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No more "Casual Fridays" for the USMC


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http://www.marines.mil/News/NewsDisplay/tabid/3258/Article/136349/uniform-wear-policies-vary-among-military-services.aspx

Marines not on duty in a combat zone or in the field are now required to wear their service uniforms every Friday instead of their field uniforms. Personally I would have found this to be a PITA, BDU's were always much more comfortable than our service uniforms (and the old army class B's were truly ugly). Not sure how our jarhead friends feel about it.

With Iraq over and the end (hopefully) in sight over in Afghanistan, I wonder if this is a sign that the fighting services are beginning to shift out of "combat mode" and start re-instituting more things like this?

Edited by 11bee
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Looks like the REMFs are starting to come out of hiding - won't be long before starched and tailored field uniforms are required again (wonder if the current issue ones will react to starch the way the old ones did?), questions at a promotion board will no longer be about soldier skills ("What are the steps to set the head space and timing on an M2 heavy machine gun?)but neferious things like "What 3 flags are flown over a U.S. military post? (that one cost me my first shot at a Spec 4 stripe in 1964 - the answer is "Storm, Post and Garrison"). And I wonder how long before they start demanding the reissue of the old black leather combat boots because the current boots can't be spit-shined!

Remember Murphey's 15th and 16th Rules of Combat"

15. A combat ready unit has never passed inspection.

16. An Inspection ready unit has never passed combat!

Edited by Hawk10
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Just my uninformed guess, but I bet someone (politically appointed...) complained about the Marines being the last ones running around DC in Digi's. We're not really at war you know...

On the plus side, I'm sure the Digi's don't immediately turn you into a human road flare like the Navy camouflage does if you get within 10' of an open flame.

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Meh. Unlike the Army the USMC is expected to only be in work uniforms Utilies/BDU when working. Not at the airport, or grocery store or mall. when on leave it is not authorized. So if you are walking around in uniform its service anyway.

As long as Gas Mask Wednesday is still on. On that note, I would gladly wear Service uniforms every friday, if it means the people who normally wear service uniforms have "MOPP Mondays" where they get into that wonderful suit and skulk around the offices complete with deuce gear. If I have to play POG for a day a week, you can play "deployed for a day".

Having said that wearing the service uniform wasn't that uncommon, and when I was in Bootcamp you didn't get to wear service uniforms until the last week of Boot Camp, so it became a kind of coveted uniform that you couldn't wait to be wearing someday. Service Bravo uniform is long sleeves and a tie. not the "coat" if you will.

The article also points to personal appearance in uniform in other words they are looking for fat bodys. You know those big boys that don't always look perfect in uniform but do crazy things like carry heavy objects long distances and are really good at their jobs. Can't have those hanging around. :rolleyes: My best friend is Captain who played LB in high school. He is "fat" by Marine standards even though he does Marathons and looks like a lollipop. I never have seen him as thin as he is but he is "fat" I'm told.

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The article also points to personal appearance in uniform in other words they are looking for fat bodys. You know those big boys that don't always look perfect in uniform but do crazy things like carry heavy objects long distances and are really good at their jobs. Can't have those hanging around. :rolleyes:/>/>

I caught that as well. Another example of the trend away from a combat focus and back towards the "bad old days" of a peace time garrison military. Fat boys are tolerated when there is a war on and they can tote the 240 up and down hills all day long but once the shooting stops, upper mgmt will have some real issues with how they look in their service uniforms.

Also as another poster commented, we really need to bring back those black leather combat boots. Shiny leather = squared away grunts. Much more so than those ugly, all terrain mountain boots that the troops are all wearing in Afghanistan.

I'm sure we'll also soon see an end to the ability of the individual grunt to substitute some of his issued gear with commercial items that may be superior to military spec equivalents.

Uniformity and pretty troops are priority one.

As a side note, as an example of the military opting for image over combat efficiency, the M-16A1/A2 had it's sling attachment points on the underside of the rifle. Which made it look great when you had the weapon slung on your shoulder whilst marching in formation but in the field, if you had the weapon hanging off your shoulder while being "tactical", it would be upside down! You could get around this by screwing with the sling but the point was that apparently the military felt that looking pretty while marching took priority over making the weapon just a bit more efficient in combat. Not sure if the M4 is the same or not....

Edited by 11bee
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Interesting that the Marines are re-instituting dress uniform Fridays while the Air Force just said that Dress Pretty Mondays (phrase provided by AF co-worker, not me) are no longer required and Major Commands are allowed to scrap the requirement all together.

Cheers,

Dave

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As a side note, as an example of the military opting for image over combat efficiency, the M-16A1/A2 had it's sling attachment points on the underside of the rifle. Which made it look great when you had the weapon slung on your shoulder whilst marching in formation but in the field, if you had the weapon hanging off your shoulder while being "tactical", it would be upside down! You could get around this by screwing with the sling but the point was that apparently the military felt that looking pretty while marching took priority over making the weapon just a bit more efficient in combat. Not sure if the M4 is the same or not....

