Uniforms for TBS

[itoh]

Can any lieutenants at TBS give me an idea of what uniforms I should bring. I'm hoping to class up for Charlie Commpnay in April and would like to get an idea of what uniforms I need. I live in San Diego, and I want to get my dress uniforms from the Marine Shop in Quantico. I got measured at Miramar, but would prefer to get the uniforms tailored there in person. Is it advisable to just have cammies and report in Service Alphas and worry about the dress uniroms after I start TBS?
I haven't gotten commissioned yet, and if I need the dress blues for TBS, I might as well get commissioned in them.
Thanks for any help. Also an opinions of whether the Marine Shop's uniforms are worth the extra $$ would be greatly appreciated.

-itoh

 

[crimson]

hi!
my boys are in Quantico and i helped them get their uniforms so i feel okay about the info i am about to get you. they each had a desert and green pair of digi cami. then their service alphas and then they also bought dress alphas and dinner dress. that was all they needed...oh and boots were problem. the MC does not allow jungle boots which they both had, so they had to get other boots. so you might start trying on comfi boots. the stores in quantico are not badly priced, but you get pretty pressed for time at TBS so you might want to rethink getting them in Qtown.
my boys graduate in march, so they got a lot of gear for the winter you won't...
but some essentials:
duct tape, electric tape, sunscreen, bug repellant, lip balm that has sunscreen in it, under armor (the brand name stuff), a decent canteen (the one they give you sucks), powerbars, babywipes, a decent first aid kit (the one they give you sucks), and a bottle of Ms. Dash because you'll be eating the hell out of MRE's and they ain't that great.

AdJ

 

[itoh]

thanks for the advice, AdJ

I'm good on the cammies, becasue I got those stitched at Miramar. We got issued 2 pairs of the MARPAT boots, I don't understand why we wouldn't be allowed to wear the jungles, but maybe someone could help me out on that one.
I think that I'm going to just get the Service Alphas here, and wait to get the dress blues until I'm in Quantico.
If anyone has any further suggestions or comments, I'd greatly appreciate it.
I've heard that getting the dress uniforms at TBS is just by the numbers, is this true?

thanks,
-itoh

 

[el_bastardo]

You don't have to report to TBS in Service Alphas as you're required to first have them halfway through your TBS course. Show up in a business suit and you're good to go. I only wore my suit for maybe 15 minutes here before I switched over to cammies.

I don't have a pair of the new boots yet. I'm good to go still in my PT jungle boots and garrison ICB's until I have to switch over, bite the bullet, and shell out ~$80 for new brown boots. The hard date for the switch over is on the MC uniform board page somewhere.

I purchased my dress blues for my commissioning because they look a whole lot sharper. Also, they're more expensive and I'd rather get that out of the way earlier if I could. Also, remember that you're going to be classing up with over a hundred other motivated Lieutenants who are going to be uniform hunting. I can envision a nice little backlog get your uniform at TBS... So earlier is better for your Service Alphas, but no big deal if you don't have it when you report.

 

[E5B]

I bought all my uniforms at once from the Camp Pendleton PX. Like El Bastardo, I also wanted the Blues for commissioning. I can't speak intellegently about the quality of uniforms from the Marine Shop, but I do know that they will alter your uniforms for free for as long as you are on active duty; however, the only Marine Shop is at Quantico so keep that in mind.

 

[Citizen]

Prices vary depending on what store you buy from, not when you buy. There's the Marine Shop and the PX, that's about it.

You should be informed about unis while at OCS, but do know now that it takes a few months to get them, from tailoring to delivery.

a PLC grad might have the convienence of time, but i'm pretty sure that's about it.

 

[HueyCobra8151]

Purchasing Uniforms

I just went through purchasing an "officer starter kit" of uniforms, so I thought I would try and pass a little information on. A lot of it is already here, but I wanted to compile it a little better.

I chose to get my uniforms from the exchange for 2 reasons:
1) The price for just Dress Blue Alphas from the Marine Shop was well over $1,000, where the same thing from the exchange was closer to $500. I was able to to purchase everything I needed for Dress A/B/C/D and Service B/C (no Service Blouse) for about $900 all told, including tailoring costs.

2) I have read a large amount of negative things about the Marine Shop on this website.

If you choose to purchase uniforms from the exchange, the online catalog is located at:
http://www.usmc-mccs.org/uniforms/downloads/USMCUniformCatalog.pdf
The Marine Shop is at: www.marineshop.com

I am attaching a spreadsheet I made which lists all the uniform items you need for Dress A/B/C/D, and Service B/C. The prices are directly from the catalog (as well as the reference number for looking up the price yourself).

View attachment Uniform Items.xls

I also purchased a complete white barracks cover from The Marine Shop, shipped for $140.

Once you have listed what uniform items you need, grab a measuring tape and use this guide to help you get all your sizes:
http://www.marineshop.com/pdf/How_To_Measure_For_Proper_Fit.pdf

After that, you are ready to make phone calls:
The Camp Pendleton Clothing Store (22 Area): 760-725-4384
The Marine Shop: 1-888-237-7683

Hopefully you will do all your own research, but this should get you pointed in the right direction if you are having uniform questions.

