Uniforms of the United States Marine Corps 1

Uniforms of the United States Marine CorpsThe Uniforms of the United States Marine Corps serve to distinguish Marines from members of other services.Among current uniforms in the United States Armed Forces, the Marines' uniforms have been in service the longest.The Marine Dress Blue uniform has, with few changes, been worn in essentially its current form since the 19thcentury.

left to right: Utility Uniform, Uniform, Service Uniform, and Evening Dress uniforms

Dress uniform

The Marine Corps dress uniform is anelaborate uniform worn for formal orceremonial occasions. Its basic form ofa blue jacket with red trim dates backto the 19th century.[1] It is the onlyU.S. military uniform that incorporatesall three colors of the U.S. Flag. Thereare three different variations of theDress uniform: Evening Dress, BlueDress, and Blue-White Dress; onlyofficers and staff non-commissionedofficers (SNCOs) are authorized towear the Evening Dress. Until 2000,there was a White Dress uniform,similar in appearance to the U.S.Navy's Dress White uniforms, butworn by officers only (in a manner similar to that of the Dress White uniforms worn in the U.S. Coast Guard). Thisuniform has since been replaced with the Blue/White Dress uniform for officers and SNCOs.

Blue Dress

Officer Blue Dress Uniform. From left to right:"C","A","A","B","C"

The most recognizable uniform of the Marine Corps is the Blue Dressuniform, often seen in recruiting advertisements. It is often called"Dress Blues" or simply "Blues". It is equivalent in composition anduse to civilian black tie. The various designations are listed indescending order of formality:

• Blue Dress "A" has a long-sleeved midnight blue coat (enlistedmembers have red trim) with a standing collar and belt (white webbelt and gold waistplate for enlisted; midnight blue for officers witha gold M-buckle), white barracks cover (a peaked cap), plain whiteshirt, sky blue trousers (midnight blue for general officers), whitegloves, and black dress shoes and socks. Full-size medals are wornon the left chest, with ribbon-only awards worn on the right.Marksmanship badges are not worn. Women wear pumps in place of shoes, and may wear a skirt in place ofslacks. For men, the dress coat is cut to be formfitting.

Uniforms of the United States Marine Corps 2

Enlisted Blue Dress Uniform. From left to right:"B","B","A","D","C"

• Blue Dress "B" is the same as "A", but medals are replaced withtheir corresponding ribbons and all are consolidated on the leftchest. Marksmanship badges may be worn.

• Blue Dress "C" is the same as "B", but a khaki long sleevebutton-up shirt and tie replace the outer blue coat and white gloves.Ribbons and badges are normally worn on the shirt.

• Blue Dress "D" is the same as "C", but with a khaki short sleevebutton-up shirt and no tie.

Because the Blue Dress uniform is considered formal wear, Blue Dress "C" and "D" are rarely worn. The mainexception are Marine Recruiters and Marine Corps Security Guards, who wear the "C" and "D" in warm weather.Only the "B", "C", and "D" Blue Dress uniforms are authorized for leave and liberty wear; the "A" is not.Officers, NCOs, and SNCOs wear a scarlet "blood stripe" down the outer seam of each leg of the blue trousers.General officers wear a 2 in (5.1 cm) wide stripe, field- and company-grade officers have a 1.5 in (3.8 cm) widestripe, SNCOs and NCOs have a 1.125 in (2.86 cm) wide stripe. General officers wear trousers that are the samecolor as the coat, while all other ranks wear medium (sky) blue trousers. A blue boatcloak with a scarlet lining isoptional.A blue crewneck sweater, in the same color shade as that of the trousers, may be worn with the "C" and "D"uniforms, in which case rank insignia will continue to be worn on the collar by officers, and all wearers will displayrank insignia on shoulder epaulettes (brushed brass for enlisted). The collar is worn on the outside of the sweater inorder to display the rated rank insignia of officers. When wearing the crewneck sweater with the long sleeve khakishirt, a tie is not required.

Blue-White Dress

Blue-White and Red Dress Uniforms

Prior to 1998, the "Blue-White" dress uniform was authorized to beworn for the ceremonial units at Marine Barracks, 8th & I inWashington, D.C. (most famously the Silent Drill Platoon and Colorguard). Since then, it has become the authorized summer dress uniformfor all officers (it replaced, in 2000, an all-white uniform, similar inappearance to that of the Naval Officer/CPO white dress uniform),SNCOs (unless they are in formation with NCOs and junior enlistedpersonnel who are not authorized to wear the uniform), and by NCOsand junior enlisted personnel for ceremonies and social events only, ifauthorized and provided by the command structure.

Like the Blue Dress uniform, the Blue-White Dress consists of an "A" and "B" uniform, and is worn in the samemanner as that of the Blue Dress uniform, except for the trousers, skirt, or slacks being white instead of blue. Unlikethe Dress Blues, the Blue-White Dress uniforms do not feature the "blood stripe". As with the Dress Blues, the "A" isnot authorized for leave and liberty wear. The white trousers are not authorized for wear with either the long-sleevedor the short-sleeved khaki shirt, precluding the "C" and "D" uniforms.

