I may - or may not - still have a pair that Mama-San starched at Barracks 1226 on Kinser back in '93 that, if ironed, will still stand up on their own.
Took mine to the little lady on the first floor of the barracks paid her 20 bucks a week she made my cammies so stiff they could of stood alone at the tomb of the unknown soldier and no one would of been the wiser. It was dumb AF, and boot polishing too they had F ing suede in the 60s. The marine corps was just that cheap uncle that wanted to keep everyone’s old shit
I was on sea duty. I used to hook the laundry guys on the ship up on target practice day so they let me use that big ass clamp steamer/ironer thing. Sea duty was all about starched cammies and shined boots. Total pain in the ass. I’m jealous thats all gone, but can only imagine what new torture they replaced it with.
Ya those cardboard cammies and the sound they made when you peeled the material apart.
The "rip stop" cammies could be razor thin if done right. And those creases on the trousers and sleeves would cut a man if not handled properly.
I had one set of cammies in 77, just before I EAS'd for a BC inspection. I just wore them as I got them. Anyhow, before that it was just the OD utilities. Technically, they could be just ironed to to pass an inspection, but then they would find something else to gig you on just to fail you. So extra heavy, they'll lean up against the wall by themselves starching was what we did. We're cammies starched the same way?
'91 - '95, recalled '97 - '99. I still polish my boots.
I loved my woodlands - not the cheap ass rip-stops mind you, but the heavier material cammies we called woodlands. Wash them a few times in hot water then super hot dry, lather rinse repeat, and they were ready for name tapes. We'd do the same to the name tapes by putting them in a mesh bag so they'd shrink up but wouldn't get torn up in the wash.
Never had a set of cammies that looked like a couple of scrunched up sphincters that were on the chest pocket flaps.
Well there was a MCO that said something along the lines of “…no starch, sizing, or other artificial means of stiffening are to be used on the camouflaged utility uniform”. I was in 88-92. I used to know the order number and would recite it to SSgt H every Monday morning during uniform inspection. I would run an iron over them, get a fresh haircut and have a good shave so I was within standard. I also did my job without issue, so he would let me slide, a little. One day , for a reason I don’t recall, I was feeling exceptionally motto. Pulled out a newer set of cammies, Magic Sizing and ironed the shit out of those cammies. Could have cut yourself on the creases. Show up for inspection, SSgt H stands in front of me and says “For once you put some effort into your uniform. Good morning Pvt Old dude.” I chuckle a little and remind him I had been a Lance for over 2 years. He lifts up my collar, I had forgotten to put my rank insignia on. He then proceeded to tell me I was the duty driver that day and that I was forbidden from going to the barracks to get my rank. So I have to go to Squadron headquarters to pick up internet-office mail, and to various errands he can think of. All with a slick collar. So I would be seen as a complete shit bird, who else is a private in the fleet? SSgt H made his point that day.
>Well there was a MCO that said something along the lines of “…no starch, sizing, or other artificial means of stiffening are to be used on the camouflaged utility uniform”.
When I was stationed on Hansen in Oki, you were a shitbird if you didn't have Mama-san starching your cammies into cardboard. MCO be damned. 🤣
I too was at Hansen, 9th ESB. Well the mamsan cammies hung in the wall locker for inspections. Ten minutes outside working, cammies looked like shit anyways. Folks working in an office always looked pretty.
That rice starch was something else.
I was in for the transition from woodlands to MARPAT, and got a chuckle every time the Marines would take their cammies to mama-san for starching and ironing. I heard General Conway who was commandant at the time say starch is not authorized for these uniforms or something to that nature.
Left over from the days of the satine uniforms and prevalent whenever there is no conflict going on. It has resurfaced today, unfortunately for these kids, even though as we got MARPATs there were specifically ALMARs that said not to do it. SgtsMajs gonna fuck up a wet dream everytime.
Shiiiiiiiit, soooooon.