 

[Raptor2216]

Well, I bought all my stuff from the Marine Shop and I really have had no problems to date. The purchase was made well over 3 years ago and fortunately i'm not a fat body and they all still fit. I think the total cost, sword including was something like $3500 and that includes everything you will need. Fortunately I had a fairly low interest credit card on hand and I ended up paying off that entire amount over the next year. No regrets thus far but your experience may vary.

 

[theblakeness]

I just went through purchasing an "officer starter kit" of uniforms, so I thought I would try and pass a little information on. A lot of it is already here, but I wanted to compile it a little better.

I chose to get my uniforms from the exchange for 2 reasons:
1) The price for just Dress Blue Alphas from the Marine Shop was well over $1,000, where the same thing from the exchange was closer to $500. I was able to to purchase everything I needed for Dress A/B/C/D and Service B/C (no Service Blouse) for about $900 all told, including tailoring costs.

2) I have read a large amount of negative things about the Marine Shop on this website.

If you choose to purchase uniforms from the exchange, the online catalog is located at:
http://www.usmc-mccs.org/uniforms/downloads/USMCUniformCatalog.pdf
The Marine Shop is at: www.marineshop.com

I am attaching a spreadsheet I made which lists all the uniform items you need for Dress A/B/C/D, and Service B/C. The prices are directly from the catalog (as well as the reference number for looking up the price yourself).

View attachment 7654

I also purchased a complete white barracks cover from The Marine Shop, shipped for $140.

Once you have listed what uniform items you need, grab a measuring tape and use this guide to help you get all your sizes:
http://www.marineshop.com/pdf/How_To_Measure_For_Proper_Fit.pdf

After that, you are ready to make phone calls:
The Camp Pendleton Clothing Store (22 Area): 760-725-4384
The Marine Shop: 1-888-237-7683

Hopefully you will do all your own research, but this should get you pointed in the right direction if you are having uniform questions.

Great gouge. Im in the process of ordering mine as well and Im really leaning towards the Uniform shop for a number of reasons.

BTW. The packet that I got from them had a package offer for a complete uniform set for about 2500 with the sword and jewelry and without those dumb jewelry boxes. Im not sure if Im going to get my sword through them or not though because they dont say who their manufacturer is.

 

[jfulginiti]

Buy whatever is less money. Don't waste your money just because it is "The Marine Shop". I got my first set of uniforms at the Marine Shop and had it all burn up in a house fire 3 years later. The exchange is less money for the same thing. No one, including you, will be able to tell the difference for uniforms you'll only wear once or twice a year. And the sword............. I've used mine exactly once since TBS in 2000.

Buy from the exchange and save the rest for beer.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Buy covers from the Marine Shop. The rest from the Exchange.

 

[FLY_USMC]

I bought my Dress Blue top from the Marine Shop because I thought their tailoring on it as well as the quality of the jacket was better when compared against my retarded friends who went out and bought everything during OCS and didn't wait till they were fat at TBS. Everything else, I bought at the exchange, sword and all. I don't own a rain jacket or a tanker jacket, you can buy them at TBS when the sellers say "It is required to own," but the sky didn't fall when I didn't get one. I also think the Marine Shop's Charlie shirts are light years better than the Exchanges, so I bought the ONE (1) that I own there as well.

BTW, when I mean light years, I am a tall/broad shoulder guy, and the Marine Shop's Charlie shirts sleeves are a little longer, even though still short sleeve, and IMHO look better than the Exchange's.

 

[Cobra Commander]

Buy covers from the Marine Shop. The rest from the Exchange.

Is there any particular reason why? I thought all this stuff was manufactured by the same company so it wouldn't matter where I bought it from.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Is there any particular reason why? I thought all this stuff was manufactured by the same company so it wouldn't matter where I bought it from.

Nope. They are not manufactured by the same company, but to the same standards. The dress blue cover is wicker from the Marine Shop, and it's plastic from the PX (or at least it used to be). The piss cutters from the Marine Shop have a leather sweat band, PX it's fabric. I find the Marine Shop covers more comfortable to wear.

 

[HueyCobra8151]

Nope. They are not manufactured by the same company, but to the same standards. The dress blue cover is wicker from the Marine Shop, and it's plastic from the PX (or at least it used to be). The piss cutters from the Marine Shop have a leather sweat band, PX it's fabric. I find the Marine Shop covers more comfortable to wear.

Just an update, I purchased a new garrison cover from the exchange, and it had a leather sweat band. I didn't ask for any particular manufacturer.

This must be at least a semi-recent change, so I wonder if the exchange barracks covers are a higher quality as well now.

My current barracks cover I bought from the Marine Shop and it is still in great condition and fits perfectly even after a tour on MSG wearing it every day. It has a plastic-looking frame with a leather sweatband over top of it, it doesn't say who the manufacturer is though. Hope the new one is the same.