Don't tell Jessica.
Posted on 10/19/2007 2:09:06 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd
OCEANSIDE, Calif. (AP) - The Marine Corps is taking on the role of fashion police. Earlier this year, the Marine Corps commandant updated the regulations on what Marines can and cannot wear, on duty and off, in the United States. Among the fashion don'ts: No shiny metal or gems on your teeth, no designs carved in your hair, no flashy jewelry and no bare midriffs or excessive cleavage.
But it is Gen. James T. Conway's ban on the wearing of camouflage uniforms, or "cammies," off base that is getting the most attention, changing not only the appearance of the Marines but also the look of their communities.
Under the new regulation, Marines in camouflage cannot get out of their vehicles to run an errand or grab a meal on their way to or from the base. No pumping gas, running into the post office or picking up a cup of joe, either.
Although Marines were always largely prohibited from wearing uniforms off base, they were allowed to make brief stops during their commutes. Now they can stop only for a medical emergency, a traffic accident or a breakdown.
Around Oceanside, a community about 35 miles north of San Diego where Marines from neighboring Camp Pendleton are a common sight, the most noticeable effect is at fast food drive-thrus. Long lines are forming because Marines in uniform are not allowed to get out of their cars and go inside.
John Alexander, who works at GI Joe's, a military surplus store, said customers don't drop in during the middle of the day anymore, though business picks up in the late afternoon.
"There's no such thing as a quick trip anymore," he said.
Navy Senior Chief David Matthews, 39, said the scene is the same in Jacksonville, N.C., outside Camp Lejeune. Matthews said some Marines and Navy personnel have come up with creative ways to run errands during duty hours.
"They get a buddy who has civilian clothes on to go with them. They drive and wait while their buddy gets out of the car and runs the errand," he said.
Marines caught in uniform off base can get a warning; for repeat offenses, they can be restricted to their barracks and their pay can be docked.
While the military has always had strict guidelines for what service members can wear, even out of uniform, Conway said the updated regulations are about maintaining Marine "uniformity and pride in appearance."
"It wasn't that Marines were blatantly breaking the rules. It was more of a tradition, and we just needed to get it back in the box, put it in writing and say here's the policy, here's the rules," said Staff Sgt. Jesse Lora, a spokesman at Camp Pendleton.
Earlier this year, the Marines banned extra-large tattoos below the elbow or the knee, saying such body art is harmful to the Corps' spit- and-polish image.
Some businesses are getting creative to cope with the no-cammies-off- base rule, which was issued in July.
In Oceanside, the Colimas Mexican Restaurant, popular for its takeout lunch, now runs a sort of carhop service for Marines, who call in their orders and then wait in their cars for delivery out front.
Andrea Cerda, who works at Dorothy's Military Shop, a tailor shop, said it is not uncommon to see Marines changing clothes in their car, wriggling out of their pants and boots and into civilian wear.
"You see them bending around their steering wheel or moving back and forth in the driver's seat and you know what they are doing," she said.
During a quick trip recently to drop off dry cleaning in Oceanside, Lance Cpl. Nicholas Doucakis, 20, had to change clothes on base. He said the regulation didn't bother him.
"If you are a Marine, they want you to look a certain way," he said. "I guess in a way they don't want you to look like a disgrace to society."
As for other branches of the military, Army soldiers can wear combat uniforms off base, and Navy personnel can wear some uniforms off base and off ship.
Under the updated Marine regulations, women are prohibited from baring their midriffs, wearing any lingerie-type clothing on the outside or wearing low-slung pants or blouses that show excessive cleavage.
"On the topic of wearing lingerie as outerwear, is the commandant kidding?" said TV style guru Tim Gunn of Bravo's "Project Runway." "Has this really been an issue? Surely, the Marines aren't accepting Britney into their ranks."
Navy in the early 60’s was dress blues/whites off base, no undress or dungarees.
My dad was career military (Airborne) and his fatigues were always starched and ironed. You could cut butter with the creases. See your reflection in his spit shined jump boots.
Damn right he wore them off base.
Airborne All The Way!!
I guess.
All I know is that - living in San Antonio as I do - I see soldiers and airmen every day in various uniforms.
I’m proud to see them, and I’m sure they take great pride in doing their jobs as they proudly wear their unifirms.
I can’t imagine a Marine would show disrespect for himself or the Corps by being “out of uniform”.
Am I to guess that Marines have problems the other armed forces don’t?
Same here.
“...Air Force base but far enough away that the guys feel there is no need for covers or military bearing.”
Air Force wears uniforms?
/s/ Heldog, USMC Vet
I was active duty from ‘92 to ‘97, and we weren’t allowed then, either.
Was that way when I was in,,probably still in the regs.
That is how it always was when I first enlisted in 1964. I still can’t get used to BDUs in the air terminal. If they are coming back from or deploying to OCONUS, fine, but otherwise, Class B minimum or civies.
What is the big deal? We were not allowed off-base in utilities (what we called them then) under any circumstance when not on duty in the 60’s.
I met Chesty Puller at Quantico in 1969. In this long life of mine, I haven’t met anyone whose mere presence was a impressive as that man. I hope you can live up to the name(just kidding, no one could)
The thought of being of base in fatigues just doesn’t seem Marine.
1961-1981, We could only travel to and from home.
NO getting out of car for any reason.
I don’t understand your problem with this order.
Thank God for the Marines.
As an old army EM, I never knew that there was such a thing as:
“excessive cleavage”
Hell no! I fought war pretty well, but there ain't no Navy Crosses in my closet.
Since when does a Marine have to be ashamed to look like a Marine?!
I get sick and tired of the PC Liberal Pukes being offended.
Its the same sort of crap they try to force Hunter Safety Instructors to teach to young hunters...Never wear hunting cloths to the market or Restaurant, some liberal puke anti-hunter might be offended!
I say let them pukes be offended if the want! They can’t whoop nobody!
The Army wears their new ACUs everywhere.
That’s the point, in camis or fatigues, a Marine can look just as sloppy as an Air Force Airman (okay, maybe not quite as sloppy unless he slept in his clothes for a week).
This is not something new, it goes with Marine tradition to not only be the proud , the few, but to look it too.
This is stupid. At least the Navy is smart enough to allow its personnel to fill their car up on gas while on the way to base. Does it really hurt the military bearing of your service that much if you have a servicemember who is following uniform standards that goes into a gas station for 30 seconds and pays for gas?
This new rule was the old rule in 80-84.
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