YM Grooming 
and Personal Appearance Standards

It is a Young Marine's responsibility to keep his uniform clean and neatly pressed at all times. Boots are polished with a high shine on the toes and heels.  Ribbons that become soiled or faded should be replaced.  All Young Marines are expected to keep themselves clean and well-groomed whether in uniform or not.

Male Young Marines

• Hair will be neat and closely trimmed. Hair will be short enough so that it does not touch the ears or hang on the nape of the neck. The hair may be clipped at the edges of the side and back and will not be over 3 inches in length fully extended on the upper portion of the head. Head hair will be styled so as not to interfere with the proper wear of uniform headgear. Hair, which protrudes from beneath properly worn headgear in an unsightly manner, is considered excessive, regardless of length. Male Young Marines are not authorized to wear braids of any sort nor to have eccentric designs cut in their hair.
• Beards are unauthorized. However, mustaches and sideburns may be worn, as long as they conform to current Young Marine grooming standards. When worn, the mustache will be neatly trimmed and must not extend beyond the length of the upper lip. The individual length of a mustache hair fully extended must not exceed 1/2 inch. Except for a mustache, sideburns, eyebrows, and eyelashes; hair may be grown on the face only when a medical officer has determined that shaving is temporarily harmful to the individual Young Marine’s health. Sideburns will not extend below the top of the orifice of the ear. Sideburns will not be styled to taper or flare. The length of an individual hair of the sideburns will not exceed 1/8 inch when fully extended.
• The only jewelry permitted is watches, medical items, and religious medallions.

Female Young Marines

• Grooming. Hair may touch the collar, but will not fall below the collar's lower edge. Hair that would fall naturally below the collar's lower edge will be neatly and inconspicuously fastened or pinned. During physical training periods in which physical training clothing is worn, hair will be allowed to fall naturally, without being fastened or pinned. This does not apply when conducting physical training in the utility uniform.
• Hair will be styled so as not to interfere with the proper wear of the uniform headgear. All headgear will fit snugly and comfortably around the largest part of the head without distortion or excessive gaps. Hairstyles, which do not allow the headgear to be worn in this manner, are prohibited.
• Faddish and exaggerated styles to include shaved portions of the scalp other than the neckline, designs in the hair, unsecured ponytails and styles that are distinctly unbalanced or lopsided are prohibited. Multiple braiding and buns are authorized. If hair extensions are used in the braiding of the hair, the extensions must have the same general appearance as the individual's natural hair. Braided hairstyles will be conservative, and conform to other guidelines listed herein.
• Barrettes, combs, rubber bands, etc. are authorized, if concealed by the hair. Inconspicuous hairpins and bobby pins, if required, are authorized. Hairnets will not be worn unless authorized for a specific type of duty.
• Cosmetics. Cosmetics are authorized for wear in uniform if permitted by the parent or legal guardian. It shall be applied conservatively and must complement the individual's complexion and skin tone. Exaggerated or faddish cosmetic styles are considered inappropriate and shall not be tolerated. Non- eccentric lipstick and nail polish colors, to include colorless nail polish are authorized for wear with the uniform. Nail length will be no longer than 1/4 inch from the tip of the finger.
• Jewelry. The only jewelry permitted while in uniform are watches, religious and medical medallions, and medical bracelets. Small, polished, yellow gold color, ball, or round stud earrings, (post, screw-on, or clip), not to exceed six millimeters (about 1/4 inch) in diameter, may be worn with the Service uniform. When worn, earrings will fit tightly against, and will not extend below, the earlobe. Only one earring will be worn on or in each earlobe.

The Young Marine Uniform

The official uniform for youth in the Young Marines Program is the Woodland pattern camouflage shirt, trousers, white T-shirt and cover. This uniform is required for all Young Marines events over the unit level. The uniform will be worn as follows:

• Shirt with Young Marine breast pocket patch worn centered above the left breast pocket, 1/8-inch above the pocket. The Young Marines shoulder patch is worn on the left sleeve with the unit designation arc centered above the patch, on the shoulder seam.
• Trousers with straight or pouch pockets. Name tapes will be sewn over the right rear pocket of the trousers centered and flush over the top seam.
• Khaki web belt with brass Marine Corps style buckle or anodized buckles as authorized.
• Boots may be either black or jungle type and are designated by the unit's Commanding Officer. Units may not mix boots.
• WHITE T-shirts will be worn with the uniform at all times.
• Ribbons are worn so that the lowest row of ribbons is 1/8-inch above the left breast pocket patch and centered. Ribbons are worn in the order of precedence established in the Awards Manual. They are preferably worn in rows of three. However, they may be worn in rows of four.

• An olive drab name tape is worn centered over the right pocket, flush to the pocket seam and flush to the edges of the pocket.
• Covers are to be maintained in a starched condition.  Shirt and trousers are not starched.
• Rank chevrons are worn on the blouse collar. They are placed vertically with the single point up and center of the insignia on a line bisecting the angle of the point of the collar.  The lower outside edges of the chevron are placed 1/2 inch from the edge of the collar.
• Each unit should have a unit T-shirt with their name and the Young Marine designation imprinted on the shirt.  Colors may vary. These T-shirts should be part of each Young Marines PT gear.  They may also be worn for activities and functions where the camouflage uniform is inappropriate, for example, car washes, certain community service projects, etc.