Can a cop tell if I am in the military?

[HaydenT]

I was driving home from base but in civilian clothing on I-5 and I was pulled over by a CHP he took my ID which I did not have my military ID so it was a standard driving license and when he returned he thanked me for my service and even talked to me about my job within the Navy. He might of simply met me before and I did not remember or else I don't know how else he would of known. I did have my DOD sticker on the front shield. But to also know my job is what made me curious how much of that information is accessible.

[manahmanah]

We know EVERYTHING about EVERYBODY. SEROUSLY.

[kels]

Besides the sticker, you probably gave several other clues to your military service.
If he was prior navy, he probably picked up on them fairly fast.

An Idaho Trooper figured out that I was LEO without showing him my identification.
When my wife asked him about it, he grinned and said I had a fellow LEOs business card in my
wallet next to the cash. All he saw was the badge in the corner of the card. He saw it when I got out
my drivers license.

[Curt581]

Q: Can a cop tell if I am in the military?

A: Yup. We got skeeells

[BP348]

Base sticker is a dead give away. What other types of Navy stuff do you have on your car? Tattoos? clothing? Was the route you were on the major way to the base frequently traveled by younger guys who are very respectful during the stop with a "military" style hair cut?

There are lots of different ways he could have known you were in the Navy.

Thanks for your service!

[JakeLock]

I thought they got rid of the sticker, they made me turn mine in several years ago.

[Chef_Au]

ID Hanging on a lanyard, being in uniform. Things you dont even consciously think of, things we notice!

We often spot little things like ID cards in the centre console, uniform or kit bags on the back seat etc.

Maybe he had ESPN (tongue in cheek of course ;) )

[ChesCopPodz]

I don't know CA at all, but it'd be fairly easy to see your sticker obviously, the address you gave him would let him know which base you live near, and it's especially easy if there's only one base anywhere near the area where you live.

[Aussie George]

When I was a recruit at my first Academy, I witnessed two people commit a robbery. I called Police and followed teh bad guys. I drew Police to that baddies and they were arrested. One of the Detectives that showed up started taking my statement. At no time did I mention I was a Police recruit.

About half way through the Det asked me what week I was in at the Academy. I told him week 6 and asked him how he knew. He told me that several things gave it away. Firstly the way I gave the statement was too professional (we had just been learning how to take statements that week). Secondly, my address was just down the road from the Academy and given that the suburb was not the best suburb, he could tell that I did not fit in with the rest of the community from that area, so I must be reltively new to the suburb. Finally, he knew that if I was a cop, I would have told him straight away, which only meant that I had to be a recruit.


Sometimes it is not what is said, but what is not said. Other times there are cues that stick out like dogs balls. I often go to jobs and (having spent 10 years in the Army) can pick out if someone is in the service. And to top it off, in this job, if we go somewhere (or in this case stop a car) it is in our best interest to pay attention to every little thing we see and hear and to very quickly work out who is who in the zoo. Failure to do so can result in dire consequences.

[Wolfman]

Sometimes we just know......

[missouricop]

Do you say Yes Sir or AYE Sir?