Punisher Logo, Acceptable to use?

[Mr Monkey Nuts]

I'm liking the look of the Punisher logo and am considering putting it on my rough finish desert Mk12 style SPR once I finish building it.

 

However I know it has been used by the US military, but is based on a Comic and adopted by the military as opposed to being for the millitary.

 

So simple question is it acceptable for a Civillian to sport the Punisher logo or is taking the piss?

 

 

 

 

[Mack]

Nothing wrong with using it, as you say, its just a comic.

[cavninja]

Nothing wrong at all mate, its airsoft, people dress as or with whatever they chose. You're not passing yourself off as someone fro a military unit that used the punisher logo, so what's the problem?

[joshcowin]

nothing wrong with that its not like its stolen valor

[BigAl]

FIne to use, though you will no doubt get endless American Snipper comments. Bit of a bugger really as the evil Harley Chop i'm building was gonna get a Punisher Skull cut into the headstock, till that film came out.

[Albiscuit]

If I ever get a sci fi rifle im slapping the Metalheadz logo on it somewhere!!...

 

So basically, use what the hell you want. If it looks cool, DO IT!!!

[Mr Monkey Nuts]

But that's exactly my point isn't it? There are some things that look cool but are definitely NOT acceptable to wear, such as Medals, Rank, TRF patches, TBOC patches, Taliban Hunting Club patches, crossed rifles, wings etc.

 

I just wanted to double check that the Punisher symbol wasn't one of them.

[Albiscuit]

Nah, still feck it. If I wanted to go all out and rock a replica loadout I still would, I probably wouldnt wear a regiments insignia out of context just because they looked cool. but a logo like that or skull n crossbones etc would be fair game..

[Colonel Kurtz]

I'd consider it an all or nothing affair, either it's not appropriate to wear anything genuine military out of 'respect' for the reality of it, or whatever the hell you like. You could take that to an extreme and say it's not appropriate for any of us to use RIF for the same reasons.

 

Worse case scenario is you end up having to put up with someone giving you a vietnam-vet-ish rant about 'you weren't there man'. Hopefuly their 1000yard stare will make it easy to duck out of the conversation.

[Lozart]

I know someone on FB got and absolute shit ton of grief for wanting to wear a Taliban Hunting Club patch ("you haven't earned it" was the mantra) but the Punisher thing? The only people that could legitimately have a grievance is Marvel/Disney and I very much doubt they care.

[Spatch]

I concur with all of the above, nothing wrong with something like the punisher, and as above, as long as it's not you trying to 'Walt' it up then what's the harm, those of us that have served can become a little annoyed at those who wear what they haven't earned at more so those who try to make out they are something they are not and have never been

[cavninja]

Drifting slightly off topic, but its been mentioned here, is "stolen valour" or "Walting".

In airosft many like to dress and adopt varying forms of military kit, be it out of necessity, (it's practical, comfortable or camouflaged) or because they like it and it looks cool or because they are trying to replicate and exact look or appearance that may have been worn/used in a particular campaign or war.

when people raise the issue of stolen valour or walting, surely the crux of the matter is the context and if the person is trying to pass themselves off as something they're not?

So you could have a 100% authentic WW2 loadout, no one is going to try to accuse you of walting because you're too young?

If you have a US SOCOM type load out, surely people don't think you're trying to pass yourself off as their nations finest if you're from Dudley??!!

but what if its Brit and you could be in the right age bracket? I've seen a guy who had recreated an almost exact replica of a 3 Para MG gunner from Afghan, it was awsome! but he wasn't trying to pass himself off as something he wasn't, it was, in his own way, his tribute to our armed forces, after all, imitation is the most sincere form of flattery.

I say where what you like, its all about the context, if you're wearing it because its cool or because you want to recreate that exact look, fine, but if you're trying to make out you're second man on the balcony, then NO!!!

 

To give my comments a little context, I served for 23 years.

[Lozart]

Very good point there cavninja!

 

Buddy of mine was in 3 Para in Afghan so I had a good chat with him about it when I saw him a few weeks back. The main drive of it was that wearing to kit to go airsofting specifically really doesn't count as walting but it's when it comes to wearing it outside of the airsoft field that it's an issue. I seem to remember there was a bit of a hoo hah about someone that accepted forces discount in a fast food restaurant because the staff didn't know he WASN'T serving or ex forces and he was too much of a dick to not own up. That's definitely walting as is the old boy that used to rock up to the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday claiming he was ex SAS and won the VC. It seems to be more about specific ranks and unit insignia too. Plenty of ex and serving guys are fine with you wearing the uniform as long as it doesn't involve insignia that has special significance.