Uniforms of the United States Marine Corps 3

Red DressTo differentiate themselves from the infantry, musicians—at that time, buglers and signal callers—would reverse thetraditional colors. Today's Marine Corps musicians still carry on this tradition by wearing a scarlet blouse with bluetrim instead of the Dress Blues blouse. Currently, the Red-Dress uniform is worn only by members of the UnitedStates Marine Band and the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, both based in Washington, D.C.; membersof the twelve fleet bands wear standard Marine uniforms.Like the Blue-White Dress uniform, musicians are not authorized to wear the khaki shirts with the Red-Dressuniform. Should the condition warrant (e.g., summer heat), the band will wear a white shirt with the appropriateDress uniform trousers (with the exception of the white trousers).

Evening Dress

Evening Dress. From left to right: SNCO, "A","B"(General officer), "A" with boatcloak, "B"

The Evening Dress is the most formal (and by U.S. Military standards,the most elaborate) of the Dress uniforms, and is the equivalent ofwhite tie in usage. It is only authorized for wear by officers andSNCOs, and only a required uniform item for senior officers (Majorsand above). It comes in three varieties:

• Evening dress "A" For male officers, it consists of an evening coatwith strip collar, white waistcoat, and white shirt with pique placket.The stripe on the midnight-blue trousers is a thin red stripe inside agold embroidered stripe. Female officers wear a mess jacket withscarlet lapels, a white dress shirt, a red cummerbund, and a longskirt. Miniature medals and badges are worn.

• Evening dress "B" is identical to Evening Dress "A" except men wear a scarlet waistcoat (General officers) orcummerbund (all other officers), and women may wear a short skirt. Miniature medals and badges are worn.

• SNCO Evening Dress Staff Non-Commissioned Officers wear a semi-formfitting mess-jacket with historic1890s-era rank insignia sewn on the sleeves, a black bow tie and sky blue trousers. Miniature medals and badgesare worn.

A blue boatcloak with a scarlet silk liner is optional. Junior officers not required to possess Evening Dress maysubstitute Blue or Blue-White dress "A". It is appropriate for such occasions as State functions, inaugural receptionsand dinners, and formal dinners.

Service uniform

Officer Service Uniform. From left to right:"C",Service with all-weather coat, "A", "A", Service

with sweater

The service uniform consists of green and khaki colors. It is roughlyequivalent in function and composition to a business suit. It is theprescribed uniform when

• serving on a court-martial• making official visits and calls on American and foreign dignitaries,

officials, and military officers.• visiting the White House, except when in a tourist capacity, or on an

occasion where another uniform is specified.• reporting for duty onshoreLike the Blue Dress uniform, the service uniform is authorized forwear while off-duty (i.e., while on leave or liberty).The service uniforms are designated:

Uniforms of the United States Marine Corps 4

Enlisted Service Uniform. From left to right: "C",Service with sweater, "B", "A", "B"

• Service "A" (or Alpha) is the base uniform. It consists of a greencoat, green trousers with khaki web belt, khaki long-sleevebutton-up shirt, khaki tie, tie clasp, and black shoes. The coat is cutto be semi-form fitting, with ribbons and marksmanship badgesworn on the left chest of the coat. Women wear a green necktab inplace of the tie, pumps instead of shoes, and have the option ofwearing a skirt instead of slacks. It is sometimes appropriate toremove the jacket while indoors.

• Service "B" (or Bravo) is identical to the "A" except the coat isremoved. Ribbons may be worn on the shirt.

• Service "C" (or Charlie) is identical to the "B" except with a short-sleeve button-up shirt and no tie.There are two types of authorized headwear for the service uniform. Both men and women may wear the green softgarrison cap, sometimes nicknamed a "piss cutter".[2] There is the option of wearing a hard-framed service cap(called a Barracks Cover). The design of these covers differ between women and men. As on the Blue Dressuniform, officers wear rank insignia on the shoulder epaulettes of their jackets and the collars of their shirts, whileenlisted personnel wear rank insignia sewn on their sleeves.A green crewneck sweater may be worn with the "B" and "C" uniforms, in which case rank insignia will continue tobe worn on the collar by officers and all ranks will wear rank insignia on shoulder epaulettes (black for enlisted). Thecollar is worn on the outside of the sweater in order to display the rated rank insignia of officers. When wearing thecrewneck sweater with the long sleeve khaki shirt, a tie is not required.

Utility uniform

MARPAT Utility Uniform

The Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform or MCCUU is intended forwear in the field or for working parties, but has become the typicalworking uniform for all deployed and most garrison Marines andSailors.[3] It is rendered in MARPAT digital camouflage that breaks upthe wearer's shape, and also serves to distinguish Marine uniformsfrom those of other services. Previously, Marines wore the same utilityuniforms as the Army. It consists of MARPAT blouse and trousers,green undershirt, and tan (specifically "olive mojave") suede boots.There are two approved varieties of MARPAT, woodland/winter(green/brown/black) and desert/summer (tan/brown/grey). To further distinguish the uniform, upon closeexamination, the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor can be found within the pattern.

