He might have assumed from Rambo's Nam era field jacket, but there's no indication that he even cared to know if Rambo was a veteran.
He hated Rambo at first sight for being a bum, and, as you said, he was on a power trip.

Even if that was a motivation for Teasle to hate on Rambo then how did he know Rambo was a Nam vet just from looks alone?
I suppose Korean war vets may have been prejudiced against Nam vets though I dunno why since they were on the same team.
Invading far away countries that were no threat to us based on lies and for no good reason while mowing down as many innocent "*****" as they could.
Seems like he is just on some kind of power trip with that gun and badge.
I also think it was used as a symbol to show how Nam vets were mistreated when they came back and asking WTF kind of America is this that is not allowing Rambo his freedom in a dead end town.
"Please vote to preserve the unique character of Warren…" - Robert Duvall

Thought of this thread when watching this video talk about the reason the sheriff hated Rambo. I see others have mentioned he was a Korean war veteran and they do show his medals at his desk in a scene in his office. I didn't know they were considered lesser medals.
Tell you what…When I send my ex-wife her money…you can lick the stamps.

𝙽𝚈𝙲 []

haha. exactly.

Because if he didn't, there wouldn't be a movie.
You've seen Guy Standeven in something because the man was in everything.

That's correct, the arabs invaded the southern tip of Italy as well, similar results to Sicily. However, the vast majority of Italians look white apart from some people from those specific regions (even though they're technically white as well, just with slightly darker features to the rest of Italians).
It's similar in Spain. The southern regions were invaded and occupied by arabs for centuries.
I had a discussion with someone online who tried to claim that Charlie Sheen & Emilio Estevez were hispanic and not white, because they had a spaniard grandfather. Americans seem to think this way about southern europe, it's funny.

Depends. My ex GF (who was light skinned Italian) told me that most northern Italians are white while ones from southern Italy are darker skinned. Would make sense though considering that the arabs may have only invaded as far as southern Italy and that people that live closer to the equator tend to have darker skin anyhow.

I think if the business found out the local sheriff was running a potential customer out of town, no matter what he looks like, they and the candidate for sheriff during election would bring that up which could cost Teasdale the votes he needs to win.
That's a good point. I guess Teasle being a tyrant, he doesn't care about stuff like that and will do anything, risking his position even, to drive guys like rambo from this town. At the end of the movie he was in a suicide mission defending the police station from what he knew was an elite Green Beret, the guy was obsessed with Rambo from the get go, didn't matter what cost to him.
Would word really have gotten out on the Hobo Grapevine from such an isolated place with not much going on for it?
I just don't see drifters, bums, tramps etc. seeing that place desirable as they would for a bigger city.
Teasle's quote is something like "we don't want guys like you in this town.. because before we know it we have a whole bunch of guys like you in this town".
That always sounded to me like he was describing what normally happens when towns start letting in bums. Maybe he had similar experiences? He had seen what happened to other towns? Maybe that was common during from depression and onwards in that state/area?
Check out the film 'Emperor of the North' if you haven't already seen it, that film shows how the bums got around and discovered towns in america.

Let's take this scenario a bit past the movies and into real life for the moment…
I think if the business found out the local sheriff was running a potential customer out of town, no matter what he looks like, they and the candidate for sheriff during election would bring that up which could cost Teasdale the votes he needs to win.
Plus the other one running could use it as a campaign slogan…
"George Smith: Endorsed by bums everywhere!"
Or else the town council could even warn him not to do that.
My guess is that Teasdale was just some super control freak just because he wore the badge and made it up that he doesn't like the drifter types to hang around and that was something he did on his own.
"Back then I'm sure it would've been word of mouth, and writing letters. If one hobo hears about one guy heading north for better opportunities, another will join him, if word gets back."
I was mostly joking with that although I can see your point.
Though I just dunno how Rambo would have attracted more from such a small town as that.
Would word really have gotten out on the Hobo Grapevine from such an isolated place with not much going on for it?
I just don't see drifters, bums, tramps etc. seeing that place desirable as they would for a bigger city.
Like we agree on: The sheriff was mostly just on a power trip.
"Please vote to preserve the unique character of Warren…" - Robert Duvall

Rambo was just passing through and there shouldn't be anything wrong with him spending a few bucks such as at restaurants or the local motel for a night or two
That's the thing. Teasle thinks he's gonna stay for good. I reckon Teasle wasn't that bothered until he looked into his rearview mirror and saw Rambo walking back into his town. For a tyrant like Teasle, that's like armageddon, his authority, his self respect as a Sheriff - rambo ruins that. It was a big deal for him and why he arrested him. That's also why he gave his deputies free reign.
"Hey guys! Check out this bum on facebook who is posting a pic of him here in BumFuck Montana! They welcome guys like us! Let's all go there!
Back then I'm sure it would've been word of mouth, and writing letters. If one hobo hears about one guy heading north for better opportunities, another will join him, if word gets back.
I also think a common misconception was that rambo was a bum. I think he just worked odd jobs and traveled a lot. Hence Trautman's line "You'll find him in Seattle working in a car wash". Rambo said he wanted something to eat in town so I'm sure he had cash on him that wasn't from panhandling.

