Thank you deadskunk this is very useful. I looked at your pictures and noticed a couple patches on your wife's jean jacket. Does she have others too?

*ouch* GaryTJ *OUCH*

Hey g this one didn't come through

I wear the one from my old Air Force unit, the 32nd Tactical Fighter Squadron.  The patch was originally designed by Walt Disney in the 40's with the Wolfhound symbol featured prominently.  The crown and oranges represent the Royal House of Orange, the royal family of Holland.  The 32TS was stationed on a Dutch Air Force Base, not an American base.  The unit was deactivated several years ago.

Buffy my dear lady, please accept my offerings:
Suzuki patch for my first ride in 1966, The Polaris patch for the 34 years in the north and my first sled. Moto Guzzi Eldorado was the first true road touring bike in 1976.
National Registry Emergency medical Technition, Wisconsin Registered EMT. in 1978 and Burnett County Emergency Medical assn. 1979.
Grantsburg Volunteer Fire Department, Burnett County Fire Assn., Northwester Wisconsin Fire Assn. Minnisota Fire Instructors Assn., Wisconsin Certified Firefighter III, Firefighter Instructor II, Burnett County Hazmat R.A.T. (rapid assesment team).   pres and vice pres of Grantsburg, Burnett and Northwestern organizations
Wisconsin Dry Riders Trade Lake Chapter, Safety Officer, No Drugs or Alcohol with the bike...
Vietnam Vet, United States Flag, USS MULLINNIX DD 944, my navy ride--now a navy target/fish farm
I am a 62 yr old male twice divorced and 3x married. Ridding for more than 40 yrsnow in Terrell, Tx
Got the bike bug when at 16 a friend of my father showed a 1948 Harley blue Dresser with White bags and Double up saddle. Now Ridding a 2005 Suzuki Boulevard C 90 full Dress.  Looking to Resque Riders and Patrot Guard future ties to make use of past education and support for Vet Families.
I now ride with kevlar yellow coat and black pants.  no patches.  Leathers in storage for special purposes.  

Leathers are colors for terminated Dry Riders chapter.  Incorporated in Minnesota and 1 Wisconsin Chapter only and I now live in Texas... I will wear them to honor  very special sisters and brothers from rides in the past and lives share most personal.  Hopefully not till the distant future..

I realize there is something I forgot to ask. Bullmoose you were the first to point it out and then hgsc90 you touched on it too. I should be asking if there are those of you who a.) choose not to wear patches for a specific reason & b.) if you only wear the patched vest/jacket for special occasions... may I ask a further definition of 'special'?

Also, are there more women I could hear from too? So far, I have 2 responses from women, one on the forum and one in my inbox. Would love to hear more from the female riders here.

i HAVE A NYC DEPT OF CORRECTIONS PATCH FROM WHEN I WAS AN OFFICER PATCHED ONTO MY VEST BUT IT IS UPSIDE DOWN WHICH ANYONE KNOWIN HOW TO 'READ' A PATCH WOULD UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS A FORM OF 'FREAK YOU!!!' TOWARDS THE DEPT. I ALSO HAVE SEVERAL CHRISTIAN PATCHES AND THEY ARE ALL INDICATIVE LOF MY PROFILE. I BELIEVE THAT ONE SHOULD WEAR PATCHES THAT REFLECT THAT PERSON'S INDIVIDUAL OUTLOOK AND NOT 'BECAUSE THEY LOOK COOL'...

Adventure Girl,

I wear the don't tread on me patch because I love the reason this country was formed and hate were liberals are takeing it!
I have been wearing it longer than the Tea Party movement has been arround. The Cross with the Dove needs no explainaton! The patch below "Theese are My Church Cloloths"  Is for those who donot accept anyone for who they are not what they appear to be! PGR Is my respect for those who gave all so we can have what we do not need. The Eagle Is my Dream come true , Cleaverly Disguised as a responseable adult, If I need to explainit you wont understand it, Knowledge speaks Wisdom listens,Loud pipes save lives,Welcome to America now speak the language, I had a handle on life but it broke off, Is what I believe!

Lots of luck and experience.

This helps me in a big way Dragon, and I salute you for your service and continued vigilance. You are a man who deserves the utmost respect.

