R 201130Z MAY 02 
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//MCUB//
TO ALMAR
BT
UNCLAS  //N01000//
ALMAR 028/02
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASH DC//MCUB/I&L//
SUBJ/COMBAT UTILITY UNIFORM AND BOOT GUIDANCE//
REF/A/MCUB/27JAN95//
REF/B/DOC/LPP-2/O7APR94
NARR/REF A IS MCO P1020.34F THE MARINE CORPS UNIFORM REGULATIONS
REF B IS MCO P10120.28F INDIVIDUAL CLOTHING REGULATIONS//
POC/GS12 M. BOYT OR CAPT D. DUKES/-/MCUB/TEL:  (703)784-0661/
EMAIL: BOYTMK@TECOM.USMC.MIL AND DUKESDW@TECOM.USMC.MIL//
RMKS/1.  SITUATION.  THE COMMANDANT APPROVED THE ADOPTION OF THE
COMBAT UTILITY UNIFORM ON 6 JUNE 2001.  THE COMBAT UTILITY
UNIFORM IS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE DURABILITY AND COMBAT UTILITY
WHILE PROVIDING MARINES WITH A MARINE UNIQUE UNIFORM.
MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE; IMPROVED VISUAL CAMOUFLAGE (MARINE
PATTERN (MARPAT) IN WOODLAND, DESERT AND URBAN) WITH A DIGITAL
PATTERN AND OPTIMIZED COLORS, PERMANENT PRESS TREATMENT TO
INCREASE COMFORT AND APPEARANCE WITHOUT THE NEED FOR COMMERCIAL
PRESSING OR STARTCHING, INTEGRATED KNEE/ELBOW PAD INSERTS,
EMBROIDERED MARINE CORPS EMBLEM, SLEEVE POCKETS, SLANTED BREAST
POCKETS, RE-DESIGNED SLEEVE CUFFS AND ELASTICIZED CARGO POCKETS.
THE URBAN PATTERN WILL BE DEVELOPED AND FIELDED AS A CONTINGENCY
TRAINING ALLOWANCE POOL (CTAP) ITEM.  THE UNIFORM WILL ALSO HAVE
TWO CAPS; ONE FOR FIELD AND ONE FOR GARRISON, AND WILL BE
PRODUCED IN TWO MARPATS; DESERT AND WOODLAND.  ADVANCEMENTS IN
TECHNOLOGY AND A DESIRE FOR UNIFORMITY LED THE MARINE CORPS TO
DEVELOP IMPROVED STANDARD ISSUE COMBAT BOOTS.  THESE BOOTS,
HAVING ROUGH-SIDE-OUT LEATHER, WILL HAVE TWO VERSIONS:  AN
IMPROVED INFANTRY COMBAT BOOT (ICB) FOR TEMPERATE CLIMATES
(REFERRED TO AS MARINE CORPS COMBAT BOOT (TW)) AND A JUNGLE/
DESERT BOOT FOR HOT WEATHER (REFERRED TO AS MARINE CORPS COMBAT
BOOT (HW)).
A.  THE NYLON/COTTON RIPSTOP WOODLAND CAMOUFLAGE PATTERN (ALSO
KNOWN AS POPLINS), REMAINS THE STANDARD CAMOUFLAGE UTILITY
UNIFORM FOR THE MARINE CORPS.  COTTON/NYLON TWILL CAMOUFLAGE
UTILITY UNIFORMS (ALSO KNOWN AS WOODLANDS) ARE AUTHORIZED FOR
OPTIONAL WEAR UNTIL NO LONGER SERVICEABLE.
B.  THE CURRENT OPTIONAL BOOT POLICY (IAW REF (A)) FOR THE
CAMOUFLAGE UTILITY UNIFORM WILL REMAIN IN PLACE UNTIL
1 OCTOBER 2004.
2.  MISSION.  USMC BEGINS TRANSITION FROM THE CAMOUFLAGE
UTILITY (NYLON/COTTON RIPSTOP) UNIFORM TO THE COMBAT UTILITY
UNIFORM IN JUNE 2002, TO BE COMPLETED BY OCTOBER 2006.