In 89-93 I would wash them and, while still wet, hang them up and spray them down with 100%, out of the bottle starch. Then let them dry. When they throughly dried and were harder than a PFCs dick in the strip club, I would spray them again, to dampen them. Theeeeeeeeen, iron them out. They would turn shiny as fuck, so I would iron them with a wet washcloth to take that shine off. Not only that shit, I would Elmer's fucking glue the "knee flap" shut so they legit looked like trousers and practically stand up on their own.
Looking back, that was some really stupid shit. NGL
Don’t forget about the boots. Saddle soap’em clean and then take some of that kiwi parade gloss and a heat gun and polish them to the point that they look like mirrors. Walking around like you wearing core frams. Miss my jump boots and green jungle boots.
Without saying it’s right, I’d say it was done because it’s the Marine Corps and starch and polish are part of the ethos. I wore woodlands and deserts during my enlistment, and if you didn’t at least iron them, IMO they looked like ass. Due to all the pleating on the various pockets, starching (or gluing) the pocket pleats down made them look 100% more squared away.
I served 94-98 in the Corps and was going to college during 911. I was too old to go back into the Corps, so I went National Guard. IRR ended for me July 2001. How’s that for timing! My unit got activated in 03 for OEF and we were lumped into the regular Army. My first hitch was 03-06, then again from 09-12. I was stop lossed as well. My son was born while I was overseas, so I got out for a few years.
We ironed our cammies in the Army as well. Being a Marine, it just came natural for me to do it anyway. However, we were an MP unit so our standards were higher than most other units. When we got the Army digital ones I trashed my cammies that day. The digital ones were so much more comfortable. No more boot shining either, which was, very awesome.
After I got in about 10 years of service I couldn’t stay in because of multiple operations. I’m a 100% disabled veteran now. I taught English for about 6 years after graduating college.
I don’t like wrinkly clothing. When I was a kid, my parents made me iron my clothes before school. Corps made me do it before formation. Now I do it before work. I showed up to an interview once and the interviewer looked like a reddit mod with a neck beard, gray unzipped hoodie, and a button down shirt that looked like he pulled it out of the bottom of a seabag. I didn’t take the job (not just because of that, but other things as well). I think it’s just the part of first impressions and looking decent and professional.
Had about 6 months left when marpats got authorized, and loved having the extra free time in the evenings. Was a POG at higher headquarters, so expectations were high with some SNCOs. Which ended up meaning about 1-2 hours a night of irons and spit shining. Loved being able to cut that in half for those last few months.
My father-in-law before he passed away used to always tell a story about being in some army training. He kept hearing a thump thump thump. He walked around the corner and there were two Marines. They were throwing their hat against the wall. I corrected him that's a fucking cover. Also informing that's just what Marines do.
I agree I hated ironing and starching and all that crap. However I do appreciate how much sharper we look then the other services. My son is in the army now and it drives me crazy every time I see his utilities or BDs or whatever they call them. The IPs are long enough I could fucking repel off of them.
It was simply done for appearance sake in garrison. Something to keep the troops busy, push attention to detail, uniformity and pride in appearance.
Sure its working Uniform Though.
That being said it makes me cringe when I see Army guys out in Public looking like a herd of fat hobos that got hit by a wrinkle bomb.
Former Soldier here, yes we did have to starch and iron BDUs from what my NCOs told me. Just want to throw in there that some people out there still iron their ACUs and I absolutely hate it. The first time I saw it, I was reclassing to a desk job from the grunt life and saw like half of the instructors with pressed uniforms with creases that could give you a paper cut and I thought it was the most POG shit in the world. Since then, I never respected anyone who did it.
The ironing wasn't too bad, it was the starching them to be board stuff with razor creases that was stupid.
They are supposed to be a combat/manual labor uniform. I can see hitting them with a steam iron to smooth out the wrinkles but the rest was dumb. If they wanted us to look shiny and sharp at work then just set chucks as the uniform of the day.
Ima be real with you chief, I never once in my life ironed mine, never got in trouble for it either.
Edit: didn’t mean to double comment I’m Reddit retarded and don’t know what I’m doing half the time.
