Profile Change and Uniform Alteration Policy Clarification for Combat Wounded Personnel
This MARADMIN clarifies uniform alteration and replacement policies for Marines and Sailors who have sustained combat-related injuries or illnesses resulting in medical profile changes, including amputations. It directs commanders to provide gratuitous uniform alterations and replacements to these personnel while maintaining the professional military appearance of Marine Corps uniforms. The policy applies to both officers and enlisted personnel across the Marine Corps total force.
Issued: February 3, 2006
1. SITUATION. MARINES AND SAILORS THAT PREVIOUSLY WOULD HAVE BEEN MEDICALLY DISCHARGED DUE TO THE EXTENT OF THEIR COMBAT RELATED INJURIES ARE BEING RETAINED ON ACTIVE DUTY. NUMEROUS INQUIRIES FROM THE FIELD REGARDING THE ISSUE, FIT, AND WEAR OF UNIFORMS BY WOUNDED MARINES/SAILORS RETAINED ON ACTIVE DUTY HAVE PROMPTED THE NEED FOR CLARIFICATION TO CLOTHING AND UNIFORM POLICIES CONTAINED IN REFS A AND B. 2. MISSION. COMMANDERS WILL PROVIDE FOR UNIFORM ALTERATIONS AND/OR REPLACEMENTS TO AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL WITH PROFILE CHANGES DUE TO COMBAT RELATED ILLNESSES OR INJURIES. 3. EXECUTION. A. COMMANDERS INTENT. TO PROVIDE UNIFORM ALTERATIONS AND/OR REPLACEMENTS TO AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL WITH PROFILE CHANGES DUE TO COMBAT RELATED INJURIES AND ILLNESSES. B. CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS. (1) WOUNDED MARINES/SAILORS RETAINED ON ACTIVE DUTY MAY REQUIRE EXTENSIVE TAILORING TO THEIR UNIFORMS OR COMPLETE UNIFORM REPLACEMENT, AS THE RESULT OF A MEDICAL PROFILE CHANGE (INCLUDING AMPUTATIONS). (2) OFFICERS ARE NOT AUTHORIZED CLOTHING ALLOWANCE REPLACEMENTS IN KIND, EXCEPT FOR THOSE SPECIFIC REPLACEMENTS DESIGNATED IN PARA 6005 OF REF A. ALTERATIONS TO CLOTHING ITEMS ISSUED TO OFFICERS, PER PARA 6005, WILL BE PROVIDED GRATUITOUSLY, WHEN REQUIRED. C. SUBORDINATE ELEMENT MISSIONS. (1) COMMANDERS. (A) ENSURE ALL PERSONNEL IN YOUR COMMAND ARE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR UNIFORM REPLACEMENT AND/OR ALTERATIONS FOR PROFILE CHANGES DUE TO COMBAT RELATED ILLNESSES AND INJURIES. (B) ADD THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE, AFTER THE FIRST SENTENCE, IN PARAGRAPH 2009.2A OF REF A: "GRATUITOUS ALTERATIONS WILL BE PROVIDED TO OFFICERS WHEN REQUIRED FOR THE CLOTHING REPLACEMENTS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNATED IN CHAPTER 6 OF THIS MANUAL." (C) CHANGE PARAGRAPH 9004.2A OF REF A TO READ: "REPLACEMENT ISSUES INCIDENT TO COMBAT INCLUDE ACTUAL REPLACEMENTS DURING COMBAT AND REPLACEMENT ISSUES TO HOSPITALIZED PERSONNEL, PERSONNEL WITH PROFILE CHANGES DUE TO COMBAT RELATED ILLNESS OR INJURY (TO INCLUDE