MARPAT variants: woodland (left) and desert (right)

The variety worn depends on the environment and season: Deployed Marines wear whichever color is more appropriate to the climate and terrain; Marines in garrison wear the woodland MCCUU in winter months, and the desert MCCUU in summer months (the transition occurs simultaneously with Daylight Saving Time).[4] Formerly, the desert MCCUU was worn with rolled sleeves in garrison, with the sleeves of the blouse tightly folded up to the biceps, exposing the lighter inside layer, and forming a neat cuff to present a crisper appearance to the otherwise

Uniforms of the United States Marine Corps 5

formless uniform. In the past, when Marines wore the same utilities as the Army and Air Force, this served todistinguish them from the other branches, who folded the sleeves in with the camo facing out. In Haiti, the practiceearned them the nickname "whitesleeves". However, on October 24, 2011, the Commandant of the Marine Corpsordered that Marines will no longer roll their sleeves, regardless of what uniform color and time of year. Thisdecision has been met with mixed reviews, both for and against. [5]

Both officers and enlisted wear rank insignia on each collar, which is affixed like a pin and not sewn on as in theArmy/Air Force. Enlisted insignia is always black, while officers wear bright metal insignia in garrison and subduedinsignia (or none at all) in the field. Most badges and breast insignia are authorized for wear on the utility uniform,shined or subdued as appropriate. Landing Support Marines also wear the Red Patch insignia.Unlike the dress and service uniforms, utility uniforms are not permitted for wear on leave or liberty (i.e., whileoff-duty), except when traveling in a vehicle between a place of duty and a residence, or in emergency stops.The approved headwear is the utility cover, an eight-pointed brimmed hat that is worn "blocked", that is, creased andpeaked. In the field, a boonie cover is also authorized. The trouser legs are "bloused", or the cuffs are rolled insideand tightened over their boots with a spring or elastic band known as a "boot band" or "blousing garter". With theintroduction of the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP), Marines now wear color-coded rigger's beltsinstead of the old web belt, indicating their level of proficiency in MCMAP (the web belt was phased out in 2008due to a requirement for all Marines to achieve a tan belt rank by then).[6]

In combat, Marines will also wear one of two ballistic vests: the Outer Tactical Vest and the newer Modular TacticalVest, as well as the Lightweight Helmet (replacing the PASGT helmet) and Improved Load Bearing Equipment.Marines in a combat area may also wear Flame resistant organizational gear, or FROG uniforms. These combatuniforms are designed to reduce fire-related injuries, and look quite similar to the MCCUU. Other individualequipment may be worn as directed.The wearing of the MCCUU by civilian contractors deploying with Marine units was granted early in the Iraq War,but rescinded in early 2008.[7]

Physical training uniform

CMC Gen Conway leads a unit run wearing thenew running suit on the Marine Corps birthday

The Physical training uniform or PT uniform consists of one of thefollowing pairs:

• green nylon shorts and cotton t-shirt (shirts with unit logos can beauthorized)

• green sweatpants and sweatshirt with the Marine Corps emblemprinted in black on the left chest and thigh [8]

• The green tracksuit with gold and scarlet "Marines" lettering andreflective trim [9] [10] was unveiled during a tour of Iraq inDecember 2007, by Commandant of the Marine Corps GeneralJames Conway.[11] It began to be issued to Marines free of charge inFebruary 2008 and will be mandatory possession by the end of FY 2010.[12]

In addition, Marines can wear a watch cap and gloves in cold weather, or a hydration pack to prevent dehydration.

Uniforms of the United States Marine Corps 6

Miscellaneous

A drill instructor (left) wears the campaign cover

The following items may be worn at the individual's discretion, exceptwhen in formation, ceremony, inspection, or when the commanderdecrees that uniformity is required:• Grey all-weather coat (which is a double-breasted trenchcoat with

removable liner) is authorized for wear with all uniforms duringinclement and cold weather (the Silent Drill Platoon has its ownspecial Dress-blue greatcoat)

• Grey tanker jacket is authorized with the Dress "C" and "D" andService "B" and "C" except when the all-weather coat is worn

• Wool service sweater will be worn with rank insignia on theshoulder epaulettes:• Blue service sweater may be worn with the Dress "C" and "D"; enlisted Marines will wear gold pin-on rank

insignia• Green service sweater may be worn with the Service "B" and "C" as well as with the MCCUU (under the

blouse); enlisted Marines will wear black pin-on rank insignia• Gloves may be worn at the individual's discretion except when in formation ceremony (white for Dress, black for

Service, black or olive green for Utilities)• Olive green undershirt with a unit insignia or other design may be worn in lieu of the green undershirt for the

MCCUU or with the PT uniform (a custom shirt will not be mandatory unless provided without cost to theindividual)

• Umbrellas and purses may be worn or carried by female Marines when appropriate if they are black and plain• Female Marines may wear the Service or Utility maternity uniforms when the standard items will no longer fit.

