The military made a big deal about getting wings. After a year of high-pressure training, it really was a big deal.
As a new-hire airline pilot my class found our wings and stripes on our classroom tables when we came back from lunch one day about 3/4 of the way through ground school. After being fitted for uniforms, they arrived in the mail a few weeks later. The postman didn't even flinch.
With upgrade to captain came the order form for new wings and stripes, again delivered in the mail with no ceremony of note.
(Thank God my airline did away with mandatory hats about 5 years ago. What a pain in the patootie to commute with that thing.)