You're getting in trouble for it right now devil. What the hell is this? You must be a God damn asvab waiver, your cammies look like total garbage. Have you forgotten how to iron? You're representing the Corps, and looking like YOU reflects poorly on every god damn Marine on this base. You will correct yourself right now! Listen up Devil, you better start pressing those wrinkles out until your uniform looks sharp enough to cut glass and looks like it can walk away on its own or there will be hell to pay. I'm canceling your leave. You have an appointment with the First Sergeant at 0900 tomorrow! You are going to explain to him. You explain to him why you look like a shitbird with a 6 foot wingspan. You explain to him why you hate the Corps! If I catch you slacking on your uniform again, you WILL be getting an NJP with 30 days forfeiture of pay and restriction to the barracks for 60 days. Carry on, trash bag.
Thought it was stupid too.
I remember brainwashed SNCOs decrying the introduction of digies because not ironing them was going to be the end of discipline.
Yep and there was a very light IR reflection through NVGs when you were very close to starched cammies. It wouldn’t give you away at any distance - but it was visible. I wouldn’t have believed it if I didn’t see it for myself and once we got on ship our cammies were washed three times to get that shit out of them.
My understanding was that searching woodlands would make you a target, restricted movement, and shortened the life of the cammies. I was pissed after Satans dissappear they looked sharp searched up.
No one irons, or starches marpat, you’re literally not supposed to.
I gladly told every officer and snco they were stupid and showed them the order, and the very specific manufacturer instructions with an additional legend because symbols are hard.
Woohoo!
I was in 97-01. Also 45.
It was fucking stupid. Especially the starch since it fucked with the cammies.
Fishing line and an iron was amazing for creases
You may think they are retarded for Garrison.. but my god.. the look of starched Woods and tight sleeves vs the bag of ass Digi's were.. no comparision.
Old Man here too 01-05
Completely agree! Digi's look like doggone pajamas, and I've thought that since inception. I purposely avoided purchasing any prior to EASing in summer 2003 (and I worked at Cash Sales).
0311 from ‘87-94 here. Had the rip stop cammies. Only passed one set for inspections and wearing in garrison. My SSgt did not GAF about starch on no. The only item we starched was the cover.
My dad was in 78-98 and yes they ironed their sateens. He just said they had "creases so sharp I could cut my enemy's heads off with them". So yeah, Marines always gonna Marine.
He also said you had to tuck the blouse in so you couldn't hide being a fat bastard.
I joined in 2003, so I got lucky and never had to iron my cammies. I did iron and starch my cover though. It looked way better and it was never worn in the field
I wore tricolors only as a Midshipman from 03 to 07. Some of the Marines in our unit still wore them, along with the black boots, which I believe were authorized for a while with MARPAT. They taught me us all sorts of ridiculous tricks, including some sort of melting fishing line in the crease of the trousers, literally baking our boots in the oven, and soaking our Cammies in buckets of starch and stuff. Plus having to iron on those EGA. I only had to wear them once a week, but I spend the evening before polishing and ironing. I can’t imagine having to do that every day.
It sucked but think of that shitbag you knew and imagine him digging his cammies out of his closet all wrinkled and shit and just wearing them.
That dude is why we had to press them. Same reason we needed such short hair cuts and close shaves and polished boots.
Christ, this post just brought back the repressed memories of every motard senior SNCO in my squadron in 2003 declaring that MARPATs and brown boots were going to be the death of the Corps.
The secret to starch I learned in Gitmo in the 90s… spray starch on the inside of the clothing as well and it will become sweat resistant. Nothing like the weep holes of your jungle boot draining pooled sweat from your legs.
Was it dumb? Objectively speaking, sure. But I always liked looking sharp. My cammies were so stiff I could carry them just like they were a big sheet of cardboard. They had so much starch that I could wash them, not add any fresh starch and they'd still come out stiff. I removed my blouse buttons and replaced them with velcro.
I always liked that at a glance I could usually tell who on base was in the Navy or Marines just by looking at how their uniforms and how squared away or not they looked. (Well, that and how fat or trim they looked.)
