Why were uniform standards in Vietnam so extremely lax? What

What would happen today if a soldier had graffiti on his helmet?

They'd get a bollocking for sure

I imagine they got away with it in Vietnam because black writing isn't exactly going to stick out on a jungle green helmet, but it would for sure on DBDU or whatever.

Imagine being a Sniper, seeing a blob through your scope that says "I left my other asscheek in the FOB" written on it. You'd be like "Yep that's a helmet", and now some poor muhreen is going to get kennedy'd

>>32057880
I think it has to do more with trying to look more professional then anything else, remember, not every decision in the military is made with some tactical reason behind it.

Also if a sniper is able to visibly see black writing on a helmet, it doesn't matter if there is writing on you helmet or not, your cover is blown

>>32057859
Uniform restrictions were relaxed because people didn't want to be there. It was picking your battles on the command's end. You could leave this guy alone and let hime keep his head in the game for his 13 month deployment or bitch him out for everything and he will frag you in your sleep.

What eould happen if you did that now? Depends, are you in Afghan with a command that has the mindset of letting uniform regs slip for the greater good of improved comfort and morale? Google it, you'll find plenty of pictures of Marines with morale patches and belligerent shit written on their kevlar covers.

Now? Peacetime Marine Corps sucks. I got bitched out for having my blood type and zap number written on my cat eyes during a five day exercise, which, by the way, used to be SOP. If you wrote so,e shit on your kevlar cover you'd probably have to buy a new one before you turn it back into CIF.

It's not what it used to be. Too many POGs staying in and becoming 1stSgts who care too much about pointless shit. Too many salt dogs getting out because its not worth it to stay in anymore.

Long story short: Vietnam was fucking awesome as far as regs go and it sucks now. You can't do cool shit.

>>32057895
Professionalism does not stop anything in the military. If it did nothing would ever get done efficiently.

>>32057913
Spoiler alert

The unit I was in was so tight on regulations, they would make you buy a new one and replace it immediately. They cared more about looking squared away than moral, efficiency, and other shit.

File: Vietnam Quad Fifty.jpg (262KB, 1280x853px) Image search: [Google]

262KB, 1280x853px

Further you are from your chain of command = more lax regulations

>>32057906
>mfw leave for boot in february
>but im a pog

>>32058240

thank you for your cervix

>>32057906
Ding ding. Guys would do drugs openly to get sent home, and that didn't even work. So what the hell do they care if they write some shit on their gear.

We wrote our blood type and kill card info on the top of our boots, so if your boots are bloused couldn't see it.

>>32057859

>What would happen today if a soldier had graffiti on his helmet?

Everyone would laugh and the soldier would have to pay for the new camo fabric layer to re-upholster the helmet at the end of the deployment.

What usually happens nowadays is everyone keeps their helmets tidy until the last week or so and then pays for the replacement cover so they can doodle the other ones up to take home.

>>32058154
>moral
MORALE, dipshit.

In my experience, the smaller the group the more lax the rules. During ITX in 29 palms I spent a week atop OP Crampton (?) in basketball shorts, a tank top and no shave just because it was only 3 NCOs and a Lance that tagged along

>>32057859
Who the hell is going to stop you, the leeches? Nobody gave a shit because it didn't effect combat effectiveness and COs had more important things to worry about than MUH GROOMING STANDARDS.