WASHINGTON, Oct. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. Marine Corps officials Friday shot down a rumor President Barack Obama ordered a design change that would require males to wear women's hats.
The New York Post said this week the Marine Corps, at the direction of the president, is "on the verge of swapping out the Marines' iconic caps -- known as 'covers' -- with a new version that some have derided as so 'girly' that they would make the French blush."
The newspaper quoted a senior Marine it did not identify as saying the Corps doesn't "have enough funding to buy bullets, and the DoD is pushing to spend $8 million on covers that look like women's hats!"
"It makes them look ridiculous," the anonymous Marine said.
Other conservative outlets -- including The Washington Times, Fox News and Newsmax -- picked up the story, in some cases noting a final decision on redesigning covers will be made by Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James Amos.
The Marines are planning a change, at the request of the Department of Defense, to come up with a unisex design for covers, Stars and Stripes reported, and Marines have been invited to vote on whether women should wear modified versions of the covers men currently wear, or if all Marines should wear what's known as the Dan Daly cap.
It's named after Sgt. Maj. Dan Daly, a two-time Medal of Honor recipient who wore a similar style cap and gained fame for his exploits on the battlefield in World War I.
Marine Corps officials said in an email Obama "in no way, shape or form directed the Marine Corps to change our uniform cover," Stars and Stripes reported.
"We are looking for a new cover for our female Marines for one overriding reason: The former manufacturer went out of business. ... The Marine Corps has zero intention of changing the male cover."
The Marine Corps Uniform Board is to meet next week.