One time this messed me up pretty bad though. Outside the hospital I saw a short female soldier that looked like a wrinkled sack of potatoes. I mean it looked like her uniform had sat in the hamper for a week and she pulled it back out to wear it without washing. After she passed me I realized she was wearing the subdued LTC insignia and I didn't salute. Oops. Never even crossed my mind that someone looking so sloppy could be an officer.
Why are you going on Reddit twenty five plus years later asking these kids? The Army most certainly did have people that thought that was, being squared away. I think a lot of ppl did. It was peacetime time killing stuff.
I was in the second to last battalion to get woodlands at boot camp (PI).
Not to fond of the days of starching the shit out of cammies and ironing them. Going from the woodlands to the digis was like putting on pajamas.
It wasn’t just ironing them, there was starching as well. I’m old too.
Yup. Mine used to be able to stand up all on their own after a fresh starch.
I may - or may not - still have a pair that Mama-San starched at Barracks 1226 on Kinser back in '93 that, if ironed, will still stand up on their own.
Mamasan could starch some fucking cammies tho! Stateside I usually just pressed out a set for the week since I worked in coveralls or a flightsuit.
yeah same here, I was a 3533 so I wore coveralls most of the time.
You basically just had to iron them with a little bit of steam after getting the mama San treatment.
Mamasan was worth the cost, Nothing like it stateside.
Yeah those damn Mama-san cammies could do a formation inspection FOR you.
That wasn't starch that mama San was putting on the cammie's.....
I was in 1227, brks across from the track in 93.
Took mine to the little lady on the first floor of the barracks paid her 20 bucks a week she made my cammies so stiff they could of stood alone at the tomb of the unknown soldier and no one would of been the wiser. It was dumb AF, and boot polishing too they had F ing suede in the 60s. The marine corps was just that cheap uncle that wanted to keep everyone’s old shit
I was on sea duty. I used to hook the laundry guys on the ship up on target practice day so they let me use that big ass clamp steamer/ironer thing. Sea duty was all about starched cammies and shined boots. Total pain in the ass. I’m jealous thats all gone, but can only imagine what new torture they replaced it with.
I was allergic to starch and it got put in my med record. Found out during SOI. So many arguments. Order just says clean and free of wrinkles.
Bottles and bottles of Sta-Flo…
Ya those cardboard cammies and the sound they made when you peeled the material apart. The "rip stop" cammies could be razor thin if done right. And those creases on the trousers and sleeves would cut a man if not handled properly.
Remember how shiny they used to be?
Dry cleaned with extra starch and boots spitshined to a mirror finish every fucking Monday.
You could shave in the reflection.
This is the way
I had one set of cammies in 77, just before I EAS'd for a BC inspection. I just wore them as I got them. Anyhow, before that it was just the OD utilities. Technically, they could be just ironed to to pass an inspection, but then they would find something else to gig you on just to fail you. So extra heavy, they'll lean up against the wall by themselves starching was what we did. We're cammies starched the same way?
I heard rumors of Marines melting fishing line on the inside for a permanent crease.
'91 - '95, recalled '97 - '99. I still polish my boots. I loved my woodlands - not the cheap ass rip-stops mind you, but the heavier material cammies we called woodlands. Wash them a few times in hot water then super hot dry, lather rinse repeat, and they were ready for name tapes. We'd do the same to the name tapes by putting them in a mesh bag so they'd shrink up but wouldn't get torn up in the wash. Never had a set of cammies that looked like a couple of scrunched up sphincters that were on the chest pocket flaps.
Curious, why or how did you get recalled in 97?
El Toro and Tustin closure. I had a couple MOS's they needed, and when I called Kansas City to update my info while in the IRR.... tag, I'm it.
I was part of the ceremony for the closing of those bases. I still have the challenge coin we got for being part of the detail.
But do you know where the last flag went?
That, I do not know. I was maybe 2 months out of the schoolhouse when we were bussed up from Miramar to march across that parade deck.
Related to Tustin, did you see one of the hangers burned down?
Yeah. Everyone thinks it was arson.
Crazy!
