So did you have to buy your dress blues and service alpha, or are they issued at the Academy.We can keep them. For Navy most of the dress uniforms transfer over. Full Dress Blues (parade uniform doesn’t). I went Marines so none of them did. I kept a few uniform shirts and my Mid covers from my Mid days. Hauling all that stuff around gets old. You keep sentimental items and get rid of the rest.
You would think the uniforms would meant a lot to that person of all the memories they've made.
My DW has already called dibs on DDs black wool hooded jacket.
Naval Officers have SWORDS, Naval Enlisted (can) have CUTLASSesAlso, West Point and USNA graduates are expected to report to their first unit wearing their sabers.
Yeah, DS and his classmates were in Quantico for the commissioning of a classmate who graduatedNo, you pay for your USMC uniforms just like everyone else. Only difference is we are close enough Quantico we get the full issue before graduation instead of at TBS. The funny part is due to Op Tempo and deployments I only wore cammies for two straight years.
Even at USNA we pay for the 297383993 uniforms the Navy and USNA has. It is taken out of your pay over the time while there.
Got a chuckle out of this. Memories certainly are made in those uniforms but very few good ones associated with being dressed in a ton of heavy starched wool where every fiber of your being is concentrated on not fainting in the heat. Our son was very happy to take that costume off for the last time and trade it for butter bars pinned to his new (much lighter) ASU. Those cadet uniforms look good, but the novelty wears off in about the time it takes to cup your hands for the first time.
Naval Officers have SWORDS, Naval Enlisted (can) have CUTLASSes
A Naval Officer is required to own a sword once they become a Lieutenant Commander.
My father excitedly bought me a sword when I was a Midshipman 2nd Class while he was on deployment but sadly, he did not know that swords came in sizes. His choice in swords was for a 6'6" wearer while his choice in sons was approx a foot below that height. The giant sword was replaced with an appropriate sized weapon but it has now been passed down to the next generation of Naval Officer in the family while the original giant sword is still in our collection-o-stuff.
Yes, and personally owned swords are highly prized for cutting wedding cakes as opposed to ROTC or USNA owned swords that do not have a "clean chain of custody". My (former) sword cut a number of cakes for that reason.This one made me laugh out loud, envisioning @OldRetSWO wielding a Conan-style broadsword.
Every year, we deal with anxious parents of graduating sponsor mids about the do-we-have-to-buy-a-sword for their Navy grads.
As mentioned, it’s not a required part of uniform gear until the rank of O-4. The occasions where it is worn are few and far between, and they are a royal pain to travel with. Even at formal changes of command, only the very senior folks are likely to be wearing them, while the other officers are in formal uniform without swords. If an officer needs one for a wedding arch, there’s always a way to borrow one. DH’s sword, which became my sword, has been deployed to the Navy Chapel or other area churches on numerous occasions. I wore mine, in 26 years, 7 times I can remember, max 10.
Note to all budding sword/sabre owners: if used to cut a cake, clean frosting off before replacing in scabbard.