wrote:
Frank Gilliland wrote:
On 16 Nov 2005 07:02:10 -0800, wrote in
.com:
snip
he would be required to own them in the Army

Having never served in the Army, I never had that problem.

The two sets of dress blues I owned while in the Marine Corps were
issued to me, free of charge. A "perk" of assigned duties.

More bull#### from Major Dud [sigh]. Uniforms in the Corps are never
issued "free of charge", assigned duties or not.

My emphasis follows:

"UNIFORMS IN THE CORPS ARE NEVER ISSUED "FREE OF CHARGE", ASSIGNED
DUTIES OR NOT"...Frank Gilliland

Let's find out.

It might be possible that Steve was assigned to guard the Tomb of the
Unknown Soldier. They probably make a special allowance for uniforms
there.

Yoiu can bet they do, Brain, but the Tomb of the Unknowns is not
guarded by Marines.

Here's an idea for The Feeble Five, Brain and Frankie especially:

Pick up your local telephone book. Look under "US Government".
Under "Armed Forces" you'll find a USMC Recruiter. Tell him/her you're
"doing a paper" about uniforms of the Armed Forces.

Read back Frankie's assertion about uniforms NOT being issued
"...'free of charge', assigned duties or not..." Ask him/her to
validate that as correct or not.

Ask the Recruiter how much he or she had to pay for his/her Dress
Blues when they were assigned the billet.

Then ask them how much Marines are billed for their first seabag of
uniforms in boot camp. (Remember, Frankie said Marines are NOT issued
UNIFORMS free of charge, assigned duties or not...)

Ask him/her if Marines in Iraq were required to buy the desert
cammies. The same ones they are required to have in-theater along with
all sewn-on name tags, etc. (Remember, Frankie said UNIFORMS...Not any
one type or style...)

Ask him/her if MY assertion about B-Billet assignments (Drill
Instructor, I&I duty, Eighth and I Street/HQMC, Embassy Duty, etc)
rating an issue of dress blues is true or not.

Youse guys up to it?

Or how about a letter addressed directly to HQMC? Surely you can
take the above suggestions and pare them into a letter that sounds as
if you're conducting some sort of research. Better yet, I think I'll
do that part. Then we can compare notes.

Brain...at this point you can just ease out if you want to and
I'll let you call it "even"...Like I said, it's not wise taking
"counsel" about USMC policy from a one-tour, twice court martialed,
self-proclaimed " ####bird PFC " idiot.

I understand you that were caught up in the heat of the moment,
but I don't believe that even you're so foolish as to continue the
"argument" in the face of reliable, third party corroboration of my
"claims".

I wonder how Frankie will slither out from under THIS rock!

Steve, K4YZ

PS: If you're REALLY adventurous, you might even ask about the
"civilian" business suits/sports blazers issued to Marines in some
Embassies and/or other sensitive assignments as an "alternative
uniform". I am willing to bet Dave saw one or two of these guys/gals
over the years!