Seabag a uniform?

April 2, 2007 11:23 AM

Is the military seabag itself considered part of a uniform, such that a retiree is forbidden by the UCMJ to use it except for ceremonies and official functions? The one I was issued when I enlisted has tons more capacity than any other pack I currently possess, but I'd rather not break regulations even in such a way that is unlikely to be prosecuted. I'm several years out of the service, now, so I can't pose the question to my chain of command.
posted by The Confessor to Law & Government (9 answers total)

"A uniform is a set of standard clothing worn by members of an organization whilst participating in that organization's activity." From Wiki, so maybe not the best source in the world. At any rate, I'd assume no, since it's its not a piece of clothing. I believe a uniform is something you wear, not carry.
posted by craven_morhead at 11:35 AM on April 2, 2007

My dad was military - he was really hardcore about keeping his uniform stuff packed away so my brother and I didn't "borrow" it to go play paintball or something. He gave us both seabags to take to college, and I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have done that had it been in any way a part of the uniform proper.
posted by Baby_Balrog at 11:40 AM on April 2, 2007

Bags as surplus are for sale all over, it is a non-uniform item.
posted by Freedomboy at 11:47 AM on April 2, 2007

DoD Directive 1334.01 is what covers this, as well as 10 USC 772.

Neither defines "uniform", other than "the uniform, or a distinctive part of the uniform".
posted by smackfu at 11:50 AM on April 2, 2007

I think that's just luggage. If it's not something you use to identify yourself as a member of the armed services, it's not a uniform.
posted by Malor at 1:50 PM on April 2, 2007

I know one guy uses his for hockey. My brother uses his for a tent.
posted by dhartung at 3:11 PM on April 2, 2007

I have a load of ex-military gear from my time in the TA (Brit equivalent of the National Guard in the US). I figure bags etc are fair game since they're available as surplus. Uniforms with insignia are a different matter. I wouldn't wear a combat jacket, for example, in public, simply because I'd feel uncomfortable not having it squared away like I used to, and I'd feel doubly uncomfortable if it had insignia on it, but I see no such compunction amongst those who haven't spent any time in uniform, so, I wouldn't worry about it. To be honest, I doubt anyone except ex-Navy people would even recognise it as a seabag, and no-one is going to bust you.
posted by Happy Dave at 3:48 PM on April 2, 2007

It's not solid Yes/No answer, but from here: USMC Uniform Regulations. I can't find the seabag listed as a Uniform Component. For instance, it is not a component of the Service Charlies or Bravos, etc...

I think that would be enough ammo to dissuade any Uniform Nazi's you run into. It's not like you want to wear your Dress Blue Coat to Starbucks or anything.
posted by jawbreaker at 7:50 PM on April 2, 2007

I hitched across the States with my sea bag, and no one made a fuss. I suspect it probably helped pull in some rides. LOL, come to think of it, one time, hidden deep inside, were a scary number of tablets of something called ALD 52 (then legal, theoretically. Mirror of LSD).
posted by Goofyy at 7:43 AM on April 4, 2007