Question about the statement in the uniform board regarding creases in the ODU. The statement reads as follows :

3.b. THE ODU SHALL BE IRONED WITHOUT MILITARY CREASES. IN ADDITION, COLLARS, LAPELS, SLEEVES, AND POCKETS ON BOTH THE ODU TOP AND TROUSERS SHALL LAY FLAT. GREAT CARE MUST BE TAKEN WHEN IRONING THE ODU. EXCESSIVE HEAT, STARCHING, AND REPEATED SHARP CREASING CAN RESULT IN WHITENING AND/OR FINISH DAMAGE. IRON THE UNIFORM INSIDE OUT TO MINIMIZE GLOSS OR SHINE.

trying to confirm that in the term 'military creases' this is referring to the ODU top. Some people think this means creases period , when the very next sentence talks about taking great care when repeatedly creasing (assuming this is about the bottoms).

military creases are defined as : On uniform shirts, vertical creases ironed into the uniform--two on the front running through the shirt pocket buttons and three evenly spaced on the back

Someone please confirm that ODU bottoms can have a crease and the term military creases is referring to the top only.

That is Correct!

OSG,
You are correct in your definition of "military creases".
The uniform may still be pressed and when doing so it will form "creases" or "lines" down the front and rear fold of the trouser and along the upper and lower portions of the sleeves of the blouse.
A person should be cafeful not to iron the sharp creases too sharp because they may cause "railroad tracks" on subsequent ironings/pressings.
This is how I learned in CC school, this is how I iron/wear the ODU and this is how I have taught others.

Clear as mud right?

Small correction there BMWCC, the uniform SHALL BE pressed, not 'may be' as you wrote. It is possible, and actually easier, to press w/o creasing - just dont move the iron past the edge of the fabric. Does away with the risk of the white streak along the 'perma' crease.

quote:

Originally posted by Mightyz90_93:
Small correction there BMWCC, the uniform SHALL BE pressed, not 'may be' as you wrote. It is possible, and actually easier, to press w/o creasing - just dont move the iron past the edge of the fabric. Does away with the risk of the white streak along the 'perma' crease.

Or you could just lay them flat with the permanent seams left to right and the pockets showing. Thus not having to worry about making a crease at all!! That's how I would do it.

Thanks for all the replies, just wanted some other opinion on the terms. when you are at a unit and half of the people you run into want to comment on pant creases and throw out jargon from uniform regs and threaten marks etc,when their own odu was obviously taken straight from dryer to wearing kinda gets to you. oh and to throw it out there, im looking at mc bowens pics of the new odu and his pants are creased too. really doubt too many people are gonna play regs trivia with him about it either.

i personally think it looks clean and cared for, just wanted some other opinions to go off of.

"IRON THE UNIFORM INSIDE OUT TO MINIMIZE GLOSS OR SHINE."

Inside out. Wouldn't this put the creases "inside out" too?

(Just because someone's clothing looks good doesn't mean he/she is worth a "Tinker's Dam." The most squared-away-looking Coasties and Sailors I knew were the kiss-butts who only thought of themselves, and screwed their shipmates just to get ahead.)

How can it be ironed inside-out & have regular creases on sleeves and trouser legs? From the context, I assumed the person writing the message didn't wear a uniform & thought "military creases" meant the same thing as "creases." The Marines, one of the most squared away outfits around, figured out how to produce a military uniform that does not require pressing; I think we can do.

quote:

Originally posted by cgrscot:
"IRON THE UNIFORM INSIDE OUT TO MINIMIZE GLOSS OR SHINE."

Inside out. Wouldn't this put the creases "inside out" too?

(Just because someone's clothing looks good doesn't mean he/she is worth a "Tinker's Dam." The most squared-away-looking Coasties and Sailors I knew were the kiss-butts who only thought of themselves, and screwed their shipmates just to get ahead.)

I know some pretty hard chargers whom after helping thier fellow coasties still have time to iron a uniform. It is possible. Hardwork is not an excuse for not being in regs.

quote:

Originally posted by cgrscot:
"IRON THE UNIFORM INSIDE OUT TO MINIMIZE GLOSS OR SHINE."

Inside out. Wouldn't this put the creases "inside out" too?

(Just because someone's clothing looks good doesn't mean he/she is worth a "Tinker's Dam." The most squared-away-looking Coasties and Sailors I knew were the kiss-butts who only thought of themselves, and screwed their shipmates just to get ahead.)

And on the flip side:

On the first day reporting into our new Platoon Sergeant, a PVT/E1 and I, both fresh out of AIT and just arrived in West Germany, met SFC Bestwick for the first time.

The other PVT and I had taken the time the previous evening to seek out an ironing board and iron and press our fatigues (her's moreso as they were 100% cotton). We both also took the time to spit-shine our boots.

Also reporting in with us was a PFC/E3, also fresh out of AIT (he had a four-year degree in psychology, thus the E3).

He reported in in fatigues that looked like they'd been in the bottom of a seabag for a coupla years, and wearing patent leather jump boots.

SFC Bestwick pointed to the two of us lowly PVT's and told the PFC to report back to him when his uniform resembled ours. Squared away.

But then, we were all MP's, and MP's were expected to have squared away uniforms. MP's were the ones making uniform corrections of the other troops. Just part of the job.

You know what is better than a kiss azz with a good uniform...is a kiss azz with a good uniform that works hard at the job and is knowledgeable and a good leader and a good example to subordinates all at the same time.
If you want to be the example "good coastie" you have to be all things, not just be able to be lazy and pick and chose what you want to do better.
Semper Paratus means always ready in case anyone forgot.

Dog Show, you couldn't have said it better. I said the same thing on my cutter and I got that lame excuse. Then a good friend of mine the MK type showed up had the same way of thinking as me. All of the sudden those "hard workers" were A J SQUARED AWAY. But I was just a pathetic storekeeper and according to everyone I met we don't know anything about hard work. Damn it feels good to be a Storekeeper!

quote:

Originally posted by Dog_show:

I know some pretty hard chargers whom after helping thier fellow coasties still have time to iron a uniform. It is possible. Hardwork is not an excuse for not being in regs.

I couldn't agree more Dog Show. And I enforce uniform standards all a while I shine brass with the best of them and get soaked in salt spray from head to toe with the best of them.

Hoorah!