In early November 2019 the commandant announced a series of changes to uniform regulations, including allowing male Marines to carry small black umbrellas in their service or dress uniforms.
Female Marines have long been allowed to carry an umbrella — in their left hand so that they are still capable of saluting properly.
The umbrella policy was one of many changes considered by a uniform board that met earlier in 2019, which sought Marines to weigh in on some small changes to the uniform and clarifications for female hair standards at physical training.
One of the approved changes will now allow female Marines to wear small silver earrings with their service and dress uniforms, in addition to the gold earrings in their service and dress blue uniform, pearl earrings with the blue-white dress uniform, and pearl or diamond earrings in the evening dress uniform, which they previously had been allowed to wear.
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The changes also included a clarification to how female Marines can wear their hair at physical training.
Female Marines with medium length hair will be allowed to have a “half ponytail” for physical training events that have Marines wearing their utility blouse, like martial arts training or the combat fitness test, the Corps said.
But for safety reasons Marines with long hair will have to properly secure their hair the same way they wear it with other uniforms whenever they wear their utility blouse, whether it is for PT or not, the Corps confirmed.
The Corps also decided to make a slight increase to the clothing allowance budget for recruiters, embassy security guards and Marines on funeral detail, the new regulations said.
This is an excerpt from “17 Things Marines Need To Know For 2020,” in the 12-23 print edition of Marine Corps Times.
