In honor of this evening’s presidential debate, here’s a very recent “Terminal Lance” strip from Marine Corps Times’ archive. “Election Season” was published in the Sept. 17 issue.
“Election Season,” original pub date Sept. 17, 2012
(Artwork by Maximilian Uriarte)
So in thinking about important policy decisions … do you think a future commandant will reverse the new sleeves-down rule? Or is the change proving a winner among most Marines?
26 Comments
im glad i got out before that took place, the new Comm. is a turd, we should have never let a flier take charge. Why take away rolled sleeves, the one thing marines took seriously, they took more pride in their sleeves since they cant shine their boots anymore.
nailed it ^^
yea now all the ones who werent so busted looking cuz they rolled their sleeves look like garbage cuz they dont button their damn cammie sleeves
What kind of idiot idea was that anyways? What a fucktard. Every Commandant has to leave their mark one way or another. When they can’t come up with something original or good, they just screw something up so they can put their name to it. Crucible. Remember that shit? Glowbelts. Yeah. Shiny nylon PT gear. For real. Gawd dang.
Every Marine I know would change back to rolled sleeves and change the tattoo policy
No more rolled sleeves? I wasn’t aware of that, it’s insane. Summer in Okinawa would mean at least 2 blouses a day.
When did they take away boot shining?
I think boot shining went out when the digital cammies came in with the brown boots I believe. You can’t shine the new boots.
I hated rolling sleeves and even I think it was a mistake to get rid of rolling sleeves.
I have ZERO tattoos and I think it’s ridiculous that you can’t have sleeves, as long as they stay off the neck and up who cares. They seem to have forgotten the Marine Corps is based around killing people and not based around working in an ACed office.
It is amazing that people forget that we operate in different climates. The temps in DC are far different than Kane’ohe or Oki. In the old cammies, we never went sleeves down in Hawai’i. 365 we were up. This seems to just be a uniformity issue.
at least we’re not wearing faggotty berets…..yet !
Sleeves rolled was a pain but it definitely looks more professional and you can tell who takes pride in their uniform just by that. The only thing i can see wrong with that is it just gives NCO’s and staff something else to crackdown on and regulate. And as for the tattoo policy I fully support tattooed military as long as its not on the neck up or hands. There’s just too many things changing mainly for the worse.
God I hope they introduce Rolled sleeves in the ARMY some day. I never thought Id envy the NAVY.
I guess you guys subscribe to the “perception is reality” style of leadership. Not a single care was given when sleeve rolling went away; I was busy fighting wars, training my Marines how to go above and beyond the 1000 and 2000 level skill sets of an Infantryman, rock the PFT/CFT, know their weapons systems like the back of their hands, and how to present themselves just well enough to not get lifed out by some POG First Sergeant with too much time on his hands but to yell at a Lance Corporal for having a scuff on his boots.
YOU guys, not the Commandant, are/were what’s wrong with the Corps, and thank God many of you got out, and with the downsizing, hopefully more of you belt-fed morons will get out too.
Jeez, they are sleeves; get a grip; or would you like to spread some malarkey about tight sleeves being a tradition of the Corps just like the term “Devil Dog,” and the “Blood Stripe?” Enough damn fine warriors have died wearing the uniform in the past 100 years alone that we don not need to invent our history in order to rationalize our existence.
We fight and win wars, and looking good in garrison is a side product of being a Marine, NOT the end-all, be-all.
Rolled sleeves was not the commandant’s vendetta. It was not his recommendation to drop sleeves. It was the dumb uniform board. That board is not made of flyers. The tattoo policy and all the other ones mentioned here came from ground guys.
Hey, staff-person, it’s self-defeating to say debates on rolled sleeves are inconsequential right after suggesting everybody who’s for them should get out of your beloved Corps. Perhaps the third way is to recognize that everyone here, including you, is using that one Marine throwback that can never be regulated away: bitchy hyperbole.
He never said people for rolled sleeves should get out. He said people bitching about no more rolled sleeves and making it seem more important than, y’know, fighting the bad guys, should get out. Quite a difference between the two.
Marines bitch about all kinds of stupid things. It’s a part of the culture. You can argue against this point, but unfortunately, that would simultaneously prove it.
Exactly what is the current Marine tattoo policy?
