Way back when during the Cold War and Ronald Reagan was my Commander in Chief. I was a USMC Staff Sergeant (E-6) assigned to the Marine Corps Development Center at Quantico Virginia. I was requested to go to a Headquarters USMC Installations and Logistics office in Rosslyn Virginia, very near the Pentagon to figure out Combat Replacement Factors for our fire control radar system.
If was August and as always in that area during that month, it was hot and the humidity was near 100%. After a 40-minute drive in my old CJ-7 Jeep that lacked any air conditioning, I had just parked and walking toward the office building. Dressed in our Charlie (Class C) uniform with its dress trousers and short sleeve wool dress shirt I was sweating and my uniform had unauthorized wrinkles.
A US Air Force LtCol rounded the corner and I rendered him a crisp salute. He returned a salute and stopped me. He asked, “How do you Marines always look so good in your uniforms?” Toward that I glanced down at my shirt and then looked into his eyes. I replied, “Sir, I presently look like a seabag with lips.” The LtCol was befuddled by my answer but if he could figure that Marine jargon, he’d know the secret. Marines wear their uniform for every Marine, past, present, and future. I then snapped a salute and said “Have a good day Sir” and I was on my way.