Expert: Jason Grabill - 6/7/2007

Question
Like I stated before, I'm recently collecting memorabilia of the U.S. Forces. I have a few questions concerning uniform. As follows:

Utilities
So US Marines wear nothing on their utilities denoting unit company or battalion. Do they wear ranks? Officer, enlisted, etc. or just an American Flag on the sleeve shoulder? Such as on their collars and covers? Force recon wears, jump wings and bubble pins? Do they wear the gold anodized ones or do they have subdued for woodland and desert BDUs.
Dress blues
I know that full medals are worn on their dress for formal occasions and ribbons for informal occassions. Are the ribbons still worn on the left breast in order of presedence? I heard they might now be worn on the right breast. If medals are worn on the right, what ribbons are worn on the left along with them? Are there any ribbons that are not worn along with the regular ribbons, i.e. Navy Cross, Silver Star, etc.? If a pair of jump wings and scuba bubble are earned, are they worn over the ribbons on both Class As and Dress Blues? Right or left? The gold combat diver badge I see every where. Is it actual issue or do they just use the old silver anodized bubble? What happens if a Marine earns HALO wings? Does he or she wear that in lieu of the regular jump wings? Does Force Recon only wear the gold wings?
Where does an officer wear his or her rank insignia on their Class As and Dress Blues? Collar? Shoulder?
Are plastic name plates worn on the Class As or dress blues or are they just worn on Class C uniforms.
Thank you for all of your help Jason.
I wanted to enlist with the Corp. but I got around to it too late in life. I'm 32 now and well I don't think they would take me.
Mel

Answer
Mel:

 Just FYI, I've been a military collector for about 30 years now.

  No, Marines wear no shoulder sleeve insignia of any kind. They do wear rank insignia, black metal or plastic for enlisted, small sized rank (not subdued) for officers.

  Marines in the 80's did wear rank on the cover, but it was phased out in 1987.  Officers wear rank on the overseas cap.

  No subdued pins, everything is 'shiny'.  When they are doing field ops, though, they usually don't wear anything except rank, and sometimes, not even that.

  Ribbons are always worn on the left breast.  The only time ribbons are worn on the right breast is when medals are worn;  then the ribbons that don't rate medals (such as the unit commendations etc) are worn on the right breast.  Devices are always worn over the ribbons or medals.  All ribbons, when ribbons are worn (and this is most of the time) are worn together.  (Only the army regularly wears ribbons on the right breast).

 The combat diver badge is actual issue, as is the silver bubble.  

  HALO wings are not authorized for wear.

  Any Marine on jump status, who completes 10 jumps, rates the "Navy/Marine Corps Parachute Wings".  

 Officers wear rank insignia on the shoulder for dress uniforms, in Alphas, they wear it on the shoulder, as well as the collar of the tan shirt.

 Name plates are only worn at the recruit depots, never at any other time.

 Best regards,

   Jason