Marine Corps: No New Cover

The Marine Corps denied media reports of a plan to replace the dress covers worn by male and female members with a single cover that closely resembles the one currently worn by women. The reports attributed the change to a purported direct order from President Obama, which never existed. "The president in no way, shape or form directed the Marine Corps to change our uniform cover," said Commandant Gen. James F. Amos in an Oct. 25 statement. The errant reports apparently sprung from a misunderstanding of illustrations that accompanied a Marine Corps Uniform Board survey of the force, regarding a possible dress-cover change. Pictures included male and female Marines wearing so-called "Dan Daly-style" hats, which resemble those worn today by female Marines. Daly earned the Medal of Honor for heroism he displayed during the Battle of Belleau Wood in World War I. In Daly’s official photograph, he wore a hat similar to the now-disputed style. The photos in the survey were intended to depict what the covers would look like while being worn, the Marine Corps stated.