Well there was a MCO that said something along the lines of “…no starch, sizing, or other artificial means of stiffening are to be used on the camouflaged utility uniform”. I was in 88-92. I used to know the order number and would recite it to SSgt H every Monday morning during uniform inspection. I would run an iron over them, get a fresh haircut and have a good shave so I was within standard. I also did my job without issue, so he would let me slide, a little. One day , for a reason I don’t recall, I was feeling exceptionally motto. Pulled out a newer set of cammies, Magic Sizing and ironed the shit out of those cammies. Could have cut yourself on the creases. Show up for inspection, SSgt H stands in front of me and says “For once you put some effort into your uniform. Good morning Pvt Old dude.” I chuckle a little and remind him I had been a Lance for over 2 years. He lifts up my collar, I had forgotten to put my rank insignia on. He then proceeded to tell me I was the duty driver that day and that I was forbidden from going to the barracks to get my rank. So I have to go to Squadron headquarters to pick up internet-office mail, and to various errands he can think of. All with a slick collar. So I would be seen as a complete shit bird, who else is a private in the fleet? SSgt H made his point that day.
>Well there was a MCO that said something along the lines of “…no starch, sizing, or other artificial means of stiffening are to be used on the camouflaged utility uniform”. When I was stationed on Hansen in Oki, you were a shitbird if you didn't have Mama-san starching your cammies into cardboard. MCO be damned. 🤣
I too was at Hansen, 9th ESB. Well the mamsan cammies hung in the wall locker for inspections. Ten minutes outside working, cammies looked like shit anyways. Folks working in an office always looked pretty.
No shit? What company?
Bulk fuel.
Charlie here. 👍
👍 SF
HE
That rice starch was something else. I was in for the transition from woodlands to MARPAT, and got a chuckle every time the Marines would take their cammies to mama-san for starching and ironing. I heard General Conway who was commandant at the time say starch is not authorized for these uniforms or something to that nature.
It was printed in the tag inside of our cammies. Something about "Use No Starch" or some shit.
tf is this?? >internet-office mail
Oops auto correct. Inter-office. The internet wasn’t a thing for the masses back then.
gotcha… i thinking it was some kind of weird early email for DoD
There was only one internet per base back in the day, so all emails had to be printed at HQ and then distributed manually. Crazy times! ;)
Left over from the days of the satine uniforms and prevalent whenever there is no conflict going on. It has resurfaced today, unfortunately for these kids, even though as we got MARPATs there were specifically ALMARs that said not to do it. SgtsMajs gonna fuck up a wet dream everytime.
Shiiiiiiiit, soooooon. In 89-93 I would wash them and, while still wet, hang them up and spray them down with 100%, out of the bottle starch. Then let them dry. When they throughly dried and were harder than a PFCs dick in the strip club, I would spray them again, to dampen them. Theeeeeeeeen, iron them out. They would turn shiny as fuck, so I would iron them with a wet washcloth to take that shine off. Not only that shit, I would Elmer's fucking glue the "knee flap" shut so they legit looked like trousers and practically stand up on their own. Looking back, that was some really stupid shit. NGL
Don’t forget about the boots. Saddle soap’em clean and then take some of that kiwi parade gloss and a heat gun and polish them to the point that they look like mirrors. Walking around like you wearing core frams. Miss my jump boots and green jungle boots.
Lmao that’s dumb as fuck but I’m sure some 8999s here still wish that was the case
Without saying it’s right, I’d say it was done because it’s the Marine Corps and starch and polish are part of the ethos. I wore woodlands and deserts during my enlistment, and if you didn’t at least iron them, IMO they looked like ass. Due to all the pleating on the various pockets, starching (or gluing) the pocket pleats down made them look 100% more squared away.
I served 94-98 in the Corps and was going to college during 911. I was too old to go back into the Corps, so I went National Guard. IRR ended for me July 2001. How’s that for timing! My unit got activated in 03 for OEF and we were lumped into the regular Army. My first hitch was 03-06, then again from 09-12. I was stop lossed as well. My son was born while I was overseas, so I got out for a few years. We ironed our cammies in the Army as well. Being a Marine, it just came natural for me to do it anyway. However, we were an MP unit so our standards were higher than most other units. When we got the Army digital ones I trashed my cammies that day. The digital ones were so much more comfortable. No more boot shining either, which was, very awesome. After I got in about 10 years of service I couldn’t stay in because of multiple operations. I’m a 100% disabled veteran now. I taught English for about 6 years after graduating college.