Thank you for sharing, and for your service to our country. I've always wanted to see Holland did you get to get out and enjoy the area while stationed there? That patch was designed by Walt Disney? It amazes me, the extent of that man's creative genious.

My Skulls were a choice of listening to my Grandfather's storys from both of the times he left to fight in a different country, and the look of skulls with flames reminded me of Granddads storys. I really enjoy the look of skulls (Heads), Since my near death airborne jump in '96 (I'm keeping my Airborne Wings on my Chest).

I think I've heard that upside down patch thing before. I can't remember where or from whom and didn't remember it until you posted it here.

Thank you Charlie. Your contribution is very much appreciated. Let me also say: I like your views.

Thank you to all those who've responded so far. This is quite amazing. I do need more input though. I'm about half-way to my minimum for collecting data. From the data I collect I'm going to be asked to make a generalized statement that represents my media choice. The next 16 or so contributions will either reinforce a theme that is materializing or add variation to better fine tune my analysis.

Ok, I'll add my Vest for you The Cross on my heart to keep me grounded.  The H-D Patch with Wings Under my Cross (was my first H-D Patch I ever gotten).  Below that is a new patch H-D for wanting to learn how to work on bikes (the last H-D patch I have gotten).  Last but not least My Paratrooper Patch on the pocket. nothing on the back (as of yet) been looking at different MC's (Vet's) Warrior Brotherhood (Georgia State not National any more), Because of wanting to ride with other like minded Veterans,  or the American Legion Riders,  or Patriot Guard.  I have more patches I want to get but have not as of yet.

Updated Aswell for you AG!

i don't have any patches myself but i'll ask my dh and father in law to post. My FIL would have a long list heehee, one of his vests is literally held together by the patches on it.

AWESOME!! Thank you!

Thank you for adding your vest. As much as I would like to be able to count that as a separate entry to hit my minimum, I actually can't. The way my count is structured is all the patches an individual person owns will count as one unit of measure. So, I need a minimum of 30 individual people to assessin order to meet my requirements. However, that said, by adding your vest you gave me more information to help me better understand the patches that represent you/your beliefs. That gives me the ability to make more accurate comparisons or contrasts between you and others that have contributed.

Long time, no see AG!! How are ya? GREAT project. I'd like to contribute a bit.
   I myself don't have patches on my leather. I do pins. However, I grew up around clubs and have an inside perspective on some of their patches. Often thought of writting a book, actually.

  Of course, we all got an education in them a little from shows Like"SOA", and as far as I can see, they have some of it right. Rockers,(top and bottom arched patches on club colors), are generally for location, and club name. Where your particular charter is from..the state usually and some have cities. The center largest patch is of course your clubs symbol. Also I know the color combinations have a great deal to do w/ it. Certain clubs and affiliate clubs, use this to show their allegiances. If they are a support club to a larger club in the area, then they may have a small patch on the front of the vest that states who they are with. Lot's of them have RIP/ patches for fallen brothers. I'm sure many of you know of the "1%" patch. That is to show that their club is in the 1 percentile of all clubs.."Top of the food chain." as I've heard it described to an idiot! LOL! Not many clubs fly wings patches anymore. They range in color from red, brown, black..and have quite the story behind them. It got started by clubs to weed out..how should I say.."woosies"..or any lawmen who might be trying to infiltrate the club. It was generally thought that anybody who wouldn't "go down" on a girl was either too weak to be in w/ them, or must be the fuzz and therefore wouldn't do such a "thing". Club I knew had "property of" patches for their ol' ladies. They had a center patch only on the vest that stated they were property of a certain member or the club pass-around, and any other clubs or guys in general better keep hands off.

  People don't know what a history clubs and their patches have. It all means something to them, and tells others that they are "family".
 

Wow TigerLady it really has been a long time. Don't think I've heard from you here since I left on my trip last June. Thank you for your contribution. While it does't count as a particular unit of measure it certainly gives me more information that will help when I have to take all of the content analysis into consideration and make my over-all statements.

love all this patches u guy's have ,they all tell a gid story ,they are like a scrap book full of story's and things of ur past ,bit like the ink i have ,only got 5 tats but all tell a story , I will try that one again adventuregirl .....

.....

sorry ,not working ,its the cyclefish logo ,its now on ma bike .