3.  EXECUTION.  THE TRANSITION TO THE COMBAT UTILITY UNIFORM
WILL TAKE FOUR YEARS FROM THE DATE THE CLOTHING REPLACEMENT
ALLOWANCE (CRA) FOR ENLISTED MARINES IS CHANGED.  THE CHANGE IS
SCHEDULED TO BEGIN 1 OCTOBER 2002.  THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT FOR
THE CAMOUFLAGE UTILITY UNIFORM WILL DECREASE ANNUALLY BY ONE
SET, WHILE THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT FOR THE COMBAT UTILITY
UNIFORM WILL INCREASE BY ONE SET UNTIL THE NYLON/COTTON COTTON
RIPSTOP UTILITY UNIFORM IS PHASED OUT BY 1 OCTOBER 2006.
A.  THE FOLLOWING UNIFORM DESCRIPTIONS ARE GERMANE:
(1) THE CAMOUFLAGE UTILITY UNIFORM CONSISTS OF:
-CAP, COMBAT, WOODLAND CAMOUFLAGE PATTERN
-COAT, COMBAT, WOODLAND CAMOUFLAGE PATTERN
-TROUSERS, COMBAT, WOODLAND CAMOUFLAGE PATTERN
-SERVICE TAPES, EMBROIDERED, GREEN W/BLACK LETTERING WORN OVER
THE LEFT BREAST POCKET
-NAME TAPES, EMBROIDERED, GREEN W/BLACK LETTERING, WORN OVER
THE RIGHT BREAST POCKET AND RIGHT REAR TROUSER POCKET
-BOOTS, BLACK ICB, BLACK OR GREEN HOT WEATHER BOOTS,AND/OR
AUTHORIZED OPTIONAL BOOTS (IAW REF (A))
(2) THE COMBAT UTILITY UNIFORMS CONSISTS OF:
-CAP, COMBAT UTILITY, FIELD, WOODLAND AND DESERT MARPAT
WITH EMBROIDERED EMBLEM, AND WITHOUT EMBROIDERED EMBLEM FOR
NAVAL PERSONNEL SERVING WITH THE MARINE CORPS.
-CAP, COMBAT UTILITY, GARRISON, WOODLAND AND DESERT MARPAT W/
EMBROIDERED EMBLEM FOR MARINES, AND WITHOUT EMBROIDERED
EMBLEM FOR NAVAL PERSONNEL SERVING WITH THE MARINE CORPS
-COAT, COMBAT UTILITY, WOODLAND AND DESERT MARPAT W/EMBROIDERED
EMBLEM
-TROUSERS, COMBAT UTILITY, WOODLAND AND DESERT MARPAT
-SERVICE TAPES, EMBROIDERED, WOODLAND MARPAT W/BLACK LETTERING
AND DESERT MARPAT W/BROWN LETTERING WORN OVER THE LEFT BREAST
COAT POCKET
-NAME TAPES, EMBROIDERED, MARPAT, WOODLAND W/BLACK LETTERING
AND DESERT W/BROWN LETTERING WORN OVER THE RIGHT BREAST COAT
POCKET AND RIGHT REAR TROUSER POCKET
-BOOT, MARINE CORPS COMBAT (TW)
-BOOT, MARINE CORPS COMBAT (HW)
B.  FOR ENLISTED MARINES ON ACTIVE DUTY WHO ENTERED THE MARINE
CORPS PRIOR TO BEING ISSUED THE NEW UNIFORM ITEMS AT RECRUIT
TRAINING, THE FOLLOWING EFFECTIVE DATES ARE PROVIDED AS
INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE FOR EXECUTING THE TRANSITION FROM THE
CAMOUFLAGE UTILITY TO THE COMBAT UTILITY UNIFORMS.