There is no maternity dress uniform, while the maternity MCCUU comes in both woodland and desert patterns.• Various organizational clothing items may be worn with the utility uniform during inclement or cold weather, to

include the All Purpose Environmental Clothing System (APECS) parka and trousers, the Combat Desert Jacket,or rain poncho.

• Plain black and white plastic name tags may be worn above the right breast pocket of the dress and serviceuniforms only when mandated by the commanding officer. This is usually seen by instructors at schools orconferences, such as by drill instructors or NROTC advisors.

• Drill instructors and certain range personnel (such as Primary Marksmanship Instructors) wear the campaigncover (with several nicknames) with the service and utility uniforms when they are in an instructing billet, such asat recruit training or related activities.

Working uniforms will be worn when the individual's duties require, to include coveralls, flight suits, cooking &medical uniforms, and other safety clothing like goggles, gloves, or aprons.

Uniforms of the United States Marine Corps 7

Wear by Navy personnel

A sailor wears the MCCUU with Fleet MarineForce insignia

Naval officers and enlisted sailors assigned to Marine units areauthorized to wear all Marine uniforms except the Dress and EveningDress uniforms. When wearing Marine uniforms, Naval personnelmust meet Marine grooming and physical regulations, as well asreplace Marine insignia with U.S. Navy insignia whenever feasible.These members of the Fleet Marine Force include Doctors, Dentists,Nurses, Medical Service, Hospital Corpsmen, Chaplains, ReligiousPrograms Specialists, Lawyers, Legalmen, Naval GunfireCoordinators, Divers, and Naval Academy midshipmen who areselected for Marine officership.

Most Marine units will have, at minimum, Naval medical and religious personnel, who will be issued and required towear the MCCUU; wear of other Marine uniforms is optional. Medical battalions and dental battalions, being almostentirely Naval officers and sailors, may direct other uniform wear. Other units, such as artillery, aviation, or legalunits, may have other Naval personnel attached, and issued Marine uniforms.

Insignia, rank, and other accoutrements

Officer uniform insignia

Enlisted uniform insignia

Like any uniform, Marine uniforms have many accoutrements whosesymbolism may not be obvious. One of the most notable adornments isthe Eagle, Globe, and Anchor, found in some manner on mostuniforms; it is even within the MARPAT digital camouflage pattern. Itis also the standard cap badge for all uniform covers. An older insignia,progenitor to the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor can be seen in moderndress and service coat buttons.

The "blood stripe" is found on the outside seams of the dress uniformpants of NCOs, SNCOs, and officers. Tradition holds that it representsthe high casualty rates of those leaders during the Battle ofChapultepec.[13] Officers wearing the Evening Dress uniform also haveadditional gold trim on the trouser stripe.

Various uniforms display rank insignia differently. Enlisted Marineswill wear chevrons on the sleeves of all uniforms but the Utility andother working uniforms: gold stripes on red for the Dress coat, greenstripes on red for the service coat, green stripes on khaki for the khakishort and long sleeve shirts, and black metal or plastic pin-on insigniaon the collar of the utility and other working uniforms and the allweather coat. The same insignia is pinned on the epaulettes of the woolsweaters and tanker jacket. Officers will wear large insignia on theepaulettes of dress, evening dress, and service coats as well as sweatersand tanker jacket; smaller insignia is worn on the collar of all other uniforms (officers in a combat environment maywear subdued insignia, where flat black replaces silver and flat brown replaces gold). Chief Warrant Officers whoare designated "Infantry Weapons Officer" with an MOS of 0306 (also known as "Marine Gunner") replace their leftinsignia with a gold or black bursting bomb. Navy personnel authorized to wear Marine uniforms wear their assignedrate. Musicians in the United States Marine Band replace the crossed rifle in their insignia with lyres to denote theirnon-combat role.

Uniforms of the United States Marine Corps 8

Marines wear awards in several ways. Large medals are authorized only on the Dress "A" uniform, while awards forwhich no medal was struck will have ribbons mounted on the opposite pocket. Miniature medals are worn on theEvening Dress uniform, and are authorized for wear with civilian tuxedos when appropriate to the event. Other dressand service uniforms are worn with ribbons and weapon qualification badges, though the unit commander maydecide to forgo the latter. Breast insignia, also known as badges, are similarly worn, though individuals have theoption of wearing subdued insignia on the utility uniform.The buttons on the dress and service coats are reminiscent of Marine insignia prior to the adoption of the Eagle,Globe, and Anchor. The quatrefoil -- the cross-shaped braid worn atop an officer's cover—is a distinguishing part ofthe Marine officer's uniform. The design is of French origin, and is a tradition from the pre-Civil War era whenofficers wore a rope cross on their caps to allow sharpshooters high in the rigging of a sailing ship to identify hisallies in a battle. Enlisted Marines wear service stripes on the cuff of the dress and service coats, each stripe denotingfour years of service as a Marine. The standing collar of the dress coat is reminiscent of the uniform that earnedMarines the nickname "Leatherneck".Green cartridge belts and/or brassards can be worn by personnel in an authoritative or ceremonial duty status (suchas drill instructors or fire watch sentries), wearing such items regards the individuals as "under arms" whether theyare actually carrying a weapon or not. As such, they do not uncover indoors. During ceremonies, officers have theoption of wearing a Sam Browne belt and the Mameluke sword, and Noncommissioned Officers may wear the NCOsword. The current Mameluke sword is modeled on the sword presented to First Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon by theOttoman Empire viceroy, Prince Hamet, in 1804, during the First Barbary War, as a gesture of respect and praise forthe Marines' actions at the Battle of Derne.[13]

