Question 130: Red belt punch tradition

I am looking for the origin of punching a TKD student when they receive their red belt.

Reply

I have never heard of punching a student when he or she first gets awarded a red belt. It may be a local or regional tradition. It may be related to the Navy tradition of “tacking on the crow.” When a sailor makes petty officer, he or she puts the new rank patch on the left sleeve of the uniform. The patch has a white eagle on it, which is called a “crow. Fellow petty officers then “tack on the crow” by punching the patch on the sailors shoulder. The tradition may have evolved from fellow petty officers adding a stitch when a sailor sewed on the rank patch. The punches may be taps or hard punches. Either way, after many people hit on the same spot, the shoulder may swell and hurt, and even be injured. Nowadays, “tacking on the crow” is considered hazing and sailors may be punished for participating in it.\