Flying Lesson No. Eleven

Our Uniform Identifies Us

A rule of war is that soldiers wear uniforms ‑ For centuries soldiers wore uniforms so they could be identified as combatants. When a soldier out of uniform and dressed as a civilian was caught he was hung as a spy rather than taken as a prisoner of war. One of  the big challenges of fighting terrorism is that terrorists do not wear uniforms because they do not want to be identified as soldiers but rather they want to blend in with the civilian population when they attack.

A flight suit is the work uniform of a military pilot ‑ A flight suit looks in some ways like coveralls or a one piece jump suit. It is designed to protect and help the pilot in every way possible. It is made of material that is fire resistant and has several zippered pockets. Our rank was sewn on top of the shoulder. We usually wore our flight suits when on duty even if we were not flying.    

One important feature of our flight suits is that they all had a full colored United States flag on the left shoulder. The rank and other insignia were usually in subdued colors but not our flag. This was not only necessary for identification but we wanted to be identified as pilots in the service of the United States of America.

Lesson for Life ‑People usually wear something that marks them and identifies who they are or in what group they belong. People world wide recognize our missionaries because they wear white shirts and ties. Gangs wear certain colors so as to be identified.  People also identify themselves by how they are groomed. Immodest clothing and/or slovenly grooming and hygiene identify a person's attitudes and priorities. Dress and grooming help indentify leaders of our wards, stakes and Church, both men and women.

We have to look out for the spiritual, economic and social terrorist among us who dress so as to blend in and not be identified as to who they really are. They may look and dress so as not to cause alarm but the things they do and the causes they support are dangerous. This might include entertainment, sports, business, and political figures.

Testimony of importance of our uniforms ‑ The Book of Mormon tells that the Amlicites, who were Nephites, put a red mark on their foreheads because they wanted to be identified with the Lamanites.  The Amlicites by so marking themselves "had come out in open rebellion against God; therefore it was expedient that the curse should fall upon them" and "they brought upon themselves the curse; and even so doth every man that is cursed bring upon himself his own condemnation" (Alma 3: 18‑19). Remember that the curse that the Lamanites and the Amlicites brought on themselves was that they were cut off from the Spirit of the Lord and became wicked.  (See 2 Nephi 5:20, 24)

I testify we will be blessed if we follow the counsel of the First Presidency concerning dress and grooming standards that are found in For the Strength of Youth. In this way we will never cut ourselves off from the Spirit of the Lord.