AMPUTATIONS), AND OTHER PERSONNEL DISPLACED FROM THEIR CLOTHING (TO INCLUDE PRISONERS, DESERTERS, ETC.) AND FOR THE BURIAL OF THE DEAD, PER PARAGRAPH 6005.1 AND FIGURE 3-1 OF THIS MANUAL." (D) SUBMIT REQUESTS FOR COMBAT REPLACEMENT ISSUES TO YOUR MAJOR SUBORDINATE COMMAND (MSC) FOR APPROVAL, PER REF A. D. COORDINATING INSTRUCTIONS. (1) ALTERATIONS WILL BE MADE PER REFS A AND B AND MAY INCLUDE CHANGES TO THE FASTENING SYSTEM (I.E. REPLACEMENT OF BUTTONS FOR VELCRO OR LACES FOR ZIPPERS) OR ANY OTHER TAILORING EFFORT REQUIRED TO FIT UNIFORMS TO A MARINES/SAILORS INDIVIDUAL MEDICAL PROFILE. (2) ALTERATION EFFORTS SHOULD ENSURE FUNCTIONALITY IS MAINTAINED WITHOUT SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGING THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE OF THE UNIFORM, PER REF B. FOR EXAMPLE: (A) A SERVICE COAT MAY BE FASTENED WITH VELCRO TO SIMPLIFY DONNING. THE BUTTONS SHOULD NOT BE REMOVED, RATHER SEWN TO THE OVERFLAP IN A PERMANENT POSITION. (B) VELCRO OR OTHER ATTACHMENT MECHANISM MAY BE USED ON LONG SLEEVE SHIRTS, COATS, OR TROUSERS SO THAT A SLEEVE OR PANT LEG DOES NOT HANG LOOSELY DUE TO LIMB AMPUTATION OR OTHER MEDICAL PROFILE CHANGE. (3) ALL ALTERATIONS SHOULD MAINTAIN THE SMART MILITARY APPEAR- ANCE MARINES ARE LEGENDARY FOR. ANY ALTERATIONS REQUIRED BEYOND REPLACEMENT OF FASTENING SYSTEMS, AS DETAILED ABOVE, SHOULD BE COORDINATED WITH MARINE CORPS SYSTEMS COMMAND (MARCORSYSCOM) (PM-ICE) AND THE MARINE CORPS UNIFORM BOARD AND DOCUMENTED IN THE INDIVIDUAL'S OFFICIAL MILITARY PERSONNEL FILE (OMPF) AS AN EXCEPTION TO THE UNIFORM REGULATIONS. 4. ADMIN AND LOGISTICS. A. UNIFORM REPLACEMENTS REQUIRED DUE TO COMBAT RELATED PROFILE CHANGES WILL BE FUNDED USING MILITARY PERSONNEL MARINE CORPS (MILPERS) APPROPRIATIONS, CITING FAN 72053, PER REF A. B. INITIAL UNIFORM ALTERATIONS REQUIRED DUE TO COMBAT RELATED PROFILE CHANGES WILL BE FUNDED USING LOCAL OR HQMC (M&RA) OPERA- TIONS AND MAINTENANCE, MARINE CORPS (O&MMC) APPROPRIATIONS. FUTURE ALTERATION COSTS WILL BE THE INDIVIDUAL'S RESPONSIBILITY, PER REF A. C. ALL REPLACEMENT ISSUES WILL BE DOCUMENTED ON FORMS NAVMC 604/604B AND NAVMC 631/631A, PER REF A. D. A FORMAL CHANGE TO PARAGRAPHS 2009.2A AND 9004.2A OF REF A WILL BE MADE UPON THE NEXT REVISION. 5. COMMAND AND SIGNAL. A. THIS POLICY APPLIES TO THE MARINE CORPS TOTAL FORCE, BOTH OFFICERS (AS SPECIFIED) AND ENLISTED, MARINES AND SAILORS, ASSIGNED TO MARINE CORPS UNITS (MARINE CORPS ISSUED UNIFORMS ONLY). B. POC AT DC, I&L (LPC) CONCERNING UNIFORM CLOTHING PROFILE CHANGE POLICY IS MR. TIM FLORIAN AT (703) 695-8926, (DSN) 225-8926, OR EMAIL: FLORIANTA@HQMC.USMC.MIL. C. POC AT MARCORSYSCOM CONCERNING UNIFORM ALTERATIONS IS MR. LOU CURCIO AT (703) 432-3325, (DSN) 378-3325, OR EMAIL: LOUIS.CURCIO@USMC.MIL.