Could any of the fellow Marines here provide some uniform tips for a youngster?

[MKinney]

Fresh out of RTR and I just was looking for some tips from the Marines here that have been in the Corps longer and know a few tricks. One thing I'm interested in is getting a good ribbon/badge placement without spending an hour constantly remeasuring/etc.


Any and all tricks of the trade would be helpful!

Thanks.

[fiasco1371]

Not to burst your bubble, but you should only have one of each at this point, so, try the edge of a nickle. You should be able to eyeball the left/right. Throw away that little plastic/metal ruler you bought at the px, you'll go blind using that thing.

[STA0311]

Kinda lazy, but I used to put a ribbon bar on all of my shirts, that way I never had to move them from shirt to shirt. It costs all of about $10 for the bars and ribbons (for us lighlty stacked guys) LOL. As Grunts we never wore them for anything other than inspections though! I also used to, when I wore my Khaki Web Belt put a paper clip at the end of the belt. The open end of the paper clip through the brass end clip and hook it to the belt around your waste, that way it never flopped out.

[jinelson]

Whoah Matthew I see you changed your profile pic good one, it really shows the transformation that was made at PI.

Now for your question, I learned this from a squared away Corporal when I was a fresh boot. When I first joined the fleet I like you measured everything just as I was taught at MCRD. My Corporal showed me a trick that stuck with me for the rest of my time in the Corps and I later used to check subordinates. To judge the 1/8" distance between the seam line of the pocket and the botton of your shooting badge in between the badge and ribbon here's the trick. Take two nickles and stack them between your thumb and index finger thats exactly 1/8" and use them as a guage. As for alignment eyeball it , yeah thats right eye ball it. You only have a National Defense Ribbon at this time so it is easy to use the yellow line down the center of it to and sight align it to intersect the center of your blosue button. Give it a try and let me know how it works for you.




Rememberhttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/jinelson/Poindexter20Eyes.gifEyeball it!

[MKinney]

Thanks, I'll definitely try it out.

Oh before I forget. Has anyone heard of using masking tape on the inside of the trousers to hold the crease?:nerd:

[lucien2]

Depends on how often you will wear that uniform, with a nickle or "eye-ballin '" it you should be able to do it in under 2 minutes, not a real hassle IMO.

[Osotogary]

Found under: "Ask a Marine" Dated 07/19/06, #5, by LDO Capt

Iron crease in trousers, then turn trousers inside out. Apply masking tape to the entire length of the seams and turn them right side out. Now re iron the seams with a HOT iron. Tape will hold the crease for you.

[rb1651]

The trick that I used was 2 wooden matches with the heads removed. Set them along the seam, and the bottom edge of the ribbon(s) should just touch the sticks. As for center alignment, as others have said, just eyeball it. One ribbon, center of ribbon and centerline of the button hole. 2 ribbons, seam between ribbons and center of the button hole, etc.

[USMC_INFANTRY]

Buy A Thick Sponge And Save It Only For Ribbons; Place It Under The Pocket. It Will Raise The Pocket Up And Use A Sewing Guage; Measure Stick The Ribbon/badge Through The Shirt And Sponge, Then Place Your Cardboard Backing Under Pronges And Push The Points Through The Board And Sponge. You Will Find The Sponge Creates A Nice Platform That Will Make It Easy To Measure.
Far As Getting A Perfect 1/8th Measurment....have It Just Under When You Put The Ribbons On Your Shirt, Because If You Stick Them On At 1/8th; When You Put Your Shirt On, Your Chest Will Strech The Measurment Out To Almost 1/4in.