Members of the 5th and 6th Marine Regiments wear the French Fourragère to represent the multiple awards of theCroix de Guerre by the French government in World War I.

Comparison with the ArmyMarines are sometimes confused with United States Army. This was more prevalent when both services wore thesame utilities, but with the introduction of unique digital camouflage patterns (MARPAT for the Marines, UCP forthe Army), this is no longer a point of confusion. There are several other significant differences:• Marines do not wear berets, and wear boots only with the utility uniform, while certain airborne-qualified and

ceremonial Army units are authorized to wear shined black boots with service/dress uniforms. Both services makeexceptions for boots with other working uniforms, such as coveralls, aviation, and cold weather uniforms.

Various 8-point utility covers

• The Marine utility cover is an 8-pointed creased and peaked cover,the Army uses a rounded kepi-style patrol cap. Unlike the Army,Marines do not wear rank insignia on the cover, instead there is anEagle, Globe, and Anchor in the middle of the cap. The Army usedto wear beret in garrison but has since changed the policy back towearing the patrol cap in garrison and in field (Airborne, SpecialForces, and Rangers may wear their distinctive berets in garrison).The cloth helmet covers formerly were required to have iron-onEGAs, but this has fallen into disuse. Marines may also wear thecreased garrison cover or a barracks cover with their serviceuniforms, while the Army wears berets and service cap with theirs.

• Marines do not roll up the sleeves of camouflage utilities. In thepast, Marines rolled up their sleeves such that the light-coloredinside of the sleeve was visible. Other services rolled up their sleeves inward.

Uniforms of the United States Marine Corps 9

• Marines now wear predominantly dark green or tan camouflage utilities (switching between woodlands in winterand desert in summer, and as appropriate to the theater of operations), while the ACU is a light green, tan andgray uniform intended for all climates. Marines most often wear a green undershirt with their utilities, while mostArmy units wear a sand-colored shirt.

• Marines are not authorized to wear their utility uniforms off-base while on leave or liberty, except while in avehicle traveling to or from base, or in an emergency. The Army offers more leeway in this regard, but stillprohibits casual wear of utilities, especially in social or drinking scenarios.[14]

• The Marine service uniform is an olive green coat with a waistbelt and worn with khaki shirt and tie. The Army'scurrent service uniform is a dark blue coat with a white shirt, previously referred to on a regular basis as the"Dress Blue" uniform (the green coat with light green shirt and white coat are being phased out in favor of theblue uniform).

• The Marine service and dress uniforms displays fewer items - only rank insignia, ribbons, marksmanship badges,and breast insignia. The Army Service Uniform contains, in addition, branch insignia, distinctive unit andregimental distinctive insignia, combat and special skill badges (e.g., Combat Infantryman Badge or CombatMedical Badge)--some of which correlate to Marine breast insignia--shoulder sleeve insignia (only on the greenservice uniforms), and skill qualification tabs above current unit shoulder sleeve insignia like the Ranger Tab orSapper Tab.

• Likewise, Marines wear few items on their utilities, compared to the Army, which wear American Flag patches,shoulder sleeve insignia, service tabs, and have the option of wearing subdued combat and special skill badgeswhen in garrison. Typically, the only distinguishing features on Marine utilities are service and name tapes;Eagle, Globe, and Anchor emblem; rank insignia; breast insignia (which is not worn in the field) and (dependingon the personnel) the Red Patch.