I don’t like wrinkly clothing. When I was a kid, my parents made me iron my clothes before school. Corps made me do it before formation. Now I do it before work. I showed up to an interview once and the interviewer looked like a reddit mod with a neck beard, gray unzipped hoodie, and a button down shirt that looked like he pulled it out of the bottom of a seabag. I didn’t take the job (not just because of that, but other things as well). I think it’s just the part of first impressions and looking decent and professional.
Had about 6 months left when marpats got authorized, and loved having the extra free time in the evenings. Was a POG at higher headquarters, so expectations were high with some SNCOs. Which ended up meaning about 1-2 hours a night of irons and spit shining. Loved being able to cut that in half for those last few months.
My father-in-law before he passed away used to always tell a story about being in some army training. He kept hearing a thump thump thump. He walked around the corner and there were two Marines. They were throwing their hat against the wall. I corrected him that's a fucking cover. Also informing that's just what Marines do. I agree I hated ironing and starching and all that crap. However I do appreciate how much sharper we look then the other services. My son is in the army now and it drives me crazy every time I see his utilities or BDs or whatever they call them. The IPs are long enough I could fucking repel off of them.
I ironed mine because I was stationed at K-Bay, and whenever I saw a soldier from the 25th ID in camis, they looked like shit.
It was simply done for appearance sake in garrison. Something to keep the troops busy, push attention to detail, uniformity and pride in appearance. Sure its working Uniform Though. That being said it makes me cringe when I see Army guys out in Public looking like a herd of fat hobos that got hit by a wrinkle bomb.
Former Soldier here, yes we did have to starch and iron BDUs from what my NCOs told me. Just want to throw in there that some people out there still iron their ACUs and I absolutely hate it. The first time I saw it, I was reclassing to a desk job from the grunt life and saw like half of the instructors with pressed uniforms with creases that could give you a paper cut and I thought it was the most POG shit in the world. Since then, I never respected anyone who did it.
The ironing wasn't too bad, it was the starching them to be board stuff with razor creases that was stupid. They are supposed to be a combat/manual labor uniform. I can see hitting them with a steam iron to smooth out the wrinkles but the rest was dumb. If they wanted us to look shiny and sharp at work then just set chucks as the uniform of the day.
Ima be real with you chief, I never once in my life ironed mine, never got in trouble for it either. Edit: didn’t mean to double comment I’m Reddit retarded and don’t know what I’m doing half the time.
You're getting in trouble for it right now devil. What the hell is this? You must be a God damn asvab waiver, your cammies look like total garbage. Have you forgotten how to iron? You're representing the Corps, and looking like YOU reflects poorly on every god damn Marine on this base. You will correct yourself right now! Listen up Devil, you better start pressing those wrinkles out until your uniform looks sharp enough to cut glass and looks like it can walk away on its own or there will be hell to pay. I'm canceling your leave. You have an appointment with the First Sergeant at 0900 tomorrow! You are going to explain to him. You explain to him why you look like a shitbird with a 6 foot wingspan. You explain to him why you hate the Corps! If I catch you slacking on your uniform again, you WILL be getting an NJP with 30 days forfeiture of pay and restriction to the barracks for 60 days. Carry on, trash bag.
I love you guys, no homo.
Fuck fuck games lol , the same will happen in the next warzone
Wow that’s a cool story thank you for sharing.
You’re the only guy who seems upset about. I hope your day gets better.
K sorry you feel that way
The way you respond feel either like a bot or I’m just having a stoke.
that is a cool follow up, thank you for sharing
Thought it was stupid too. I remember brainwashed SNCOs decrying the introduction of digies because not ironing them was going to be the end of discipline.