 

It's a tricky subject and certainly one that gets jumped on in the US but I don't think the open public walting is quite so common here as it seems to be over there!

 

Like you say - all about the context!

[jcheeseright]

I think as cavninja said, it's not what you wear, it's how you act when you wear it. Wear what you want, just don't be that guy who claims to be something they're not

[Sitting Duck]

I like the punisher - god will judge our enemies we will arrange the meeting

 

purely from a clever notation or statement, I've seen numerous patches & T-shirts being worn

in fact only reason I haven't bought it is purely coz I'm so crap at the sport

that is the ONLY reason I feel I am not worthy to wear something like that - coz I'm crap

 

Otherwise if I was a better player I do feel I would have it myself - coz I think it looks good and I like it

if it offended anybody in particular then I would remove but to be honest I really like it myself

 

understand the need to avoid offending any ex-service reg or platoons though but punisher - nah I like it

besides I'm playing toy soldiers in UK with toy guns ffs

[cavninja]

I agree with both Loz and JC, I think wearing it at the airsoft site is fine, but on your way to and from? No! Put a coat on take off the top layer, that's what most people I've seen do anyway. I will travel to the site in boots and trousers and just wear a fleece or something on top. Can you imagine waltzing in to the services looking like something out of Zero Dark Thirty??!!

Same run as your guns, in a case or bag on the way to and from.

I've met some really great people while I've been airsofting, never met any Walts while i've been airsofting, but I've met a few through my work!! lol.

most guys I meet at sites are very respectful and if they meet a serving member of the forces or a veteran are very happy to chat and ask questions.

My alarm bells only start ringing when somebody claims they can't talk about what they've done "because its classified"!!! Biaaatch purleeeese! That's the biggest Walten-indicator there is!! lol

 

As JC says, don't be that guy!

 

Be the guy that plays well, take it all in the spirit and takes his hits!

[Mr Monkey Nuts]

Walting is not off topic at all, it's bang on the topic and it's exactly what I am reffering to and trying to avoid.

 

I agree completely with everything said so for about being "that guy" to the point I sometimes do feel ashamed of playing airsoft and don't like donning the MTP. Most of my guns are very demillitaized.

 

It's worth noting that Mr Mitty doesn't just exist exclusively as a forces fantasist, they also exist in civi street and In my day job specifically there are a lot of Walts who simply "don't know, what they don't know"

[n1ckh]

As said above by the guys, wear what you want buddy but dont flaunt it in public, as also mentioned above, if your recreating a particular load out, go for it

 

I've seen guys in full WW2 kit with patches but no rank insignia (only proper re-enacters do that)

 

I served 5 years in the army, I have my TRF patches on my kit, I have my jump wings on my jacket but I won't let my boys wear them as I earned them, I left as a lance corpral but dont wear my stripe as it no longer applies

 

I'm proud of what I did and take pride in helping others wether experienced or not but I also watch others

[Colonel Kurtz]

Airsoft is a strange one as so many people seem to give airsoft kudos to being/having been in the military. I suppose airsoft can easily be considered somekind of simulated soldiering, and therefore being in the military should instantly make you a badass at it. Also I guess lot's of people whoove been in the military play airsoft as still gives a taste, and they're admired for their backgroung, and then copied by the Walts who want the same regards. I think if you combine that ethos with there being no national ranking/scoring system for empiracally telling how good at the game you are, it's an easy one to claim, to make you look more badass/dedicated to the game.

 

This is part of the reason i have a sci-fi looking gun, and no camo-gear, as i want to distance myself from this military kudos. I would be a terrible soldier, I'd only have to vaporise a few innocent villagers, or members of the Taliban trained by Rambo and i'd go heart-of-darkness bonkers. I do however do quite well at airsoft, being a spritly young-ish lad and having done much laser-quest/paint-ball and CoDish computer games I find myself well matched if not outclassing the middleaged Walting gentleman proclaiming their military background as an instant verification of them kicking ass at airsoft.

