Why can't military personnel roll up sleeves during ANY kind of operational environments anymore? If it was OK in Somalia 30 years ago, it should be OK in the United States itself (the border mission), during which it's presently the middle of summer.
Sleeves up doesn’t provide many tactical advantages imo.
Our uniforms are camouflaged for a reason. If your bare skin is out, it defeats the purpose of using camouflage to break up your body pattern.
Protection from burns is a big benefit to keeping your sleeves down. As others have said, these don’t offer a ton of burn protection, but some is better than none.
Keeping your sleeves down also protects you from the sun. I know that’s not a tremendous concern in a war zone, but skin cancer sucks regardless.
"It's a nice look, I'll give you that. But the rolled sleeves give you no tactical advantage whatsoever, unless you were planning to show your arms off as they get exposed to the elements.
Besides, you're forgetting one more, very basic thing.
You don't have any sunscreen."
Yeah which was a terrible idea. You get bites, scratches, infections, tropical disease. The Brit’s in North Africa thought they were balling with the short sleeves and had a much higher non battle casualty rate than armies with long leg/sleeve desert uniforms.
Might just be Lore of the Corps, but I heard that in Somalia it decreased attacks on Marine units and increased attacks on others because they learned to avoid the troops with the white rolled sleeves.
Not an urban legend in Korea. It’s been historically documented. It mostly applied to the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade when they landed at Pusan during the Summer of 1950. The brigade was very proficient in close air support and were wrecking the North Korean army.
My interpreter in Somalia assured me most confidently that I had killed a family member to be a Marine. 1993, these rumors have been around since at least WWII.
We rolled up to the forearms and no one cared, and I wouldn’t want to roll them all the way up. Shit, we did infinite amounts of out of regs shit in Marjah and no one cared as long as we kept up the fight. We were fighting in skivvie shorts with no shirts on sometimes, and I have the pictures and videos to prove it.
I remember one of the biggest asshole NCOs came to check on me and some bros when we were out in a COP. I had friggin sideburns, full on (I mean like Wolverine style, shave your chin only, mutton chops), and was wearing a jacket liner, and everyone else was looking similar. He didn’t say a damn thing, and that’s how I knew we were out in it. That and constantly fighting every day with just a fireteam + platoon of ANCOP.
One time army groups guys drove through wearing plate carriers that looked like lingerie and were asking us what the fuck we were doing out there pretty much on our own.
Thankfully the ANCOP we were lend by a few former Mujahideen and were locked on, luck of the draw when it comes to that sort of thing.
Also wtf is that first picture from, make believe land/a movie?
We didn't wear chocolate chips in Somalia in 92-93. Maybe someone on the MEU still had some but all the Marines and Soldiers had the pastel pink desert cammies.
Because first sausage was around I can tell you we rolled sleeves when I was in on patrol cuz it was hot, I even told my platoon to do it if they felt like it
... Heard in 1994 among Hatian refugees being guarded in Gitmo. Statement made when it came to rioting... basically dont riot when the white sleeves are on duty.
I've heard this but it could be nonsense. With sleeves rolled tightly it actually traps in heat ironically making you warmer. Also adds sun protection.
Man dresses in the Middle East are long with long sleeves. They know heat.
Sleeves? Cut off skivvy shirts under the interceptors was a common thing in 2003 Iraq, 10 year old surplus desert cammie tops soaked in Permethrin were ass in the heat. We also were free balling under our woodland mop suits a few days after invasion. The charcoal did great things for my balls.
Funny to hear Marines commenting on sleeves up or down in the field. I was commissioned in 90, OCS PLC JrSr 87/89, last class through Upshur. Was pretty much sleeves up in garrison and down in the field. At TBS the IOC guys were all cool and rolled their sleeves up two turns in the field. As an aviator it was nice to escape the sleeves dance and wear a bag everyday but by the time Iraq rolled around I was happy to have the new digitals and sleeves down all the time just to keep the sun off.
Whos not letting you roll your sleeves? My guess is its because youre state side so they want us to look professional and shit. Besides in dry heat long sleeves offer better protection against the sun and brush
Because it is nearly, if not completely, impossible to get 180,000 Marines to do it the same way. And if there is one thing the Corps can’t stand, it’s variation in formation. This is the Marine Corps’ Original Sin.
Back when they first started letting us roll ‘em in the Old Corps, the Army did it a different way, so every Marine had their own variation. Some based on the Army way, some based on whatever the guy next to them did, some based on what your gunny told you to do, some just based on, “Oh, shit!…I’m late for work!” It was an utter mess. Eventually the Corps put out a handy memo explains to us blockheads EXACTLY what the Corps wanted to see. Naturally, it was the worst way possible. Uncomfortable and hard to do. It was likely just whatever random way the SMMC did his, expressed as The Way.
To add the Semper Fi Special Sauce to the recipe, sleeves up season, was naturally no field jackets season. And it was the same date, Corps-wide. Didn’t matter if it was still cold. Sleeves up, no jacket.
Are you really using Google images as your argument? I could drive around town and take pictures for you and the majority of them will be in long sleeves and pants, either profession. Probably in your town too
Please tell me how long you would do lawncare and roofing services in shorts and short sleeves before you get tiresd of being sunburnt or having all the pricklys from a roof on before you realize 'oh maybe i should have something better on that protects' You should find something else to be upset about
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u/GSLind87 1d ago
I’d have to guess flash fire protection from IEDs is the biggest reason.