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thedrifter
02-07-08, 07:42 PM
Marine uniforms off-limits for civilians
By Jeff Schogol, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Friday, February 8, 2008



ARLINGTON, Va. — Civilians who deploy to the U.S. Central Command theater of operations with Marines are no longer allowed to wear the Marine Corps’ camouflage combat uniform, a recent message from the commandant said.

Those civilians already in theater and scheduled to return before June 30 can continue to wear the combat uniform for the remainder of their deployments, the Jan. 30 message said. Civilians in theater who are scheduled to return after June 30 can keep their boots but must exchange the rest of their uniforms for Defense Department-issue equivalent uniforms.

Similarly, civilians yet to deploy who have already been issued a combat uniform must exchange their uniforms for such an equivalent, the message said.

In recent years, Stripes readers have written numerous letters to the editor on the issue, with several servicemembers complaining they often see civilians wearing military uniforms improperly.

The Corps’ move was prompted by feedback Commandant Gen. James Conway got from Marines both stateside and overseas, said spokesman Lt. Col. T.V. Johnson. They were concerned that people who weren’t Marines were allowed to wear the Corps uniform, especially when those civilians were not being held to the same standards as the Marines.

“There was nothing in place to police that,” Johnson said on Wednesday. “You might have an individual wearing part of a uniform; whereas a Marine can’t put on the cammie trousers and go out wearing his tennis shoes.”

Marines make sure they wear their uniform the correct way, he said.

"”We’re taught from Day 1: You put this on, you take a lot of pride in it,” Johnson said.

The message notes civilians still wearing the uniforms will be subject to “strict enforcement” of the wear regulations and “those individuals in violation of these policies will lose their authority to wear the uniforms immediately.”

Last year, the Corps eliminated exceptions that allowed Marines to wear their combat uniforms off post.

Meanwhile, civilians who deploy downrange with the Army are issued Desert Camouflage Uniforms, which are procured by the Defense Logistics Agency, instead of the Army Combat Uniform, said Army spokesman Lt. Col. Lee Packnett.

Civilians can wear the Army uniform if they buy it themselves, Packnett said in an e-mail Thursday. Those who do so are held to the same uniform standards as the military.

“As with any military unit, it is the responsibility of the chain of command to discipline (make on the spot corrections) anyone for not wearing their uniform properly,” Packnett said.

Ellie