After the shoulder ripped on one of Sgt. Ethan Underwood’s camouflage blouses while he was in a martial arts course in September 2022, the Marine sergeant went looking for a replacement.
He tried the Marine Corps Exchange ― the “one-stop shopping destination” for Marines ― at his base in Yuma, Arizona: No luck. He tried the My Navy Exchange website: No luck. He tried the thrift stores near the Arizona base: No luck.
Marines’ camouflage uniforms are supposed to be difficult for enemy eyes to find. But these days, they’re difficult for even Marines to find.
A scarcity of camouflage combat utility uniforms has prompted some Marines to purchase uniform items on the booming resale market or get creative with tailoring, while recruits train in uniforms usually reserved for deployments.