Its amazing when Marines think that they cannot prepare themselves and their Maries for war if they have to be squared away as well. It is apparent with comments like “Just well enough”. I believe as Marines we should embody the whole package product. Yes train hard, prepare your Marines, but when in garrison, NOT in the field square your ass away! And always remember, YOU joined the Corps. The Corps didnt joint you nor force you to join.
That just happened. Too bad I’m what’s wrong with the Marine Corps. I forgot all my common sense and logic was such a nuisance. Because whatever the Marine Corps makes me do means nothing to me so long as I can fight and win wars. Not caring about rules that are created by uniform boards simply because a lack of changing anything constitutes not doing their job. Too bad I have a job where a lack of having something to do means where at peace. But that’s cool go ahead and fuck with me and make my life that much harder for no dumber reason than we should all look the same as the marines in combat. This is bullshit and anyone that says otherwise it to busy suckin the big ass green wienie to think about anything else. I have enough shit to worry about like getting blown up and trying to make sure all my marines make it home than to have to deal with the constant admin dog and pony show fuckin no rolling your sleeves bullcrap.
The only thing that bothered me about sleeves permanently being down was the substantial amount of Marines that actually cared.
Good on ya for calling me out on my unnoticed sarcasm (re: looking just good enough, and I’m not being sarcastic about that haha), all I was trying to say was that “perception is reality” is no way to lead Marines, and at the end of the day, wearing clean boots and non-wrinkled cammies while being tactically and technically proficient is the hallmark of the Corps, not looking like a poster boy Marine bc you starched your cammies and aspire to be a terminal drill instructor without ever truly knowing your job (there are a lot of “those types” in the Corps if you haven’t noticed).
I just can’t get over the fact that people are genuinely upset about this and see this as “the corps is getting soft,” especially when those saying it are ignoring the very recent success on the battlefield, which is the only reason the Corps exists in the first place. Not to mention, many of the biggest opponents are those that served in the peace time 90’s who don’t have half the resume of a one-pump Lance Corporal.
For the record Open Bolt (well played), I actually agree with you (it’s hot, too bad I can’t roll my sleeves bc its not yet daylight savings time, and now this). Common sense and fighting wars, not tradition and uniformity under the guise of discipline, should be the hallmark of our corps. We are respected and revered not bc of our perception, but bc of our REAL history of combat prowess (as well as a pretty dress uniform)
If it’s hot in Hawaii, and cold in Lejeune, what the fuck does it matter? Similarly, uniformity is also ridiculous when dealing with the GLOBAL level of the Corps.
My only qualm is with the morons who actually think the Corps is getting soft bc of this (as stated above).
@ open bolt- IN combat/deployed i agree with you. Common sense should prevail.
@ non belt-fed SNCO- Well said. Clean boots, non wrinkled cammies and tactically and technically proficient is a hallmark of the Corps. Hopefully this drawdown will decrease the terminal DI Marines.
It’s too hot not to rock the open-buttoned trousers. Sleeveless and showing, I say. Anything less than that deserves a formal reprimand.
When it comes down to it, we’ll tear the sleeves off if we want to when it comes to the field. It’s just too bad now that regulation makes us have to suffer through the heat with long sleeves while in line waiting to finish our travel claim, haha.
Also, I keep on failing my Math for Marines prerequisite to post this comment.
They actually had us provide feedback and give reasons for like or dislike.
The only reason for like was that we all looked uniformly shitty instead of the one or two that couldnt roll sleeves.
It has always been a reality and not a perception that the Air Wing keeps sleeves down for the most part at all times. So Marines of any rank would logically assume that the Commandant had something to do with it. We “Peaceful 90’s” Marines also had long hair and smoked doped and protested war. (Humor) The Marines of the 80’s parted their hair down the middle and smoked dope. (Humor) Temperatures in the Tropic climes are hot as balls and require sleeves rolled up. (no joke) Uniformity is not a Global thing and situation and mission should dictate common sense. What should I know though, as a Peaceful 90’s Marine SNCO and as a 3 office hour LCpl in the 80’s…..Keep Rocking it Terminal Lance, Freedom of speech and thought is a Marine Thing…thanks for your service and the Corps needs you like anyone Else …Semper Fi…