BDUs Off Base

[Doheny]

What's the regs regarding wearing BDUs off base? I see plenty of Army folk doing so, but hear it's a no-go for Marines? Why on both counts? What about AF, Navy and Coasties?

Just curious.

[chris]

this is the AR regarding wear and appearance of the Army uniform AR670-1

http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/r670_1.pdf

referenced in this chapter of the AR.

[sniper4usmc]

What's the regs regarding wearing BDUs off base? I see plenty of Army folk doing so, but hear it's a no-go for Marines? Why on both counts? What about AF, Navy and Coasties?

Just curious.

no go for Marines..Only gas,bank,quick stop etc......

[chris]

no go for Marines..Only gas,bank,quick stop etc......

that's pretty much all i do. i have seen Soldiers at movie theaters and shake my head. but if a Soldier is getting something to eat at Burger King, Taco Bell or anywhere else it's a non issue. Soldiers gotta eat when they can ya know.

[stphnman20]

Yea no go for Marines... But if you need to stop at a place like a gas station then it's ok. Other then that, nope.

[rromeo]

that's pretty much all i do. i have seen Soldiers at movie theaters and shake my head. but if a Soldier is getting something to eat at Burger King, Taco Bell or anywhere else it's a non issue. Soldiers gotta eat when they can ya know.

Way back when, I had 2 other guys in my car, nobody had less than a $20 bill, So we ran in to Jack in the Box. One of our NCOs was in the drive thru, and saw us inside. We got a severe *** chewing. It was the day I got promoted to LCpl, and he was telling my I might lose the rifles. I was young and a newb, so I believed him.

[Soldier415]

I have run into young privates fresh back from basic training at the mall cruising for chicks in their ACUs..

*shakes head*

[capo]

I ran into an E4 at a cantina watching a Laker game last season, and he was sitting at the bar downing beer after beer and using the uniform to get attention, etc. Normally CSMR folk won't correct Guard or anyone other than CSMR unless they are SEVERELY out of line, and this guy was, and we...talked. It's fine to be in uniform if you are wearing it for one of the prescribed reasons, to be sitting in a sit down restaurant eating. No problem. But up at the bar, acting like a jackass and getting ****faced? GTFO, need to get your *** beat.

[MRX9989]

A good rule of thumb for the Army is: To and from training events and family functions.

[uscbigdawg]

Like my father used to say 'bout the good ol' days, when I came on leave once. The uniform is a combat uniform and as such should be kept to a minimum in the public eye. That said, in & out stops (gas, diapers, milk, etc.) are okay but grocery shopping, the movies, out to dinner, etc. is a go preceded by a no.

Rich

[kwest10]

no go for Marines..Only gas,bank,quick stop etc......

big fat negative. New Marine Corps order in 07 or 08. Only in a legitimate emergency can you wear cammies in public.

[tacticalcity]

Regulations change CONSTANTLY, and can vary from base to base depending on how big of a jerk the base commander turns out to be. So this is not as black and white as some people have made it out to be.

I am former USAF. On each of the bases I was on, the rules stayed the same. But I did go TDY on other bases that had some odd rules regarding this. That was, however, rare. For the most part, while on duty you wear the uniform of the day until you are off duty. Your duty assignment could require you to go down town. The uniform of the day does not change. If running errands, or grabbing a quick bite to eat, or attending an appointment you wear the uniform of the day. If that is BDUs, then so be it. You're not going to waste time changing into a different uniform when you want to accomplish your task as quickly as possible and get back to work. Same goes if you are doing manual labor down town, which can happen. For example, during highway cleanup projects or running across town to a neighboring base, you wear your BDUs. If attending a public function, or going to dinner with friends and family, or something along those lines you wear your blues. We also had a regulation saying we should travel in our dress blues, then one saying not to wear our uniform at all. After 9/11 that changed. Everyone and their brother wore battle uniforms while travelling. It has been a year since I took a commercial flight, but even then the Army, Marines and Air Force were traveling in battle uniforms.

We were not overly concerned about scaring people by having them see us in any of our uniforms. On the contrary, we want people to know an Air Force Base in nearby and contributing to the local economy. It is great for recruiting. For some reason Marines have always been hyper sensitive about non-issues like this one. The other services not so much.

As for figuring out which uniform to wear, this one is really a no brainer. Your mom told you when it is not appropriate to wear sweat pants and when you need to dawn the slacks and vice versa. Use the same guidelines when it comes to which uniform to wear. Use proper discretion, show some class, and you'll be fine.

That said, I preferred not to wear my uniform in public. There are conduct restrictions you must obey when in uniform. No public displays of affection, no getting drunk in public, no being loud and swearing and so on. Not that I necessarily would go out and raise hell but it didn't hurt to leave my options open. If I was going to get dressed up and go hit the town, I wanted to leave my options open to hit the clubs and maybe hook up with a hottie. Having to maintain my military bearing all night would get in the way of having fun.

Nothing pisses me off more than someone in uniform acting up in public and disgracing the uniform. Maintaining bearing while in uniform, especially when in public, is how you show you are professional and not just some chump.

[professionalcoyotehunter]

We had to change before heading home just after 9/11. They would not let us active duty army peeps go home unless we did.

[develown]

BDUs are not a military uniform any more, it has been replaced by ACUs or what ever your service equivalent is. If you want you can wear it while drooping a deuce in the middle of the street during a political protest.

[joedogboy]

It used to be that the Army only allowed BDUs to be worn in "public" for quick stops on the way to a from work (fast food, gas station, bank, maybe the grocery store).
Policies would vary slightly from installation to installation, depending on local conditions, and the whims of the installation commander.


Recruiters wore service uniforms (i.e. the ones you wear ribbons with) pretty much all the time, and the only time soldiers were generally out in public was for Guardsmen on State Missions - where you might be living/working in your BDUs for days at a time.

Since the start of the war, I have noticed that recruiters started wearing BDUs/ACUs everywhere. I guess that things have changed.