That's because Marines are inherent thieves.
USMC "PR's" are the only PR's I have ever seen do such ludicrous inspections....Blah blah blah...
Luckily we have PR's in the Navy who actually work for their paycheck.
Don't know if it was mentioned earlier, but the "they" referenced above is the San Diego Air & Space Museum. The case contains helmets from all 4 of the fleet Phantom and Tomcat squadrons I served in. Only the VF-213 helmet is different from "my time". We went through two designs while I was there: first was a metallic gold helmet (think Notre Dame or Navy football helmets) with blue stripes w/ stars on the visor housing and "Lion" images on the side. Then we reversed it with dark metal-flake blue paint with gold reflective stars on the visor housing, and the same lion motif on the sides...The whole display they have going on there is pretty good. Lots of good history there.
Don't know if it was mentioned earlier, but the "they" referenced above is the San Diego Air & Space Museum. The case contains helmets from all 4 of the fleet Phantom and Tomcat squadrons I served in. Only the VF-213 helmet is different from "my time". We went through two designs while I was there: first was a metallic gold helmet (think Notre Dame or Navy football helmets) with blue stripes w/ stars on the visor housing and "Lion" images on the side. Then we reversed it with dark metal-flake blue paint with gold reflective stars on the visor housing, and the same lion motif on the sides...
To steal a line from George Patton: "The Navy rejected it, of course...but GODDAM...it was beautiful."
Meridian PRs got my O2 mask fit perfectly and tacked the straps down. They never messed with it while I was there, or if they did, they put it back exactly like they found it. It worked flawlessly; no jets of O2 in the eyes. I get to my first trip through 129, and some Corporal tells me "sorry, sir, those tacks are unauthorized." Yoink. But hey, they can put a grease pencil mark on the straps. Great. That'll keep. Try learning how to fly a Prowler, while simultaneously having to futz around refitting your mask that's been untacked, dangling from your vest, and getting all assed up in the process. Never got that thing to fit quite right.USMC "PR's" are the only PR's I have ever seen do such ludicrous inspections. Nearly everyone in my RAG class had their CEP's taken from them as "un-authorized" and never returned. Luckily for me, I always put them in my helmet bag and took the bag with me when I was done flying. Our visors were also all collected, and then distributed at will. Ended up with a fantastic one with giant gouges on it. They also took all of our visor covers and gave them to IP's or who knows where. Then out the door, they gave me like half of the required items for my vest. Fleet PR's were super psyched about that when I checked in. Luckily we have PR's in the Navy who actually work for their paycheck.
It's like a big Mercedes on his head.