Pentagon Marines are annoyed by an 'odd' uniform change they say will drive up dry-cleaning bills

• Marines at the Pentagon will switch from camouflage to formal "service" uniforms soon.
• The change is seen as costly and inconvenient, with no clear explanation from leaders.
• Other military branches at the Pentagon will continue wearing their comfortable camouflage uniforms.

Amid all the other shake-ups at the Defense Department, Marines in the Pentagon are set to ditch their warfighting camouflage utility uniforms, commonly called "cammies," for the more formal "service" dress uniforms.

Leaders haven't explained the coming change, which is set to take effect in about a week, according to a copy of the directive obtained by Business Insider, but Marines aren't exactly thrilled.

Two Marines, who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid retaliation, told BI the change feels out-of-sync with department priorities, offers less comfort, and is much more of a hassle.

Marine Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Joshua Benson confirmed the swap, telling BI in a statement that "new guidance was passed and Marines will adhere to the lawful order." He declined to elaborate on why the change had been made.

Compared to other US service branches, the Marine Corps is unusually very strict in its appearance standards. The Corps does not allow its Marines to wear fleece jackets to stay warm, for example, and has rigorous stipulations on what few options for outer garments can be worn and when.

Male Marines must receive haircuts weekly, which in the DC area can cost over $500 per year. Female Marines, meanwhile, are not permitted to wear their hair in a braid or ponytail. Other services loosened old regulations on short hair and tight hair buns after some reports of alopecia amongst female troops.

Officials from the Army, Air Force, and Navy told BI that no uniform changes are currently planned for their servicemembers stationed at the Pentagon from those branches. Those troops most often wear their cammies, which are famously comfortable (and good for covering coffee stains).

Marine Corps leadership in the Pentagon decided to swap from wearing fancy "service" uniforms to cammies two years ago, before deciding recently to reverse course.

The previous policy change listed a few reasons for the swap— chiefly, that leaders then recognized the financial cost troops incurred from dry cleaning the "service" uniforms— by one estimate, nearly $470 per year, which junior enlisted troops on the low-end of the pay scale are likely to feel more acutely. With inflation, these costs today are likely higher.

"The overall intent of the updated uniform guidance is to reduce the financial burden for our junior officer and enlisted Marines dry cleaning and uniform costs," the previous guidance said, according to Marine Corps Times.

Since then, Pentagon Marines have usually worn the "service" uniforms just once a week, which some Marines say can help identify those who could exceed weight standards.

Back to the old way

As snazzy as they look, military uniforms haven't progressed far into the 21st century, including the Marine "service" uniforms, which can be considered the military equivalent of business casual. The uniforms have to be dry-cleaned and can be unforgivingly rigid. The look requires shirt stays for men and lacks the comfortable technical fabrics commonly seen in civilian business attire.

Some Marines, including recruiters and those who are part of the prestigious Marine Barracks Washington, are expected to wear more formal uniforms daily.

The new reversal seems contradictory, a Marine officer stationed at the Pentagon told BI, and unlikely to align with new political leadership's strict focus on military fiscal responsibility.

"While the services are being asked to cut back to save money, the young Marines are now being asked to fork out a lot more non-reimbursable money every week," she said.

Junior military officers, especially women, already pay more out-of-pocket for uniforms compared to other ranks, according to a 2021 government watchdog report that analyzed uniform cost inequities amongst the services.

That same report said that while enlisted Marines receive a yearly stipend for uniform costs, the stipend is insufficient.

"Focusing on warfighting and lethality while removing the uniform that symbolizes that seems odd," she said, referring to cammies, which most Marines wear both at home and while deployed.

The change also seems a bit at odds with the vibes and style of the new secretary of defense, who has been seen wearing suits in the Pentagon but was also recently photographed wearing more casual "tactical" clothing while visiting Guantanamo Bay.

"I'm trying to save money and invest smartly," an enlisted Marine told BI. "The added expense of dry cleaning on top of weekly haircuts makes my financial goals harder to hit."