To the best of my knowledge, this is the first time an active U.S. military officer has been photographed for a streetstyle blog! Master Sgt. Alberto Betancourt was in Chicago today as the public relations officer in charge of Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta’s Medal of Honor tour. Master Sgt. Betancourt works for the U.S. Army Chief of Public Affairs Operations Branch. I ran into him on State Street while scouting for streetstyle photos. Luckily he was super nice and willing to pose for a photo!

I adore military uniforms for their professionalism, symbolism, and sartorial drama. More than any other form of dress, a military uniform conveys a sense of authority and power. I am fascinated by the intersection of self-concept, semiotics, and society within the realm of fashion, so having the opportunity to photograph an active army officer in full military dress with tons of decorations, symbols, and patches is pretty much the greatest thing ever.