"Rambo was harassed because he looked like a vagrant and Teasle was afraid he'd attract more vagrants to his nice quiet town."
I get that though that still doesn't make any sense to me.
Rambo was just passing through and there shouldn't be anything wrong with him spending a few bucks such as at restaurants or the local motel for a night or two.
Towns and cities welcome outsiders to help with their local economies.
And this was before social media so it's not like other vagrants are going to get the word and flock there in droves.
One bum to his bum buddies all huddled around the burning trash can under a bridge somewhere…
"Hey guys! Check out this bum on facebook who is posting a pic of him here in BumFuck Montana! They welcome guys like us! Let's all go there!"
LOL
"Please vote to preserve the unique character of Warren…" - Robert Duvall

Since Italians are only one notch above Latinos on the racial totem pole
You're thinking of Sicilians, many of whom are the product of Arabs invading and pillaging their lands. Italians are classed as white, both by themselves and the rest of Europe.
Rambo was meant to be of German/Native American extraction, per Murdock in Rambo II (Stallone is of Italian & Ukrainian heritage).
Rambo was harassed because he looked like a vagrant and Teasle was afraid he'd attract more vagrants to his nice quiet town. Rambo challenged his authority and walked back into town - the ultimate insult to Teasle, hence why it snowballs from there.
Rambo looked as white as Teasle and his deputies, so I don't think the problem was about not looking white enough.

If only he had been Aryan looking, you know, the perfekkkt race, with a KKK hood and swastika armband, welcome to our town stranger!
Here is some gas for the cross burning and a rope you know what to do with!
"Please vote to preserve the unique character of Warren…" - Robert Duvall

Aside from his appearance you could also speculate that he also didn't look "pure wheit".
Since Italians are only one notch above Latinos on the racial totem pole.

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𝙽𝚈𝙲 []

bigot

Rambo ain't black.
This doesn't make any sense why they would treat a white man this way.
Lol

No the sheriff served in the Korean war. Or so it says in the novelization.

When the daily Greyhound pulls up to the depot the driver makes the announcement…
"OK folks, we are stopping here for a half hour to drop off and pick up passengers. Those of you that would like to stretch your legs or get something to eat or drink may do so. Except those of you that look like hippies, drifters and hippie drifters that are 'Nam vets. For your safety from our prejudice redneck nutjob sheriff I would advise you to stay on the bus."
"Please vote to preserve the unique character of Warren…" - Robert Duvall

sheriff was a traditionalist so rambo with his long hair and hippie looks went against the sheriff's beliefs.
second, rambo was an outsider, a drifter. sheriff equated this with trouble.
third, sheriff might have been a draft dodger(korea? vietnam?) so rambo's service made the sheriff look weak and impotent in his own mind.
finally, sheriff was typical small town redneck nutjob.

Maybe if Rambo had been black he would have been arrested right away instead?
Sheriff: You are under arrest for WWBIMT.
Rambo: WWBIMT?
Sheriff: Walking While Black In My Town.
Kinda half joking….
"Please vote to preserve the unique character of Warren…" - Robert Duvall

Because the sheriff was a belligerent prick with zero tolerance for what he perceived to be hippie drifters who he didn't want in his town.
You've seen Guy Standeven in something because the man was in everything.

𝙽𝚈𝙲 []

Also Teasle is a Korean War veteran and Korean and WWII vets never liked the Nam veterans because they got all the media coverage and fought in a war on a smaller scale
That’s correct.

𝙽𝚈𝙲 []

And? The poster you replied to is correct. In the DVD's director's commentary, Teasle is a jerk to Rambo due to him having served in the Korean War, which has been forgotten and harbours prejudice and jealousy towards Rambo due to the Vietnam War being a hot topic at the time this film was set and the fact he was highly decorated more than Teasle himself (Rambo was awarded the Medal of Honor, while Teasle was awarded a Silver Star, Purple Heart and ADSC, which Teasle is implied to consider them inferior to the more well-regarded Medal of Honor).
Pay attention, idiot.

Also Teasle is a Korean War veteran and Korean and WWII vets never liked the Nam veterans because they got all the media coverage and fought in a war on a smaller scale.
That's in the novel. I don't believe that it's specified that Teasle is a Korean war veteran in the movie.
In the movie, Teasle dislikes Rambo because as you said, he thinks Rambo looks like a hippie and anti-war protestor since Rambo has on a military jacket but long, shaggy hair.
How I long to hear you sing beneath the clear blue skies