• Marines never salute without a cover. This precludes the vast majority of Marines from saluting inside, wherecovers are removed except for those individuals under arms (or wearing a duty belt, a method of symbolicallybeing under arms without a weapon). Soldiers are permitted to salute uncovered when reporting to a superior.[15]

History

Replica 1812-era uniform Archibald Henderson in dress uniform, circa 1820

On 5 September 1776, the Naval Committee published the Continental Marines uniform regulations specifying greencoats with white facings (lapels, cuffs, and coat lining),[16] with a leather high collar to protect against cutlass slashesand to keep a man's head erect.[17] Its memory is preserved by the moniker "Leatherneck", and the high collar onMarine dress uniforms. Though legend attributes the green color to the traditional color of riflemen, ColonialMarines carried muskets. More likely, green cloth was simply plentiful in Philadelphia, and it served to distinguishMarines from the red of the British or the blue of the Continental Army and Navy. Also, Sam Nicholas's huntingclub wore green uniforms, hence his recommendation to the committee was for green.[1] [18] [19]

Uniforms of the United States Marine Corps 10

At the second founding of the United States Marine Corps in 1798, the Secretary of War authorized a blue uniformedged in red; blue chosen for naval ties, and red with sentiment for Royal Marines and John Paul Jones's Marinestradition of wearing red.[20] A year later, Marines were issued leftover uniforms from Anthony Wayne's Legion, bluewith red facings. It was the beginnings of the modern "dress blues". The uniforms also came with a round hat, edgedin yellow.[17] In 1834, President Andrew Jackson reinstated the green and white jackets of the Colonial Marines,with gray trousers. However, the dye on these faded quickly and in 1841 the uniform was returned to the blue—thistime with a dark blue coat and light blue trousers with a scarlet stripe down the seam for officers and NCOs.

World War I-era uniforms: field (left) and dress (right)

In 1859, new dress uniform regulations were issued; the new uniform had a French-style shako with an unpopularpom-pon. There was also the option of a fatigue cap, fashioned after the French képi.[17] In the expeditionary periodpost Civil War, Marines began wearing a khaki field uniform, better suited to tropical and arid environments. In the1890s, the Marines adopted some practical changes to the field uniform, adding a campaign cover, with a largeMarine emblem on the side, and canvas leggings.[1] [21]

When the size of the Corps grew in preparation for World War I, Marines were forced to adapt surplus uniformsfrom the Army to clothe its troops. The green service uniform was adapted with a standing collar, while khakiuniforms were worn in combat. The garrison cap was introduced, originally to be worn overseas, as it could easily becarried when wearing the steel helmet. This marked the first time Marines, as well as other U.S. service members,wore distinct combat and non-combat field uniforms, in addition to dress uniforms. The service uniform wasdesignated for ceremonies, garrison, and leave.Sometime after World War I, the tradition of a "uniform of the day" designated by the unit commander was createdto ensure uniformity of troops, now that there was a wide variety of uniforms available for wear. Also born was thetradition of reporting to a new duty station in the Service "A" uniform. In 1926, the standing collar on the serviceuniform was changed to a rolled-flat collar, but the dress uniform collar remained standing. A khaki version of theservice uniform was adapted as well, for use in summer months.[22]

A World War II-era Major in winter service,summer service, & dress white uniforms

At the start of World War II, the Marine Corps had four standarduniforms. Dress Blues could be worn with a white canvas belt, aleather belt, or a blue cloth belt for officers, but their issue ceased inearly 1942 except for recruiters and ceremonial units for the durationof the war.[23] The green winter service uniform, issued with a coat anda shell cordovan belt for enlisted men with a Sam Browne belt forofficers (until a cloth belt of the same material replaced both in 1943),was initially worn as a field uniform (such as the 1st ProvisionalMarine Brigade in Iceland wearing them daily). The garrison cap wasreintroduced, originally to be worn overseas, but quickly becamestandard. The summer khaki service uniform featured pointed pocketflaps, as opposed to the Army's trousers having only front pockets.Beginning with a prewar deployment to Guantánamo Bay in early

Uniforms of the United States Marine Corps 11

1941, a fiber pith helmet began to replace the campaign hat worn in tropical areas and by recruits in training, but waseventually phased out as field uniforms were eventually replaced with utilities and helmets in November of that year.Marine combat uniforms were adapted from Army inventories again, a tradition that would continue through untilthe adoption of the MCCUU in 2000. However, they made more extensive use of camouflage, due to the jungleenvironment being more suitable for era patterns,[24] such as the reversible camouflage uniform was issued to someunits in 1943.

Marine in Vietnam War-era utilitiesand armor

The introduction of women into the Corps doubled the number of uniforms, aswomen had an equivalent for every male uniform. After the war, femaleuniforms became close to their male equivalents as women were more closelyintegrated into the Corps, and the green service uniform was worn year-round asthe khaki summer version was discontinued. In the late 1980s, the full whitedress uniform coat was discontinued, though the white dress trousers remain inuse for ceremonial units today.After the Korean War, khaki utilities were replaced by olive drab versions. TheBattle Dress Uniform became the standard utilities in the early 1980s, with thewoodland and 6-color desert patterns available. After the Gulf War, the 3-colordesert pattern was developed to address deficiencies, worn until the MCCUUwas adopted in 2000.

Swagger sticks were once in vogue in the Corps, starting as an informalaccessory carried by officers in the late 19th century. In 1915, it gained officialapproval as recruiters were encouraged to carry them to improve public image.

