Behind the Cover: The hidden truth about ‘sleeves down’
November 14th, 2011 | Behind the Cover Military appearance | Posted by James Sanborn
In the aftermath of an unpopular decision to go “sleeves down” all year, Marine Corps Times has obtained documents that detail the behind-the-scenes Uniform Board debate that lead up to the change.
The documents, obtained from a source with knowledge of the board’s voting process, reveal some startling truths leadership didn’t want you to know.
For all the details check out this week’s edition of Marine Corps Times or subscribe here and read it online now.
Chinese military eases tattoo, weight regs
November 3rd, 2011 | Military appearance | Posted by James Sanborn
If you are chubby, Chinese, tattooed, pierced and in college, the People’s Liberation Army wants you.
While the U.S. Marine Corps has tightened appearance standards in recent years — banning certain types of tattoos and cracking down on those who don’t make weight — the Chinese government is easing standards in hopes of drawing younger, better educated, urban youth.
The Chinese military has lifted a ban on face and neck tattoos which have grown popular among fashionable youth, but they must be less than two centimeters across. Recruits can now also have ear piercings if holes are not obvious. And in an effort to widen the pool, recruits can now exceed weight standards by 25 percent, the Associated Press reports.
Soldiers of the Chinese People's Liberation Army's honor guard battalions march during a demonstration for visiting media persons at their military base in Beijing, China, Thursday, July 21, 2011. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
As the world’s largest army with 2.3 million soldiers, the move is more about luring high-quality educated recruits than it is about quantity.
A booming economy, modernization, and increasing levels of education mean more Chinese can pick and choose from higher paying careers that make the military less appealing than it once was. As a result, educational incentives are being used to draw university students. Those who agree to enlist will now receive the equivalent of $944 U.S. dollars in tuition assistance and their spots in school will be guaranteed when they return from serving, according to the AP.
It isn’t exactly the G.I. Bill, but military pay and benefits in China are improving as their defense budget continues to see double-digit annual percentage increases.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Defense Department is reeling from recent budget cuts and slashing programs and benefits.
Behind the Cover: Marine Corps orders sleeves down all year
October 24th, 2011 | Behind the Cover Military appearance | Posted by James Sanborn
Marines are up in arms over — well — the right to bare arms. And we aren’t talking about the rifles they carry into combat. We’re talking about the pair of standard issue guns permanently attached at the shoulders.
As of today Marines will wear their sleeves down all year, according to a recent order, approved last week by the Commandant of the Marine Corps. Leaders say the change promotes uniformity of appearance. Marines deploy with sleeves down so they should wear them that way at home too. Also, sleeves protect Marines from the sun and insects even in a garrison environment, spokesmen at the Pentagon say.
But many Marines in the fleet are calling foul. Not only does it look sharp, they contend, but it is something they have been doing for about a century. Above all, rolled sleeves sets Marines apart from soldiers, sailors and airmen.
For all the details and to hear your brothers in arms sound off on why they hate the change, pick up this week’s issue of Marine Corps Times on newsstands now. Or subscribe here to read it instantly.
Behind the Cover: KIA bracelets
October 10th, 2011 | Behind the Cover Military appearance | Posted by Andrew deGrandpre
This week, Marine Corps Times’ staff writer James K. Sanborn uncovers efforts across the Marine Corps to crack down on troops in uniform who wear bracelets bearing the names of friends killed in combat.
Commands in North Carolina, California and Japan have ordered Marines to remove their KIA bracelets, as they’re not permitted under existing uniform regulations — and there’s nothing to stop others from following suit. To date, there has been no formal call to amend the rules, Marine officials tell us.
It should come as no surprise that many Marines are livid. A call for opinions posted in late September on Marine Corps Times’ website generated more than 200 responses and 1,000-plus “likes” on Facebook, where the topic was vigorously debated for days.
Particularly puzzling: Marines are authorized to wear bracelets honoring prisoners of war and those missing in action. Yet unlike past conflicts, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have not produced the staggering numbers of POWs and MIAs. More than 82,000 U.S. troops are still unaccounted for dating back to World War II, according to Defense Department figures. Today, there are two: Army Staff Sgt. Ahmed K. Altaie, missing in Iraq since 2006, and Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who was captured by Taliban forces in Afghanistan in 2009.
Don’t miss this story, Marines. You can find it on newsstands now, or you can subscribe here to read it instantly.
Behind the Cover: Liposuction, starvation, laxatives and the Corps
July 27th, 2010 | Behind the Cover Military appearance | Posted by Dan Lamothe
This week’s Marine Corps Times cover story focuses on a part of life that keeps some Marines up at night: Facing “the tape.”
Diving into a new study conducted by Marine officers, the story focuses on the extreme measures that some Marines go to meet the service’s tough body composition and military appearance standards — up to and including liposuction. Yes, we have someone on the record sharing his experience with the procedure, and others who say they’ve considered it.
The story also hits on some on how dangerous some of the methods used by Marines to stay trim are, such as starvation using laxatives.