Uniform FAQs...

Camouflage Utilities "Cammies"

Q. "How often do I have to send them to the cleaners?"

A. For best results, you want to send them as often as possible. Like once a week, or once every two weeks. As long as it still looks sharp and crisp, and doesn't stink. You don't want it to have any wrinkles.

Q. "My cover has bend in the visor. I have tried everything to fix it, but it won't come out!"

A. The visor in the cammies' cover is cardboard. Try working with it, to shape it. If you have worked on it for a while, and it still wont come out, maybe try ironing it. If that doesnt work, just leave it be, because it wont come out. Once cardboard has a crease in it, it probably wont come out. You might want to inform Master Gunny if it becomes a problem.

Q. " How long does it take to shine boots?"

A. It depends. It depends on how shiny you want them, how shiny they were before, and how much time you are willing to spend shining them until they look presentable. If you are working on your first coat, and you want to make them look good, it may take up to three hours. After you get the base coat to look good, when you go to re-shine them, it will probably only take between 10-30 minutes.

Q. "What kind of shoe polish do I need?"

A. There are many brands of shoe polish out there, but we DEFINITELY reccommend "Kiwi" brand - black. It comes in a round black/gold case, and you can find it at walmart, or H-E-B, for about $2.00 or so.

Q. "How do you get the brass to look good?"

A. If you look at the brass when you first get it, it has a copperish/gold tint to it. You want it to have a gold tint. So, what you do is get some "brasso" (comes in a can(?) and you can find it in the brass/silver polish section of most stores) or "duraglit" (comes in a can, cloth included). When using the brasso, you will need a 100% cotton shirt. Also, wile using both "brasso" and "duraglit", tape the edge of the tip of the belt so your belt doesn't turn black if you accidentaly get brasso/duraglit on it. Take the buckle OFF to shine it. Dab the cloth in the brasso, (dont get it sopping) and cover the brass area with a coat. Let it set for 30 seconds or so... it will become a hazy yellow/gold color. Then, take a clean 100% cotton cloth, and wipe it down. You will see that the cloth turns black - that is GOOD.Repeat this process about 4 times, or until it looks good, and your cloth isnt picking up anymore black. For the "duraglit", it is a cottonball like cloth with the "duraglit" inside. No dabing is required. Just go over the brass area with the cotton, and you will see that the cotton turns black - GOOD. Then whait 30 seconds or so, and whipe it down with a clean 100% cotton cloth. Repeat about 3 or 4 times.

Q. "How do I get the boots to look good?"

A. Getting the boots to look good may take some time if you are starting out with a "fresh" pair, that have no polish what-so-ever on them. First, you need to set of the area. I reccommend putting news paper down underneath you. Then, you need your "Kiwi" black polish, and some water (not alot, maybe about 40 ml or so. You can have more if you wish, just put it in a cup) as well as a soft cloth. I would reccommend "Kiwi's" polyester shining cloths. Or, an old soft clean rag will do. Dip the cloth into the polish, and get a big gob of it. Spread it around evenly all over all the leather part of each boot. It should be a THICK coat. Wait 10 to 15 minutes, or even 30 minutes, until the polish has time to settle a bit. Then, take another CLEAN cloth, with NO polish on it, and dip it into the water. ( to where it gets damp, but not dripping) and start scrubbing the boot. It is VERY important to make tiny CIRCLE motions with your finger... don't just smudge it. Do this to both boots, all around. You will notice that there is beginning to be a dull shine, but it still does not look perfect... So then what you do is continue this motion of small circles, and re-wetting your cloth as much as need be. Eventually, if you continue this pattern, they WILL look good. After you wear them, and then get them dirty or whatever, instead of repeating the whole process over again, just get a little bit if polish on your cloth, and a little bit of water, and scrub in the circular motion. Then let it set for about 5 minutes, then go back over it again with water like you did before (NO POLISH!). Then after about 10 -30 minutes, you'll have a pair of good looking boots!

