Marine Corps Dress Blues... at an Army Ball?

dbailey8

New Member
I am prior service (6 years in the Marine Corps) and I am strongly considering joining the Army or Navy Nurse Corps. There are two things that sadden me. One is that the last six years I have been correcting people when they ask how being a soldier is, with "I am a Marine." Now I may not get to correct them (provided I join the Army). The second thing is that I don't know if I will be able to wear the best uniform in the military anymore. Does anyone know if say I join the Army, whether or not I will be able to wear my Marine Corps dress blues to the Army Ball? Thanks for reading my novel!
 
Dress Uniform

Members are required to wear the specified uniform of the service which they are currently members of. Semper Fi devil dog.
 
John is correct. If you care that much about the USMC uni, why not re-up in the Corps? I've had people with all kinds of prior service backgrounds in my units and if any of them showed up at a U.S. Army function in anything but the prescribed uniform, as First Sergeant I would make sure that would be the first and last time they did that.
As fine as you might think it looks, it's no more appropriate than wearing your Eagle Scout uniform to your high school prom. Although even that would be easier to get away with than what you propose.
If you decide to try that though, bring a camera and post some action pics here. I'd love to see what happens.
 
If you want, you can make a replica and keep it at home on a display or something. But as far as wearing it to an Army ball as a soldier... you work for the Army now.
 
You will wear the proscribed uniform for your service. In the case of the Army ball that would be Army Blue Dress, the Army Service Uniform (which you will be required to have by July 2014) or the Class A Green Uniform (which will not be authorized after July 2014). Your Unit will advise you of the requirements of uniform wear for this or any special/ceremonial function.

You will not be authorized wear of the Marine Corps Blue Dress Uniform in any variation authorized by the Marine Corps for any Army function. You will be authorized wear of Decorations, Campaign Medals, Service Medals and citations as well as skill badges (with the exception of shooting iron) earned in the Marine Corps so long as it meets published DOA guidlines and regulations.

If you are going to do this best wrap your head around the fact that yoou will be a member of the United States Army....a solider and not a serving Marine. It will be difficult but you will adjust. I did.
 
The exception to all that -- if you wind up as a Navy nurse and you are attached to a USMC unit and they request that you wear USMC uniforms, then you may do so.

Witness:
- Chaplain of the USMC
- Director of Health Services/Medical Officer of the USMC

Also apply's to MD's, Chaplins, Chaplins Assistant's, Corpsman, and other Naval Officers such as Naval Gunfire Coordination Officers. However the request only applies to the utility uniform in the field and USN personnel may elect to wear the utility uniform with USN identifiers on the MARPAT uniform.

USN personnell may request to go "regs" when attached to USMC unit's. The request can be approved by the units CO and is often only granted after the award of the FMF badge. USN personnel going regs must maintain USMC grooming and physical standards. They are authorized wear of the Marine Corps Emblem on utilties and the wear of the Service Alpha, Service Bravo, and Service Charlie uniform, they retain the authorized USN rating/rank insignia but may wear the USMC emblem on all covers and blouses per USMC regulations.

USN personnel who are "reg'd" may not wear the United States Marine Dress Blue Uniform, Mess Dress Uniform or Evening Dress Uniforms, these are reserved by regulation for Marines.

In theory any USN officer may be ordered to wear USMC services uniforms while attached to USMC formations but this is rarely if ever done with the exception of the utility uniform.

Before this comes up: The patch of any USMC Division in which an individual has served with in combat as a United States Marine may not be worn as a Combat/Right Shoulder patch upon enlisting in the Army, unless that individual served as a solider attached to that Marine Formation after enlistment in the Army.
 
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I had a question about something like this. If I got into the US Army, would I be allowed to pin any qualifications I earned while serving in a foreign military onto my uniform as long as I have proof that I earned it?
 
If authorized by DOA regs and recognized by regs you can wear foriegn skill badges above the right breast pocket.
 
USN personnel who are "reg'd" may not wear the United States Marine Dress Blue Uniform, Mess Dress Uniform or Evening Dress Uniforms, these are reserved by regulation for Marines.
Ah, I wasn't aware of that caveat. Thanks.
 
The reference is Section 8, United States Marine Corps Uniform Regulations and Section 5, United States Navy Uniform Regulations.


Another thing that comes up all the time with prior service Marines enlisted in another Branch: The Marine Corps emblem (FMF) ribbon device may not be worn on ribbons by an individual who was awarded the ribbon while on active duty as a US Marine. The FMF device is authorized only to USN and USCG members who earned the ribbon while attached to a USMC formation. If you earned it as a Marine you wear only the ribbon or the ribbon with the awarded subsequent award devices i.e. bronze stars.
 
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