Posted on Oct 24, 2015
What's the deal with the female GARRISON cover? Are female Marines authorized to wear the male garrison cover?
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Apparently this became an issue after a picture of a female Marine wearing what appeared to be a male garrison cover was posted on social media yesterday. (10/23/15)
There is nothing that I can find that SPECIFICALLY addresses this question. The Maradmin 658/13 says this:
AGENDA ITEM A: UNIVERSAL DRESS AND SERVICE CAPS
(1) RECOMMENDATION: ADOPT THE CURRENT MALE SERVICE AND DRESS FRAME CAP AS THE UNIVERSAL CAP FOR ALL MARINES (WITH SOME MODIFICATIONS TO MAKE IT MORE COMFORTABLE BUT MAINTAIN THE SAME DISTINCTIVE APPEARANCE).
CMC DECISION: APPROVED. FEMALE MARINES ARE AUTHORIZED TO WEAR THE CURRENT MALE DRESS AND SERVICE CAPS IMMEDIATELY, BUT WILL NOT BE REQUIRED TO OWN THEM UNTIL THE MANDATORY POSSESSION DATE AS DETAILED BELOW.
It does not speak to the garrison cover... Can anyone give a reference that makes it clear? I think they issue the male version to females in bootcamp, but still can't find a reference. The uniform regs don't cover* it either.. (that was punny!)
Anyone?
There is nothing that I can find that SPECIFICALLY addresses this question. The Maradmin 658/13 says this:
AGENDA ITEM A: UNIVERSAL DRESS AND SERVICE CAPS
(1) RECOMMENDATION: ADOPT THE CURRENT MALE SERVICE AND DRESS FRAME CAP AS THE UNIVERSAL CAP FOR ALL MARINES (WITH SOME MODIFICATIONS TO MAKE IT MORE COMFORTABLE BUT MAINTAIN THE SAME DISTINCTIVE APPEARANCE).
CMC DECISION: APPROVED. FEMALE MARINES ARE AUTHORIZED TO WEAR THE CURRENT MALE DRESS AND SERVICE CAPS IMMEDIATELY, BUT WILL NOT BE REQUIRED TO OWN THEM UNTIL THE MANDATORY POSSESSION DATE AS DETAILED BELOW.
It does not speak to the garrison cover... Can anyone give a reference that makes it clear? I think they issue the male version to females in bootcamp, but still can't find a reference. The uniform regs don't cover* it either.. (that was punny!)
Anyone?
Marine Uniform
Marine Corps
Uniforms
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 19
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I believe mismatching the male and female uniforms to save money was a mistake, our female Marines need to keep their independent identity.
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I know in my years ( 1979-1983) in service, WM's had their own version. I often wondered why we didn't wear the same. I figured it may have dealt with WM's having more hair to cover thus the need for a modified Cover for them. I can't really comment on uniform regs anymore since I don't keep up with them anymore.
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New plan by the President. He wants all our troops to look the same. He does not like the women standing out. In fact some WM's are wearing male dress blues. I hate it. I was exceptionaly proud to be one of the fewer and prouder, it was drilled in our head all through boot that we were special because we were Women Marines. Making women the same as the men takes away from the special tradition of being a Women Marine.
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CSM (Join to see)
We have recently been told that women are the same as men, and you can even feel like a woman one day and a man the next. Bathroom choice is up to how you feel that day as well. It's all good.
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They tried to make the dress blue uniform a unisex uniform and after a pole the female marines voted against it.
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Sgt Ronnie Mack
Ok, listen up. When the U.S. Marine Corps. Was 1st established, nothing. And I do mean nothing was designed with woman in mind. It really was the "good ole boy club"!!!! Now that woman Marines do exist, we have to keep in mind that they are not built like us so therefore. Adjustment have to be made. And changes are still in the process to accommodate them yet keeping in the highest Marine Corp dress tradtion!!!!
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PFC Henry Harvey
That's what I thought also. I saw a video of the "President's Own" at the Friday evening parade & all Marines were wearing the same cover. It looked rather strange to see this petite Marine wearing a cover worn by male Marines.
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I'm not sure about the garrison cover. I know when I was issued mine in boot camp it was a female cover.
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Five years ago a viability study was conducted to issue unisex covers. Not sure what the results were, but the study was featured in MCTimes.
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Sgt Melinda Enfinger
So glad I was in the Navy! With that said, I have worked with Marines and do seem to recall seeing women wearing a piss cutter. Whether it was a male or female cover I don't know. I didn't even know that the Corps had/has different versions of this cover for female and male Marines.
The black piss cutter that the Navy wears in its E-6 & below service uniform is gender neutral, as is the khaki piss cutter worn by E-7 & above.
So glad I was in the Navy! With that said, I have worked with Marines and do seem to recall seeing women wearing a piss cutter. Whether it was a male or female cover I don't know. I didn't even know that the Corps had/has different versions of this cover for female and male Marines.
The black piss cutter that the Navy wears in its E-6 & below service uniform is gender neutral, as is the khaki piss cutter worn by E-7 & above.
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Those are only recommendations to the uniform board for the piss cover. Note the instruction states FRAME cap. ie Dress blues or service A. I think you all called a bucket cap.
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Sgt Melinda Enfinger
Thank you, 1stSgt (Join to see) , for your input. :-)
The problem is that those recommendations were approved and the text reads, "service and dress frame cap". Therein lies the confusion...
If I were a betting person, I would put it all on there isn't currently a specific reference that covers this.
This is the response I received from the uniform board:
According to the lead from our uniform board, "Females wear the female
garrison cap. The female cap allows for a greater range of hairs styles."
I requested a written reference and they could not provide one. Female recruits are being issued the male garrison cover in boot camp, so it would seem as if there should have been some guidance on the matter.. IMO
The problem is that those recommendations were approved and the text reads, "service and dress frame cap". Therein lies the confusion...
If I were a betting person, I would put it all on there isn't currently a specific reference that covers this.
This is the response I received from the uniform board:
According to the lead from our uniform board, "Females wear the female
garrison cap. The female cap allows for a greater range of hairs styles."
I requested a written reference and they could not provide one. Female recruits are being issued the male garrison cover in boot camp, so it would seem as if there should have been some guidance on the matter.. IMO
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I obviously can't speak for the Marines, but the Air Force has the same language where women can wear the men's flight cap with service dress, blues, or flight suits, but aren't required to own or wear it. Really comes down to user preference, a lot of folks, myself included, think the closed top male flight cap looks a lot better than the open top female version.
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Technically you can say she was "OUT OF UNIFORM" the dress code is very specific in the handbook.
Personally I would not have an issue with it but I can see the sticklers coming out the wood work to admonish such behavior.
Personally I would not have an issue with it but I can see the sticklers coming out the wood work to admonish such behavior.
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