(1) EFFECTIVE 1 OCTOBER 2002, THE CLOTHING REPLACEMENT
ALLOWANCE FOR ACTIVE DUTY ENLISTED MARINES WILL BE ADJUSTED
TO COMPENSATE FOR THE COST OF THE NEW COMBAT UTILITY UNIFORM
(IAW REF (B).
(2) EFFECTIVE 1 OCTOBER 2003, THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT LIST WILL
CONSIST OF:
-3 SETS OF CAMOUFLAGE UTILITY UNIFORMS
-1 SET OF COMBAT UTILITY UNIFORMS (MARPAT WOODLAND)
(3) EFFECTIVE 1 APRIL 2004, THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT LIST
WILL CONSIST OF:
-3 SETS OF CAMOUFLAGE UTILITY UNIFORMS
-1 SET OF COMBAT UTILITY UNIFORMS (MARPAT WOODLAND)
-1 PAIR OF MARINE CORPS COMBAT BOOTS (HW)
-GREEN AND BLACK JUNGLE BOOTS NO LONGER AUTHORIZED FOR
WEAR WITH ANY UTILITY UNIFORMS.
-BLACK LEATHER BOOTS (EXCEPT SAFETY BOOTS) NO LONGER AUTHORIZED
FOR WEAR WITH COMBAT UTILITY UNIFORMS, BUT MAY STILL BE WORN
WITH CAMOUFLAGE UTILITY UNIFORMS.
(4) EFFECTIVE 1 OCTOBER 2004, THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT LIST WILL
CONSIST OF:
-2 SETS OF CAMOUFLAGE UTILITY UNIFORMS
-1 SET OF COMBAT UTILITY UNIFORMS (MARPAT WOODLAND)
-1 SET OF COMBAT UTILITY UNIFORMS (MARPAT DESERT)
-1 PAIR OF MARINE CORPS COMBAT BOOTS (TW)
-1 PAIR OF MARINE CORPS COMBAT BOOTS (HW)
-BLACK LEATHER BOOTS (EXCEPT SAFETY BOOTS) NO LONGER AUTHORIZED
FOR WEAR WITH ANY UTILITY UNIFORM.  THE OPTIONAL BOOT POLICY IS
CANCELLED.
(5) EFFECTIVE 1 OCTOBER 2005, THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT LIST WILL
CONSIST OF:
-1 SET OF CAMOUFLAGE UTILITY UNIFORMS
-3 SETS OF COMBAT UTILITY UNIFORMS (2 SETS OF MARPAT WOODLAND
AND 1 SET OF MARPAT DESERT)
-1 PAIR OF MARINE CORPS COMBAT BOOTS (TW)
-1 PAIR OF MARINE CORPS COMBAT BOOTS (HW)
(6) EFFECTIVE 1 OCTOBER 2006, THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT LIST WILL
CONSIST OF:
-0 SETS OF CAMOUFLAGE UTILITY UNIFORMS
-2 SETS OF COMBAT UTILITY UNIFORMS (MARPAT WOODLAND)
-2 SETS OF COMBAT UTILITY UNIFORMS (MARPAT DESERT)
-1 PAIR OF MARINE CORPS COMBAT BOOTS (TW)
-1 PAIR OF MARINE CORPS COMBAT BOOTS (HW)
(7) EFFECTIVE 1 OCTOBER 2006 THE CAMOUFLAGE UTILITY (NYLON/
COTTON RIPSTOP AND COTTON/NYLON TWILL) UNIFORMS ARE DEEMED
OBSOLETE AND NO LONGER AUTHORIZED FOR WEAR.
