I was a California kid fresh out of 9 months of Aviation Electrician School in Jacksonville and sent to Pendleton for transport via The USS George Clymer to H&MS-13 at Kaneohe, Hawaii. I was granted delay en route leave and stayed in with my parents in southern California for a week or so. The day I was due to report I waited until the last minute and caught the last shuttle from San Clemente to the base.Carrying a huge sea bag (remember this is the time of full winter service and summer service uniform issues including wool overcoat and Ike jacket as well as regular blouse!) and various other packages. I clambered aboard the bus and congratulated myself on making the most of my leave. Arriving at the gate a squared away MP came aboard and checked everyone’s liberty card. Remember Cinderella liberty? Anyway when he gets to me he just goes ballistic and starts screaming at me about being out of uniform. I’m like, what the heck did I do wrong? I checked myself in the mirror at the house and looked squared away. Well it turned out that the uniform spec. had been changed while I was on leave and collar emblems were no longer used on the tropical shirt so I was in serious violation of the uniform regulations. I popped the emblems off to appease the MP and thought that would be it. But no, he then told me I would have to survey the shirt as unserviceable because it had “holes” on the collar! Welcome to transit barracks, Camp Pendleton.
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