When you're in the Military, they own you. You represent the military on or off duty. If your Commanding Officer thinks the kilt is not appropriate, that it does not properly represent your unit, then that's it, no kilt. Fact of life. Main reason I never joined. They own you.

It's also why I have such tremendous respect for the people who serve in the military. They make an enormous sacrifice of their freedom when they join. They make that sacifice for me, so that I can live my life as I choose. For a military unit to be effective, to be credible, they must be serious about what they do. All members obeying orders makes them an effective fighting unit. Makes them credible enough to be an actual deterrent. If a military unit organization is seen as powerful and something not to be messed with, nobody starts a fight with them, and thus nobody dies.

It's a tough life in the military, even if you don't get to fight. Our service personnel are not paid nearly enough for all the sacrifices they make.

I work for the military as a Civil Servant. I see up close and personal what military personnel must deal with. I've also served in the Air Force Auxiliary (Civil Air Patrol), worn the uniform, and had to deal with the fact that when I'm in public in uniform, I represent ALL the people who wear the same uniform. It's a burden. I even served as Commandant of Cadets. Me, a paragon of Military Virtue. Yikes!

So, yet another sacrifice for you. Bear it well.