"K4YZ" wrote in message
ups.com...

Then ask them how much Marines are billed for their first seabag of
uniforms in boot camp. (Remember, Frankie said Marines are NOT issued
UNIFORMS free of charge, assigned duties or not...)

My copy of MCO P10120.28G (Individual Clothing Regulations) dated 08 Jul 05
says:

"2000. INTRODUCTION. Reference (f) directs the services to provide enlisted
service members with all uniforms required for wear. Initially, this
requirement is met by issuing all recruits the Initial Clothing Allowance
(commonly known as the "sea bag") at recruit training. Marine recruits are
issued required uniforms, t-shirts, shorts, and sweat suits; free of charge.
This chapter contains a listing of the Initial Clothing Allowance (seabag) issue
and other authorized clothing allowances, issues, and entitlement criteria.
Allowances are gratuitous, i.e. at government expense. Authorized personnel do
not pay for allowances, neither directly nor via pay checkage."

Seems pretty clear to me that the initial "sea bag" issued at MCRD is "free of
charge".

Ask him/her if MY assertion about B-Billet assignments (Drill
Instructor, I&I duty, Eighth and I Street/HQMC, Embassy Duty, etc)
rating an issue of dress blues is true or not.

That would come under the heading of a supplementary clothing allowance. MCO
P10120.28G has this to say about that.

"2008. SUPPLEMENTARY CLOTHING ALLOWANCES. Supplementary clothing allowances
are additional/extra clothing allowances authorized to enlisted personnel when
they are assigned to a tour of duty that requires extra clothing for the
performance of such duty. Supplementary clothing allowances are additional
quantities or special items of uniform clothing not required by the majority of
other enlisted personnel. Organizational clothing should also be considered as
a means for providing additional, mission-specific uniform clothing, per chapter
7 of this Manual. Supplementary clothing allowances may not exceed 20 percent
of the Initial Clothing Allowance established by the Assistant Secretary of
Defense (ASD(FMP))."

As an example of a supplementary allowance, recruiters are issued a
supplementary allowance. MCO P10120.28G describes the procedure thusly:


"(3) The Recruiters Blue Uniform Allowance will be issued to students
immediately upon successful completion of the Recruiters School, MCRD, San
Diego. When transfer orders are received and special measurement clothing is
required, the clothing officer will forward the requisition and appropriate
measurements to DSCP requesting that the special measurement clothing be
forwarded to the CO of the organization to which the individual was
transferred."

Note that the recruiter is not issued a check to buy the items, but the clothing
officer actually ORDERS the clothing items from the Defense Supply Center,
Philadelphia (DSCP). DCSP sends the items to the Marine at his new (recruiting)
post.

To conserve bandwidth, I'll not give other examples (like 8th & I, etc.), but
all instances follow this same pattern --- the initial issue of a required
uniform is gratuitous in every case, without any pay checkage or "chit" required
from the Marine.

Cash payment IS required for replacement of issued uniform items, and Marines
are paid a monetary yearly "maintenance allowance" on the anniversary of their
enlistment.