This tradition grew when Marines deployed for World War I encountered European officers carrying swagger sticks,leading to an entry in the uniform regulations in 1922 authorizing enlisted Marines to carry them as well. The usagedied down in the 1930s and 40's, excepting China Marines, and returned in vogue when a 1952 regulationencouraged them; reaching a peak from 1956 to 1960, when Commandant Randolph M. Pate encouraged use.However, his successor, David M. Shoup, quickly made them optional[25] and discouraged their use, and they havenot been used since.[26]

References[1] Chenoweth, USMCR (Ret.), Col. H. Avery; Col. Brooke Nihart, USMC (ret) (2005). Semper fi: The Definitive Illustrated History of the U.S.

Marines. New York: Main Street. ISBN 1-4027-3099-3.[2] "Marine Corps Uniforms" (http:/ / www. hqmc. net/ index. php?option=com_content& task=view& id=47& Itemid=29). Marine For Life. .

Retrieved 2008-07-17.[3] ALMAR 035/07 (http:/ / www. marines. mil/ news/ messages/ Pages/ Archive/

WEAROFTHEMARINECORPSCOMBATUTILITYUNIFORM. aspx) directing wear of the MCCUU[4] ALMAR 007/08 (http:/ / www. marines. mil/ news/ messages/ Pages/ MESSAGES198. aspx) directing seasonal uniform changes[5] Freedman, David H. (2000). Corps Business: The 30 Management Principles of the U.S. Marines. New York: Collins.[6] ALMAR 034/07 (http:/ / www. marines. mil/ news/ messages/ Pages/ Archive/

MARINECORPSMARTIALARTSPROGRAM(MCMAP)UPDATE. aspx) directing all Marines to earn at least a tan belt by CY 2008[7] ALMAR 004/08 (http:/ / www. marines. mil/ news/ messages/ Pages/ MESSAGES160. aspx) rescinding permission for civilians to wear the

MCCUU[8] "MCSysCom Infosheet PT uniform" (http:/ / www. marcorsyscom. usmc. mil/ sites/ pmice/ InfoPapers/ Clothing/ PTUniform. pdf) (PDF). .

Retrieved 2007-10-31.[9] "Feedback sought on PT threads" (http:/ / www. marinecorpstimes. com/ news/ 2007/ 01/ mcptuniform070115/ ). Marine Corps Times.

2005-10-27. . Retrieved 2007-08-30.[10] Lance Cpl. Bryan G. Carfrey (2008-02-29). "New Running Suit Unveiled" (http:/ / www. quantico. usmc. mil/ Sentry/ storyview.

aspx?SID=1701). Quantico Sentry. . Retrieved 2008-03-14.[11] Johnson, Kimberley (December 7, 2007). "Conway unveils new running suit in Iraq" (http:/ / www. marinecorpstimes. com/ news/ 2007/ 12/

marine_conway_running_suit_071204/ ). Marine Corp Times. . Retrieved 2007-12-09.[12] Program Manager, ICE data sheets (http:/ / www. marcorsyscom. usmc. mil/ SITES/ PMICE/ CPTUniform. asp)

Uniforms of the United States Marine Corps 12

[13] Kelly, Jack (April 12, 2009). "Kill the pirates" (http:/ / www. post-gazette. com/ pg/ 09102/ 962110-373. stm). Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. .Retrieved 2009-04-14.

[14] Chief of Staff (3 February 2005). "3 Temperate, Hot-Weather, and Enhanced Hot-Weather Battle Dress Uniforms" (http:/ / www. usapa.army. mil/ pdffiles/ r670_1. pdf) (PDF). Army Regulation 670–1: Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia. United States Army.pp. 17, par. 3–3. .

[15] "1" (http:/ / www. usapa. army. mil/ pdffiles/ r600_25. pdf) (PDF). Army Regulation 600–25: Salutes, Honors, and Visits of Courtesy.United States Army. 24 September 2004. pp. 1, par. 1–5c. .

[16] Smith, Charles Richard; Charles H. Waterhouse (1975) (PDF). A Pictoral History: the Marines in the Revolution (http:/ / www. marines.mil/ news/ publications/ Documents/ A Pictorial History-The Marines in the Revolution PCN 19000317900. pdf). United States Marine CorpsHistory Division. . Retrieved 2008-08-22.

[17] Simmons, Edwin Howard (2003). The United States Marines: A History, 4th Edition. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.ISBN 1-59114-790-5.

[18] United States Marine Corps, Report on Marine Corps Duplication of Effort between Army and Navy December 17, 1932. Contains a verydetailed account of almost all the actions of the Continental Marines and USMC until 1932. It's available in scanned TIFF format from thearchives of the Marine Corps University.

[19] Smith, Charles R., Marines in the Revolution: A History of the Continental Marines in the American Revolution, 1775-1783, illustrated byMajor Charles H. Waterhouse, USMCR, History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, Washington, D.C. 20380, 1975.Forward and Table of Contents online at http:/ / www. scuttlebuttsmallchow. com/ marrevwat. html

[20] Guidebook for Marines (http:/ / www. usmcpress. com/ guidebook. htm) (18th ed.). Quantico, VA: Marine Corps Association. 2001. p. 11. .Retrieved 2008-09-05.

