Posted on 10/19/2007 2:09:06 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd
When I was learning how to fly, my instructor had a yellowed, typed “form letter” under the plexiglas on his table. It was “apology letter” to the Wing Commander for a fighter pilot not 1. wearing a hat to the post office 2. disrespecting a shoe clerk 3. Yelling “Fxxx” in the O’Club 4. Not saluting the white topped car 5. Playing 4/5/6 in the O’club 6. Hip checking the Wing Commander playing crud.... etc. There were check mark locations for you to check for whatever you did that week. I laughed then, but over twenty years I’ve done probably everything on the list.
We may not look like Marines but I can damn well tell you we have standards for performance. Spit and polish is more for shoe clerks beyond a certain level. You sir strike me as a pounder, and you should read “Officers in Flight Suits” to understand our 90 years of kicking everyones ass we’ve come across.
Reason 1: We're talking about mostly young adults here. i remember what I was like in my early 20s. Folks in their off-hours like to get a little drunk, blow off some steam, maybe do some shoving or some shouting. No big deal, not deserving of more than a slap on the wrist. But it reflects badly on the Corps if they do it in uniform.
Reason 2: If Marines run their errands in uniform, it's too easy for a terrorist to spot sites where a lot of them are. When off-base, it makes sense for Marines -- or those in any branch of the service -- to avoid advertising their presence. Better to blend. Abu Nidal knew the disco in Berlin that was a favorite of American servicemen, and that did not end well.
The "stupid crap" is called discipline and is one of the major reason the Marine Corps has always been one of the most successful combat organizations in history.
If you consider this type of regulation too tough, you probably aren't suited to be a Marine - so you saved us and yourself the trouble...
Recommend that you try an easier service - that is, if joining any service wouldn't be too tough?
Are you a Marine?
Excellent quip.
Looks to me like he’s pushing Army
Thank you for the ping.
While I was on active duty in Yuma, AZ. It was that way. The Army got to do that, and still do from what I can see.
Wah. This is the way it was for years. Working uniforms should not be worn off base. If you need to make a stop, wear civvies or a service uniform.
Its the dress uniforms that should be banned. Everybody should have to wear BDU’s 24/7.
They never did, they just didn’t enforce it around Jacksonville, NC. LIved there for a few years, young guys in their cammies was always a common site.
“Now we won’t get a chance to pick up the tab for them in a restaurant?”
The “high & tight” haircut is always a giveaway. LOL
Semper Fi,
Kelly
Years ago the Fayetteville Police were taking advantage of GIs down on the 500 Block of Hay Street.
The XVIII Corps Commander asked the local government to be a little nicer. They didn’t. One night he and his aid went down for a look-see and got hassled by the cops. Monday morning he put all of the city and county businesses off limits to soldiers. They could only shop on post - even the ones that lived off post - and he put all the MPs into enforcement.
While hard to enforce the city got slapped and was crying within a few days. The policy was rescinded within a week and the cops were a lot nicer. On Friday & Saturday nights a Cop and an MP would walk together on the 500 Block.
Ah, the good ol’ days.
No fatigues were supposed to be worn off base. I had no problems with it.
They are just tightening up on some previous exceptions for wearing the Combat Utility Uniform, as previously pointed out. Personally, I love to see them - I sometimes drive in the gate at Quantico when I pass by, just to be around them.
As far as I know, the Marines are the only service that requires the wearing of a uniform when traveling on “space available” military flights, even though that is done during liberty.
Here’s the actual order about the “utes”:
Hey, Ma! They didn’t say anything about prohibiting people from rubbing their high and tight haircuts, so you’re in good shape.
Perhaps you did, but fatigues are Army, utilities are Marine Corps.
Not necessarily. Uniform of the Day in his district may very well have been cammies. I see plenty of recruiters wearing cammies these days especially at MEPS.
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