You may have been wondering why all those generals stayed seated during President Donald Trump’s recent State of the Union address.

It turns out at least one of them was trying to avoid notice. Gen. Joseph Lengyel, chief of the National Guard Bureau and a 38-year veteran of military service, had a wardrobe malfunction during Trump’s address: The rack carrying all of his ribbons for a four-starred career was upside down on his blue Air Force tunic.

It’s a detail that’s difficult for even the eagle-eyed to notice and something that would fly over most civilian heads.

Lengyel wasn’t called out by his commander in chief for the faux pas. Instead, he pleaded guilty to the uniform crime on Twitter. “What’s wrong with this picture?” Lengyel wrote. “I’ll give you a hint…It’s why they keep putting eraser on pencils.”

If the Lengyel name rings a bell, you may be thinking of the general’s brother Greg, who served as the Air Force Academy’s commandant on a two-year-tour that ended in 2014.

Joseph Lengyel has led the Guard since 2016 and he has a ribbon rack that many would envy. It is led with the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, America’s highest award for actions not tied to combat.

He’s also got a Bronze Star Medal, and several baubles tied to his skill at the controls of the F-16 fighter, including the Air Force’s Aerial Achievement Medal.

Ribbons are given precedence in their wear. Put simply, the ones on top are the biggest and those that are not as big of a deal go lower.

But for Trump’s speech, Lengyel got it upside down and backwards.

Instead of skulking away, the general used his mistake as a training opportunity.

“Let this be a lesson and don’t let it happen to you!” he wrote.

Who knows, the way the military is changing its uniforms lately, Lengyel could soon be right in style.

The newest wardrobe switch was on display during the Super Bowl this month when soldiers showed off the new duds that look like they came straight from World War II. The new uniform will eventually replace the dark- blue Army Service Uniform. That uniform replaced a green uniform that was used for nearly 60 years.

The new Army uniform, modeled on the “pinks and greens” worn by the Greatest Generation, will be issued to new troops next year.

While the Army is proud of the new uniform, it is not fond of the World War II-era title. Pink is not in fashion.

“The Army Greens will be fielded to Soldiers reporting to their first units as early as the summer of 2020,” the Army said on its website. “The mandatory wear date for all Soldiers will be 2028.”

Contact Tom Roeder: 636-0240 Twitter: @xroederx