They just taught us how to whip it underhanded and bring it to your shoulder. We never slid it down our arm and then into a firing position, like they do in the movies. And tac slings are issue now I believe, if not they are pretty common,or you can make one.

You would be shocked how many people in the military are scared of firearms. A reservist who is a cop in "real life" pointed out that numerous studies have shown that adrenalin affects fine motor skills, and analyzing actual gun fights people have died struggling to get the safety off. The problem is exacerbated when being charged by a hostile person, even an unarmed one. I heard the USAF security forces embraced this and carry their sidearms locked and loaded safeties off. Marines have been struggling against the safety Goliath to have such actions allowed in actual war zones with some questionable armed people around them and have failed to convince. Its also why you will never see the Glock Adopted for the US Military-- no built in safety.

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They just taught us how to whip it underhanded and bring it to your shoulder. We never slid it down our arm and then into a firing position, like they do in the movies. And tac slings are issue now I believe, if not they are pretty common,or you can make one.

You would be shocked how many people in the military are scared of firearms. A reservist who is a cop in "real life" pointed out that numerous studies have shown that adrenalin affects fine motor skills, and analyzing actual gun fights people have died struggling to get the safety off. The problem is exacerbated when being charged by a hostile person, even an unarmed one. I heard the USAF security forces embraced this and carry their sidearms locked and loaded safeties off. Marines have been struggling against the safety Goliath to have such actions allowed in actual war zones with some questionable armed people around them and have failed to convince. Its also why you will never see the Glock Adopted for the US Military-- no built in safety.

Probably why so many police departments opt for double action only pistols, no safety to forget. They also have a long history with revolvers and the DAO automatic brings the two about as close as can be considering the different mechanisms. Of course the issue with many police officers not being interested in firearms beyond the annual re-qualification is fairly well known.

Interesting that the military won't consider a pistol with a passive safety like the Glock, or the long trigger pull of a DAO. I'm guessing tradition? People at the top still looking at the M1911A1 as the high point of firearm design?

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Payday activities are back in the Army. At least with 4IDs CG this means early release after Uniform Inspection on Fridays once a month. For the 82nd that means a fun 5 mile slinky run at a puking 7:30 pace :taunt:

Edited by fulcrum1
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You would be shocked how many people in the military are scared of firearms.

Most of the Army shoots once a year to zero and qual and then back to their paperwork pushing, wrench turning, coffee making ways. However, this tends to be with support and I've seen it and had to deal with it first hand. In many we ways we did this to ourselves. During my stint with the infantry and the multiple combat deployments many Soldiers had...wasn't really an issue.

I heard the USAF security forces embraced this and carry their sidearms locked and loaded safeties off. Marines have been struggling against the safety Goliath to have such actions allowed in actual war zones with some questionable armed people around them and have failed to convince. Its also why you will never see the Glock Adopted for the US Military-- no built in safety.

No, safeties always on with AF SF. When it comes to having a round in the chamber or having to chamber a round, that's up to the Commander at whichever level it has been delegated. Different bases will have different policies.

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SOCOM teams are using SPringfield XD 9mm tac model I have one of these and there are 2 passive safeties.. like in the glock... except there is actually a block that slides out of the way whne you deploy the grip and trigger safety simultaneously.... so if you drop it the weapon cannot and will not discharge....

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SOCOM teams are using SPringfield XD 9mm tac model I have one of these and there are 2 passive safeties.. like in the glock... except there is actually a block that slides out of the way whne you deploy the grip and trigger safety simultaneously.... so if you drop it the weapon cannot and will not discharge....

Where did you hear that? Some units who fall under SOCOM may, but for the most part nope.

Edited by fulcrum1
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Interesting that the Marines are re-instituting dress uniform Fridays while the Air Force just said that Dress Pretty Mondays (phrase provided by AF co-worker, not me) are no longer required and Major Commands are allowed to scrap the requirement all together.

Cheers,

Dave

Yeah, that is the first thing I thought of too!

The only bad thing about my 9 years if active duty in the USAF is that it was a bit too much like being in the military. :)

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No, safeties always on with AF SF. When it comes to having a round in the chamber or having to chamber a round, that's up to the Commander at whichever level it has been delegated. Different bases will have different policies.

When I had to do my AF qualify with the M9 Beretta before a deployment I was constantly reminded by the CATM team to have the red dot visible even in the holster. When I eventually had to do my Army qual for the same deployment safety was on until I was ready to fire.

But back the OP I too find it funny that the USMC is going to this when the USAF has pretty much stopped doing so across the board (except perhaps at the Pentagon).

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