C.  THE OFFICER CANDIDATE INITIAL CLOTHING ALLOWANCE LIST AND
DRILL INSTRUCTOR SUPPLEMENTAL ALLOWANCE/ISSUE WILL BE PUBLISHED
VIA SEPCOR.  THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WILL BE ISSUED TO MARINE
RECRUITS BEGINNING IN JUNE 2002 (SUPPLY AND INVENTORY
PERMITTING):
-3 SETS OF COMBAT UTILITY UNIFORMS (MARPAT WOODLAND)
-2 SETS OF COMBAT UTILITY UNIFORMS (MARPAT DESERT)
-1 PAIR OF MARINE CORPS COMBAT BOOTS (TW)
-1 PAIR OF MARINE CORPS COMBAT BOOTS (HW).  THE ISSUE OF MARINE
CORPS COMBAT BOOTS (TW) AT THE MCRDS WILL BE CONTINGENT ON
INVENTORY DEPLETION OF THE CURRENT ISSUE BOOT.  IT IS PROJECTED,
BASED OFF INVENTORY OF THE BLACK ICB, THAT THE INTRODUCTION OF
THE MARINE CORPS COMBAT BOOT (TW) WILL BEGIN BETWEEN JUNE AND
JULY 2002 AT THE MCRDS AND OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL.
D.  ENLISTED MARINES WHO RECEIVE THE NEW ITEMS AT INITIAL
TRAINING AND OFFICERS WHO RECIEVE THE ITEMS AT OCS WILL BE
REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN THE BELOW LISTED COMBAT UNIFORM ITEMS.
-2 SETS OF COMBAT UTILITY UNIFORMS (MARPAT WOODLAND)
-2 SETS OF COMBAT UTILITY UNIFORMS (MARPAT DESERT)
-1 PAIR OF MARINE CORPS COMBAT BOOTS (HW)
-1 PAIR OF MARINE CORPS COMBAT BOOTS (TW).  MARINES WHO DO NOT
RECEIVE THE MARINE CORPS COMBAT BOOTS (TW) AND (HW) PRIOR TO
ARRIVING AT THEIR FIRST PERMANENT DUTY STATION WILL NOT BE
REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN THE BOOTS UNTIL 1 OCTOBER 2004.
E.  SAFETY BOOTS WILL REMAIN BLACK LEATHER, AND WILL BE WORN
AS AUTHORIZED BY COMMANDERS WHILE MARINES PERFORM SPECIFIC
DUTIES.  AS A REMINDER, SAFETY BOOTS ARE AN ORGANIZATIONAL
ISSUE AND ARE FUNDED USING LOCAL O&MMC FUNDS.
4.  COORDINATING INSTRUCTIONS.
A.  INDIVIDUALS MAY PURCHASE ADDITIONAL SETS OF THE COMBAT
UTILITY UNIFORMS AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE AHEAD OF THE MINIMUM
REQUIREMENT LIST SCHEDULE, PER PARAGRAPH 3.  COMMANDERS,
HOWEVER, MAY NOT DIRECT INVOLUNTARY PURCHASE OF UNIFORMS BY
INDIVIDUAL MARINES AHEAD OF THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT LIST
SCHEDULE.
B.  MILITARY CLOTHING SALES STORES WILL NO LONGER CONTINUE
TO PROVIDE COTTON/NYLON TWILL WOODLAND CAMOUFLAGE UTILITY
UNIFORMS FOR PURCHASE ONCE THE CURRENT ON-HAND STOCKS ARE
DEPLETED.
C.  COMMANDS WITH AUTHORIZED UTILITY UNIFORM SUPPLEMENTARY
CLOTHING ALLOWANCES MUST CONTACT THE MCUB NLT 1 JUNE 2002
TO COORDINATE THE TRANSITION TO COMBAT UTILITIES.
SUPPLEMENTAL ISSUES IN FY02 WILL BE MADE WITH THE CAMOUFLAGE
UNIFORMS AND CURRENT BOOTS VICE THE COMBAT UTILITY UNIFORM
ITEMS, UNLESS OTHERWISE DIRECTED IN WRITING BY HQMC.