Q. "When I roll my sleves, it takes me forever and they always come out uneven and sloppy. How can I fix this?"

A. Sleeves can be difficult, or they can be simple if you can figure out how to do them properly. What you want to do, is lay your uniform flat, buttons up. then, you want to fold the bottom edge of the sleeve, (starting from the under-arm area, and ending with the cuff) about 1 inch. Then, starting at the cuff, roll it over about 2 inches, (where the cuff part ends), and you will see you have a nice sleeve opening, and it is not to wide, so when you finish, your sleeves will not be too loose. Continue rolling NEATLY ( make sure it is strait and un-wrinkled each time you roll!) untill you get about 3 or 4 inches away from (on the left arm anyway) the MCJROTC Patch. After you finish both sleeves, make sure they are even in width, and not to wide, and I would suggest trying them on, to see if they are too tight, or too loose, and if they are 2 inches above the elbow.

Q. " My cover is wrinkled!"

A. If your cover is wrinkled, what you can do is get an iron, and iron each individual side (if you have the octagonal covers that are sewn anyway) by holding the inside with your fist, making it flat, and ironing both the inside and outside. If you have the non-stitched covers, do the same, but iron it as a whole, to as individual sides. For the top of the cover, get a piece of posterboard and lay the cover (inside up) on it and trace the octagonal shape. Cut it out, and place it inside the cover. Doing this provides you with a flat surface... and then just iron it!

Cadets.... Got any more "Cammies" questions? Ask them HERE. Thanks, and good luck!

Service "Charlies"

Q. "How do I shine the shoes?"

A. If you haven't noticed, the "Chariles" shoes are shiny to begin with. VERY Shiny. They are made out of vinyl, so, if yours get alittle beat up (which they shouldn't...) or dirty, then just take a soft cloth, like an old T-shirt or something of the sort, and Windex, and spray a little on the shoe and wipe it down (circular motions). It will blind you how shiny they are!

Q. "Where do I put my rank!"

A. For rank, you center it on the collar, 1/2 inch from each side, and centered on the diagonal of the collar (like in the picture left) if enlisted rank. If it is officer grade, it goes one inch from edge of collar on centerline of shirt collar.

Q." Where do I put my Ribbons?"

A On female cadets, the ribbons will be placed even with, or up to two inches above the first visible button, and centered. On male cadets, the ribbons are worn centered, and 1/8 inch above the pocket.

Got any questions about "Charlies"? Ask them HERE, and good luck! Look sharp!

 

 

 

Dress Blues

Q. "How do you get the Dress Blues?"

A. In order for a cadet to recieve there Dress Blues, they must first pass their General Orders test. Further more, they must either be on the Drill Team or Color Guard.

Q. "How do you shine the shoes?"

A. If you wnat to shine the shoes, it is simple, these are the same shoes you use for your Charlies, so just follow those directions above.

Q. "What color should the hose be (for females obviously)"

A. The hose should be a smokey gray, like the ones pictured left, when wearing the Full Dress Blue uniform.

Q. "How do you put the collar ornaments on right?"

A. The MC emblems on the collar should be positioned so that they are centered width wise, and as it shows in your fact book, "anchors inboard". In other words, the eagles should be at 90 degrees, or strait up, wings parellel to the deck. The anchor should be at about a 45 degree angle, with the "hook" part toward the center of your neck, or "inboard".

Q. "What do the Dress Blue Deltas look like?"

A. Dress Blue Deltas are the ones pictures below... For males, baige shirt (the shirt used in Charlies) and Dress Blue Pants, shoes, and the web belt, with "Blues" cover. For Females, baige shirt (one used in charlies) either dress blue pants, or skirt (your superior will tell you which one to wear) and the shoes, along with the "Blues" Cover, and skin colored hose - NOT SMOKEY GREY for Deltas.

If you have any other questions about the Dress Blues, please ask them HERE. Thank you, and good luck!