The Marine Corps has an ongoing woodland-patterned “cammies” shortage so the brass is relaxing standards out of desperation, allowing Marines to wear alternate uniforms.

(Video Credit: Military Times)

Commandant Gen. Eric Smith took to Instagram and addressed concerns by service members over the uniform shortage that is expected to continue until at least the summer or fall of 2024. He stated that local members will be permitted to wear alternate uniforms despite Marine standards.

“That problem is going to stay with us until the fall of 2024 when the manufacturer can fill the backlog that has been created after COVID. Until that time, local commanders, battalions, and squadrons are authorized to use FROG [flame-resistant organizational gear] gear or [desert-colored] cammies to mitigate,” Smith announced.

“What we cannot have is a situation where a Marine is wearing unserviceable cammies, because that looks bad for the Corps, and we can’t have a situation where that Marine is being given a hard time about those unserviceable cammies. We’re going to get this fixed, but it’s going to take a little patience,” he contended.

“Meanwhile, Marines in the fleet have had to get creative with tailoring. Sgt. Ethan Underwood told Marine Corps Times in August that he knows Marines at Yuma, Arizona, who have patched up holes in cammies using Marine-pattern bandanas or scraps of old uniforms,” the Military Times noted.

Marines Grapple With Camouflage Uniform Shortage..

Billions to UKRAINE and we can’t put uniforms on our own Military service members.

“What we cannot have is a situation where a Marine is wearing unserviceable ‘cammies,’ because that looks bad for the Corps.”

“And we can’t… pic.twitter.com/idjpnoxKtG

— Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) October 1, 2023

According to the Military Times, the commandant said he and Sgt. Maj. Carlos Ruiz, the sergeant major of the Marine Corps, had just returned from a trip to the Indo-Pacific where Marines repeatedly told them, “I can’t get cammies.”

On My Navy Exchange, the retail chain operated by the United States Navy, desert cammies are also out of stock. According to the website, the cammies won’t be back in stock until fall 2024.

The Marine Corps Times first reported on the shortage in the summer of 2022, according to Marine spokesman Maj. John Parry. Recruits typically are issued three utility uniforms in the woodland color and two in the desert color. Currently, Parry says that recruits are receiving two woodland and one desert uniform. Many Marines are now training in FROG gear even though it is “designated for deployment issue only.”

“The guidance to battalion and squadron leaders and above is to make decisions that uphold the high standards of our service while maintaining mission readiness and reducing overall impact on daily operations,” Parry commented in an emailed statement that was sent to the Marine Corps Times.

Sending more money to Ukraine is obviously the solution.

— Dr Vincent Sativa (@The_Weed_Shop) October 1, 2023

“This does not mean a Marine may make a decision unilaterally to wear a different uniform or civilian attire due to a serviceability issue with their designated uniform of the day,” he asserted.

Chuck Lambert, who is the CEO of American Apparel Inc., the primary manufacturer of the uniforms, told the Marine Corps Times his company has had trouble producing enough uniforms at the fixed price in the Defense Logistics Agency contract. As inflation jumped and it became harder to find workers, he couldn’t increase the price of items to pay for a big bump in wages.

“McDonald’s and a lot of the fast food guys are paying $2 and $3 more an hour than we could afford to pay,” Lambert claimed in August. “Where they could go up on the price of the hamburger, we can’t go up on the price of a uniform.”

As a result of that claim, the Defense Logistics Agency has awarded two additional contracts to companies to make the uniforms, potentially easing the shortage, according to online records.

It’s an utter disgrace to see our hard-earned tax dollars sent overseas while our own military lacks basic necessities. Before we play global savior, let’s ensure our own service members are well-equipped. Priorities seem misplaced when Marines can’t even get proper uniforms!

— Swan (@BigPoppaSwan) October 1, 2023

“The woodland camouflage has been the standard year-round uniform for the Marine Corps since 2016. USMC Seasonal Uniform Guidance EASONAL reads, ‘During the winter season, the woodland MCCUU will be worn with sleeves down and the designated seasonal service uniform will be Service ‘B.’’ Upon transition to the summer season, effective with the move to DST, the woodland MCCUU will still be worn; however, sleeves will be rolled up and the designated season service uniform will be Service ‘C,’” Fox News reported.

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