Service Uniforms and Self Esteem Issues

Marine Security Guard Detachment, American Embassy, Madrid, Spain. October 1996.

At American embassies the world over, the Marine Corps Ball is the event of the year. The season was in full swing. Ladies got their gowns ready and military personnel from the Defense Attache Office and the Office of Defense Cooperation polished brass and shined shoes to a high mirror sheen.

Marine Corps Ball, Madrid, Spain 1996.

One morning, while conducting my rounds through the embassy, I swaggered by the mail room. A handful of Air Force ninjas operated the mail room. They normally worked in civilian clothes throughout the day as they made regular trips to the airport and other off site areas in the city. We generally enjoyed stirring the coals of inter-service rivalry between each other, but today’s encounter wouldn’t go quite as they imagined.

As I passed the senior Airman in the hall, I asked if he’d gotten his dress uniform all squared away for the Marine Corps Ball. He shrugged his shoulders and said, “Nah, I’m just going to wear a tux.” The temperature in the passageway suddenly dropped. I leaned toward him, hard. My Airman friend found himself firmly pressed into the bulkhead despite the fact I hadn’t laid a hand on him.

Through clenched teeth I expressed my disdain for anyone without enough service pride to wear their uniform to a military function. Further, if wearing his uniform caused such a lack of self esteem, he’d best not even bother attending the ball in the first place. I gave him the distinct impression he would be unwelcome out of uniform.

Nodding absently, he peeled himself off the wall and hurried on his way.

That November all the Airmen from the mailroom proudly wore their uniforms to the ball.