D.  ISSUES OF THE SPECIAL INITIAL UTILITY UNIFORM ALLOWANCE
FOR AUTHORIZED NAVY PERSONNEL SERVING WITH MARINE CORPS
UNITS, PER REF B, WILL ALSO BE MADE WITH THE EXISTING NYLON/
COTTON RIPSTOP UNIFORMS AND CURRENT BOOTS DURING THE
REMAINDER OF FY02.  GUIDANCE ON PROVIDING THE NEW UNIFORM
ITEMS TO NAVY PERSONNEL WILL BE PROVIDED VIA SEPCOR.
5.  ADMINISTRATION AND LOGISTICS.
A.  ADMINISTRATION.  CHANGES TO REF (B) REGARDING
APPROPRIATE WEAR, CARE AND INCIDENTAL ALLOWANCES WERE
PUBLISHED VIA ALMAR 15/02 AND MAY BE VIEWED AT "WWW.TECOM.
USMC.MIL/MCUB."
B.  LOGISTICS.
(1) THE FIELDING PRIORITY FOR THE COMBAT UTILITY UNIFORMS
WILL BE AS FOLLOWS:
-MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOTS AND OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL
-MILITARY CLOTHING SALES STORES AT CAMP LEJEUNE, CAMP
PENDLETON AND ON OKINAWA, FOLLOWED BY ALL OTHER
CLOTHING STORES AND CASH SALES AS INVENTORY SUPPORTS
-COMMARFORRES
-EXTERNAL SALES ORGANIZATIONS, SUCH AS AAFES AND THE NAVY
EXCHANGES
(2) INITIAL STOCKS ARE BEING STORED TO PREPARE FOR ISSUE TO
RECRUITS, CANDIDATES AND DRILL INSTRUCTORS, THUS SLOWING DOWN
THE AVAILABILITY FOR PURCHASE IN THE MILITARY CLOTHING SALES
STORES.  COMBAT UTILITIES WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE IN
SIGNIFICANT QUANTITIES IN JUNE 2002.  BOTH MARINE CORPS COMBAT
BOOT (HW) AND (TW) WILL BE AVAILABLE IN JULY 2002.  AVAILABILITY
INFORMATION FOR THE COMBAT UTILITY UNIFORM AND MARINE CORPS
COMBAT BOOTS AT OTHER MILITARY CLOTHING SALES STORES (MCSS),
RETAIL CLOTHING SALES STORES (CASH SALES), AND VIA MAIL OR
INTERNET ORDER FROM NEXCOM WILL BE PUBLISHED VIA SEPCOR.
6.  COMMAND AND SIGNAL.
A.  THIS ALMAR IS APPLICABLE TO THE MARINE CORPS RESERVE.
B.  SUBSEQUENT BULLETINS CHANGING, CORRECTING OR AMPLIFYING
THIS OR THE REFERENCES WILL BE PUBLISHED AS MARADMINS.
C.  INFORMATION ON PRODUCTION AND AVAILABILITY OF THE COMBAT
UTILITIES AND ROUGH-SIDE-OUT BOOTS WILL BE PROVIDED VIA THE
MARINE CORPS UNIFORM BOARD WEBSITE AT "WWW.TECOM.USMC.MIL/USMC."
D.  POINTS OF CONTACT.
(1) MARINE CORPS UNIFORM BOARD, GS12 M. BOYT (EMAIL "BOYTMK@
TECOM.USMC.MIL") AND CAPT D. DUKES (EMAIL "DUKESDW@TECOM.USMC.
MIL") AT DSN 278-0661/2.
(2) DEP COMMANDANT FOR INSTALLATIONS AND LOGISTICS, FOR SUPPLY
POLICY ISSUES, GS12 T. FLORIAN (EMAIL "FLORIANTA@HQMC.USMC.MIL")
AT DSN 225-8946.
(3) MARCORSYSCOM FOR DESIGN AND QUALITY, LTCOL J. NELSON (EMAIL
"NELSONJL@MCSC.USMC.MIL") AT DSN 256-3010.//
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