[21] USMC entry (http:/ / www. diggerhistory. info/ pages-uniforms/ american-usmc. htm) on Digger History[22] USMC Service Uniform in WW II (http:/ / www. olive-drab. com/ od_soldiers_clothing_combat_ww2_usmc_service. php) on

olive-drab.com[23] p.30 Rottman, Gordon L. US Marine Corps 1941-1945 1995 Osprey[24] USMC WW II Camouflage Uniform (http:/ / www. olive-drab. com/ od_soldiers_clothing_combat_ww2_usmc_camo. php) on

olive-drab.com[25] Shoup, Gen David M. (4 January 1960). "Inaguration remarks to staff" (http:/ / www. tecom. usmc. mil/ HD/ Docs_Speeches/ Swaggerstick.

htm). United States Marine Corps History Division. . Retrieved 2 February 2010.[26] Borsh, Fred L.; Robert F. Dorr (2009-03-16). "Swagger stick reached its zenith in the 1950s" (http:/ / militarytimes. com/ projects/

usmcbirthday/ history/ index. php#swagger). Marine Corps Times (Gannett Company): pp. p38. Archived from the original (http:/ /marinecorpstimes. va. newsmemory. com/ default. php?token=bdca7c50457300a3208d58ac225fa273& pSetup=marinecorpstimes) on2009-11-14. . Retrieved 2009-03-10.

• McClellan, Maj Edwin N. (1932). Uniforms of the American Marines, 1775-1829 (http:/ / www. tecom. usmc.mil/ HD/ PDF_Files/ Pubs/ Uniforms of the American Marines 1775 to 1829 PCN 19000411100. pdf) (1982reprint ed.). Washington, D.C.: History & Museums Division, United States Marine Corps.

• Capt Neary, Donna J. (1983). "U.S . Marine Corps Uniforms 1983" (http:/ / www. marines. mil/ news/publications/ Documents/ Marine Corps Uniforms 1983 Color Prints PCN 19000316200. pdf) (PDF). UnitedStates Marine Corps. Retrieved 2008-08-22.

• Hilliard, Jack B.; Doris S. Maley (1975). Making a Continental Marine Uniform (http:/ / www. tecom. usmc. mil/HD/ PDF_Files/ Pubs/ Making a Continental Marine Uniform. pdf). Washington, D.C.: History & MuseumsDivision, United States Marine Corps.

External links• "Marine Corps Uniform Regulations" (http:/ / www. marines. mil/ news/ publications/ Pages/ MCO P1020. 34G

W CH 1-4. aspx). MCO P1020.34G W/CH 1-5 (United States Marine Corps). 31 March 2003. Retrieved2008-09-05.

• Marine Uniform Regulations (http:/ / www. tecom. usmc. mil/ mcub/ library/ MCUR/ URTOC. htm)• Permanent Marine Corps Uniform Board (http:/ / www. marcorsyscom. usmc. mil/ sites/ mcub/ )

Article Sources and Contributors 13

Article Sources and ContributorsUniforms of the United States Marine Corps  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=466222381  Contributors: Acowgirltease, Adam McMaster, AubreyEllenShomo,AustralianRupert, Bahamut0013, Binksternet, Bobby H. Heffley, Bobo192, Buistr, Bunns USMC, Chris the speller, Colonies Chris, DODCTR, Deathofthedungeonmaster, Deeter063, Delta-2030,DerHexer, Discospinster, Doug4422, Dumelow, ERcheck, Eromrab, Ewhalen, Fanman904, Foofbun, Fourthords, GCW50, Gfoley4, Greenshed, Groundsquirrel13, Gsperla, Hakoniwa,Happysailor, Heroeswithmetaphors, Hmains, Hotspur23, IW4, Intgr, Iridescent, Jack Bethune, Jasonmassengale, JeremyGonz, Jigen III, JohnDoe0007, Jonorza, Kainaw, KaragouniS, Kbdank71,Kentm0300, Kenyon, Kumioko, Laerwen, Lastgladen, Lexa bexa, Lightmouse, LilHelpa, Looper5920, LordJesseD, M, Melesse, Mmx1, Mrtharp, Murraypaul, NearTheZoo, Nobunaga24,Novis-M, Nrschmid, NuclearWarfare, Ocatecir, Oknazevad, Ouketi.ego, Pbroks13, ProdigySportsman, QueenofBattle, Rich Farmbrough, Richardcavell, Rillian, Rjwilmsi, Rmbrittain,Roundhere44, Rwboa22, Ryptide, SGalliver, SHCarter, Sandstein, Seamus45, Septegram, Signalhead, Skinny McGee, Solicitr, Srich32977, Stephan Leeds, Struthious Bandersnatch, Tabletop,Theconster, Tmaull, Toukairin, Ulric1313, VAcharon, Vanished 6551232, XLerate, ZachPG, 209 anonymous edits

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