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."
You are correct about the US Marines making this decision. But I would almost bet that a big part of the decision was based upon the attitude of California lawmakers and peaceniks within the state. It wasn’t too long ago that returning troops were spit upon and called baby killers. Being a former career military person, I personally do not see anything wrong with making a quick stop for gas while in fatigues, BDUs, etc.
This will no doubt mark me as an unreconstructed dinosaur, but somehow seeing the words “cleavage,” “bare mid-riff,” and “Marine” in the same sentence just doesn’t sit right...unless the sentence reads, “The chiseled features of the normally stoic Marine broke into an unwonted smile when he saw the comely lass sashaying down the beach clad in a cleavage- and mid-riff-revealing, yet modest, swimsuit.”
I think i’ll write a letter to the base commander and tell him to take his rule and shove it up his backside!
Oceanside is and always will be a marine town and I object to him telling me that I can’t see him men in their cammies?!
A- True. However, for an A+ it should read... 
“Bender's normally stoic chiseled features broke into an unwonted smile when he saw Kristin Wiig sashaying down the beach clad in a cleavage- and mid-riff-revealing, yet modest, swimsuit.”
BTW What did she say... 
when you told her about my fire heroics?
Guess I am just getting old and crusty.
The only thing I remember about being in the military was meeting General Lee and General Grant when I was stationed at Appomattox Court House.....LOL.
The Corps wants its Marines to appear in uniform, but in the appropriate uniform. Off base, the appropriate uniform is the informal Service "C" or "Charlies" (dress shoes, green trousers, khaki shirt and garrison cap) or the more formal Service "A" or "Alphas" (with belted green coat and khaki shirt and tie). Those are the minimums, and the Dress "C" (with blue trousers) and Dress Blue uniforms can also be worn when appropriate. Civvies are not the only option for off-base attire.
As far as I know, that has always been Marine Corps policy.
So if you see a fatigue/cammie/BDU/ACU uniform in public, it's a soldier not a Marine.
“But I would almost bet that a big part of the decision was based upon the attitude of California lawmakers and peaceniks within the state.”
In Oceanside, we hold parades for them!
Am I confused, or is the person who wrote this article? I understand no cammies off base, but then she starts talking about uniforms. They’re still allowed to wear their uniforms off base, just not their cammies. I grew up in Jacksonville, NC and that’s the way it always was, except now they can’t even pump gas or run an errand now, it seems. Are uniforms now banned off base, or is this journalist as ignorant as the ones that refer to Navy corpsmen as “medics”?
Marine recruiter was at my home two days ago in cammies. My daughter signed up. California, Bay Area. Maybe he didn’t get the memo. He lives in San Francisco, poor guy.
Same here. I never even remember it being an issue. You didn't go bee-bopping around in your cammies. It was okay with me. (1979 - 1985)
Years ago there were no cammies off base but now that privilege has been seriously abused. I’ve seen senior officers wearing them into nice restaurants.
As long as work uniforms....Cammies, flight suits, etc, are neat and clean, I’ve never understood why the USMC and Navy can’t wear them off base. The Army and Air Force manage to look professional in theirs. Spit and polish is one thing, stupidity is another.
Wow. He definitely knew better than that. Recruiters usually go out ONLY in dress blues, and are totally squared away, shiny shoes, no IPs etc..
San Francisco is enemy-held territory, so the combat uniform is appropriate there.
I’ve tried to find a web page with side-by-sides of the MARPAT, greens, dress blues, etc to show people that the USMC has, in fact, three or four uniforms and what they look like. I can’t seem to find one page that shows everything at once.
Whenever I’ve bumped into Marines here off-base in Nevada, they’re always wearing at least what you describe as the “C”’s at non-formal functions (eg, hearings where there is a civilian/military interaction, such as opening or changing military operational areas on NAS Fallon, or applying for new MOA’s). Events like weddings, funerals, etc — dress blues. On the road while transporting equipment, etc — cammies.
My initial reaction upon reading the press report was that I didn’t know when they allowed Marines to wear cammies off base. So even I, a civilian, see this just the way you Marines do — this is just SOP.
I’m in and out of DFW, LAX and was wondering where all the Marines had gone.
So how does this rant in any way equate to wearing "cammies" off-base?
I respect the USMC, but stupid crap like this is why I would never join and why I always recommend against friends/acquaintances joining them.
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