[n1ckh]

You've raised a good point Kurtz, people expect more of you when you've been in the military but those who dont know how to 'soldier' it gets difficult to use what you know as 'they' dont know what your on about

 

If you play games together for so long, makes it easier as you teach things to the others in your team, theres 2 of us who are ex army in our team of 5 and we play regular together BUT that doesn't mean we are better

 

Sometimes you will get a bunch of guys on one team who just gel and everyone works together but then you get people who just wants to 'lone wolf it'

[Colonel Kurtz]

Yeah I think that military experience definately always going to help someones ability at airsoft, especially with team-play. Just seems like there needs to be some other kind of airsoft badge of honor, or the Whitmans will keep on claiming they served.

 

In Japan (arguably the founders of modern airsoft) youre more likely to encouter someone dressed as Iron Man than in DEVGRU. I doubt they're any less competitive, so I wonder what makes the difference? My guess is perhaps airsoft is more of a society, and airsoft teams have more kudos/acknowledement? I haven't heard/read any mentions about specific airsoft teams being legendarily badass in the UK (maybe its classified and i dont have clearance), so rather than being able to say 'I'm in this team, which as you know is badass' people have to say 'I'm in this team' - 'Who?' - 'We're a team from x, and two of us used to be in a particular unit in the army'

[n1ckh]

My personal view is that many of us are to competitive, its in our nature to be dominant and that's when it gets fun, watching people trying to be top dog

 

Military has ranks so the people above you are top dog, in airsoft, you have to earn it a different way

 

I've got no time or respect for people who throw there weight around because they've been doing it longer than me, I respect those who 'lead & follow' listen to others opinions, experiences & ideas aswell

 

I'll earn your respect as you've got to earn mine, I will not give respect freely

[cavninja]

TBH Kurtz, this isn't just a particular airsoft problem, if it is indeed a problem in airsoft? (I've never actually met a "Walt" while airsofting! Maybe the "Walts" have "Vet-Sense" and hide when they smell us??!! lol).

There are many who claim to have served and are now in all walks of life, the advent of social media just makes it easier to spread the word! I'm sure there always has been and I'm sure they'll continue to try and blag it until Walt hunting takes over from fox hunting as the blood sport of choice!

A friend of mine is a Town Crier in his spare time, another Vet, he's actually pretty good, but he's just outed a guy who is also a Town Crier for Walting and this bozo actually does it professionally and makes money off it! Check out https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Walter-Mitty-Hunters-Club-HQ/501261976579581

That's Stolen Valour right there!!

 

There's good and bad, in every one, So sang Stevie wonder and Paul McCartney! Noobs, Vets, experienced airsofters, I'm sure you find good and bad in each as you do in all walks of life.

The secret is to smile and walk away from the throbbers and to hold out your hand and make a friend of the good guys.

 

As for Teams with a reputation? Well, good or bad, I guess that depends on their profile on social media.

[Colonel Kurtz]

Hehe i think you're right, and there is some 'vet-sense'. Perhaps it's because i airsoft on my own (easy target for wandering bullshit standing around solo) and I appear too obviously not anyone who'd know better, as I've had all sorts of people being dubiously pro-active about mentioning their service in the armed forces! I'd say every single time i've played airsoft, with maybe one exception when i was very tired and didn't talk to anyone really. I'm not counting all the people who've mentioned it that i'd believe, just the wierdo types who appear to not have the physical capability and i'd really hope no-one had let them near real weapons.

 

Agreed i guess it's not really a problem, and you'll get such behaviour in all walks of life. I'm just curious about why it's so specific in airsoft, never had anyone go on about how they used to do professional shooting competitions or anything else that could be considered relevant to airsoft-kudos, easiest option and hardest for anyone not in the know to disprove i guess?

[cavninja]

I agree Kurtz, perhaps we can start a new thread? "Here's one I heard the other day!...." for the best line in bullsh1t we've heard from the latest Navy SEAL Delta Ranger SAS Para underwater knife fighting instructor and dolphin trainer?!

I was once at Rugby club drinks with a work colleague from "south of the river" when one of the guys starts bullsh1tting us about how he was asked to join MI6! I nearly p*ssed myself when my mate strung him along and not only gave him enough rope to hang himself, but also the materials to make a scaffold too!!

 

Perhaps it could be a new sport? "Walt-fishing"??!!!