighter. I take that seriously. We are engaged in a serious, literally deadly serious activity. You are to take me and what we are doing seriously and to remember that you are, if only temporarily, warfighters also.
The military is a disciplined, hierarchical and extremely mission focused organization. There is an awareness of the importance of symbolism to that ethos, and the importance of clothing to that symbolism. Camo is NOT just camo. It says something. It says I am a warfighter and I take that very seriously. And it says l expect you to also.
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