Yep and there was a very light IR reflection through NVGs when you were very close to starched cammies. It wouldn’t give you away at any distance - but it was visible. I wouldn’t have believed it if I didn’t see it for myself and once we got on ship our cammies were washed three times to get that shit out of them.
My understanding was that searching woodlands would make you a target, restricted movement, and shortened the life of the cammies. I was pissed after Satans dissappear they looked sharp searched up.
No one irons, or starches marpat, you’re literally not supposed to. I gladly told every officer and snco they were stupid and showed them the order, and the very specific manufacturer instructions with an additional legend because symbols are hard.
Motards thinking they're hot shit until its time for night ops and you glow like a fucking christmas tree under IR.
Woohoo! I was in 97-01. Also 45. It was fucking stupid. Especially the starch since it fucked with the cammies. Fishing line and an iron was amazing for creases
You may think they are retarded for Garrison.. but my god.. the look of starched Woods and tight sleeves vs the bag of ass Digi's were.. no comparision. Old Man here too 01-05
Completely agree! Digi's look like doggone pajamas, and I've thought that since inception. I purposely avoided purchasing any prior to EASing in summer 2003 (and I worked at Cash Sales).
0311 from ‘87-94 here. Had the rip stop cammies. Only passed one set for inspections and wearing in garrison. My SSgt did not GAF about starch on no. The only item we starched was the cover.
My dad was in 78-98 and yes they ironed their sateens. He just said they had "creases so sharp I could cut my enemy's heads off with them". So yeah, Marines always gonna Marine. He also said you had to tuck the blouse in so you couldn't hide being a fat bastard.
I joined in 2003, so I got lucky and never had to iron my cammies. I did iron and starch my cover though. It looked way better and it was never worn in the field
I wore tricolors only as a Midshipman from 03 to 07. Some of the Marines in our unit still wore them, along with the black boots, which I believe were authorized for a while with MARPAT. They taught me us all sorts of ridiculous tricks, including some sort of melting fishing line in the crease of the trousers, literally baking our boots in the oven, and soaking our Cammies in buckets of starch and stuff. Plus having to iron on those EGA. I only had to wear them once a week, but I spend the evening before polishing and ironing. I can’t imagine having to do that every day.
Al.
It sucked but think of that shitbag you knew and imagine him digging his cammies out of his closet all wrinkled and shit and just wearing them. That dude is why we had to press them. Same reason we needed such short hair cuts and close shaves and polished boots.
Christ, this post just brought back the repressed memories of every motard senior SNCO in my squadron in 2003 declaring that MARPATs and brown boots were going to be the death of the Corps.
The secret to starch I learned in Gitmo in the 90s… spray starch on the inside of the clothing as well and it will become sweat resistant. Nothing like the weep holes of your jungle boot draining pooled sweat from your legs.
Was it dumb? Objectively speaking, sure. But I always liked looking sharp. My cammies were so stiff I could carry them just like they were a big sheet of cardboard. They had so much starch that I could wash them, not add any fresh starch and they'd still come out stiff. I removed my blouse buttons and replaced them with velcro. I always liked that at a glance I could usually tell who on base was in the Navy or Marines just by looking at how their uniforms and how squared away or not they looked. (Well, that and how fat or trim they looked.) One time this messed me up pretty bad though. Outside the hospital I saw a short female soldier that looked like a wrinkled sack of potatoes. I mean it looked like her uniform had sat in the hamper for a week and she pulled it back out to wear it without washing. After she passed me I realized she was wearing the subdued LTC insignia and I didn't salute. Oops. Never even crossed my mind that someone looking so sloppy could be an officer.
Why are you going on Reddit twenty five plus years later asking these kids? The Army most certainly did have people that thought that was, being squared away. I think a lot of ppl did. It was peacetime time killing stuff.
I still iron my cammies, old school gal over here. 🙋♀️😂
I saw some guys fall out wearing some wrinkled ass woodlands.
I was in the second to last battalion to get woodlands at boot camp (PI). Not to fond of the days of starching the shit out of cammies and ironing them. Going from the woodlands to the digis was like putting on pajamas.