Marine Not Allowed To Wear Uniform At Graduation - With Video
What the hell has happened here? If you’re a gay kid you’re allowed to wear a dress to your prom
But, if your straight, work your ass off to finish school EARLY, join the Marines and finish basic training BEFORE your HS graduation, your NOT allowed to wear your Dress Blues to your commencement ceremony.
Somethings seriously fucked up with the logic here.
Kudos to AgustusIII for the video
Military.com
BLOOMER, Wis. — A new Marine who’s graduating from Bloomer High School this month won’t be able to wear his military uniform during the commencement ceremony.
The Bloomer School Board has denied Daniel Ligen’s request to wear his Marine uniform.Ligen finished his class work early in order to enlist and will be done with basic training at the San Diego Marine base by graduation May 31.
The board adopted a policy Monday night that requires a cap and gown be worn for graduation.There was a motion to allow an exception for military personnel, but it wasn’t seconded.
One board member says the denial is not an attempt to be unpatriotic, but the cap and gown celebrates education.
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Here’s an idea, let the kid wear his uniform and celebrate his self sacrifice & patriotism. I know,that’s crazy talk, just sayin’.
May 15th, 2008 at 5:32 amA cap and gown represent education. Does a Marines uniform represent nothing? As a Marine I will say that is bull shit.
May 15th, 2008 at 5:33 amThis is just one reason why the complete educational systems needs to be dismantled and rebuild without social engineering.
May 15th, 2008 at 5:43 amThat leaves a full 2 weeks of constant E-mail protest to the school from the folks here where’s the link?
May 15th, 2008 at 5:49 amSo he can’t wear the uniform under the cap and gown?
or He can’t wear the uniform period?
May 15th, 2008 at 5:50 amThe principal is too intimidated by people who have bigger balls than his own. Its a sad day in this country when a Marine cant even proudly where his uniform to an event like this
May 15th, 2008 at 5:52 amDevils advocate here. He is attending the graduation ceremony and the appropriate ‘uniform’ is the cap and gown. Why should he or anyone participating in the ceremony not follow the dress code?
It’s fine to ask, but I wonder if this is his father pressing this more than him. My impression is his father is the kind parent that screams at the umpires at his kids ball game.
As for the case regarding the queer, do not look at that freak for some kind of moral equivalence.
He certainly is a bigger man than that, he is a Marine after all, and should show appropriate respect to the ceremony even if the twisted liberals changed the rules after his request was given. Look at like some bullshit ROE that has to be followed.
May 15th, 2008 at 6:00 amI think it’s a shame, but they have the right to make a dress code. The one problem is, if you allow him to wear his uniform, some asshat may use that as grounds to allow something else very inapropriate, and if not allowed point to this kid as grounds for discrimination….sound far fetched? Don’t bet on it.
That said, if I was him, and I really cared that much about it, I’d show up in my dress uniform an more or less dare them to not let me walk…..and see if they do not get booed for it. Ultimately it would be more worth it to me to show up in dress and let them do what they must then walk anyway, either way he’ll get his degree, and his REAL and useful education long term will come from the military anyway.
May 15th, 2008 at 6:09 amI do see your point - the cap and gown is the appropriate attire for someone participating in a graduation ceremony.
May 15th, 2008 at 6:10 am….WASN’T DONE!! stupid enter button….
…anyway, I have to say that while my initial reaction was to be pissed off I can say that I do see the other side’s argument. I think this is one of those times when one has to pick their battles, and this one looks like a loser. It would be a whole different ball of wax if they told a parent or relative in the audience that a uniform was not allowed - if that were the case I’d man the harpoons myself.
May 15th, 2008 at 6:14 amI’d be interested to find out if when he is handed his diploma, they’ll publicly congratulate him for his earnestness, and acknowledge his dedication to the country and the USMC.
May 15th, 2008 at 6:30 amEven though I sympathize with the Devil Dog and his family the school is trying to keep everything uniform with regards to the ceremony, its kind of like when he graduates bootcamp every Marine is wearing their Delta’s and he marches across the parade deck in his Charlie’s.
May 15th, 2008 at 6:50 amAttended a graduation ceremony in AZ last weekend at one of the state universities. They had one student graduate in uniform and trust me, it added to the dignity of the occasion. I sat through my son’s graduation at MCRD San Diego and his high school graduation in AZ. Guess which one was more dignified, formal and respectful. One service represented 4 years of just showing up, the other represented true sacrifice and commitment. The Dress Blues deserve better than a low budget high school graduation.
May 15th, 2008 at 7:05 am
I would wear the uniform under the gown (and NOT tell ANYONE) and as soon as I got my diploma I would would “strip” the gown right there on the stage.. Oooh Rah!!! 
May 15th, 2008 at 7:09 amAh, not to be contrarian, but to exactly how many recent (last 5 years) HS graduation ceremonies have most here attended? I’ve been to several (comes from being part of a big family), and wearing a cap & gown just isn’t being enforced as a “requirement” - not even close.
J
May 15th, 2008 at 7:33 amPS - and this is in three different states. As they say, YMMV.
If cap and gown is the dress code then, why not offer a special sash to wear if the student has joined the armed forces. Use the same style as other special groups use (ie honor grads).
May 15th, 2008 at 7:39 amWe were ordered not to wear a uniform while on civilian planes or while attending civilian ceremonies. Not even a t-shirt with the Marine Corps emblem was allowed.
“Planet Slimy Civilian” & the Marine Corps do not mix.
I believe the civilians will contaminate this young man & muck up his good uniform. Eyeball-fucking is never a good thing either.
Personally, I would have the diploma mailed to me & kick the dust off my feet. Fuck that school & the filthy little animals that are running it.
And let the little civilian fags wear their little pink dresses to their little civilian ceremonies.
Keep Marines far the fuck away from these people.
May 15th, 2008 at 9:13 amI took the bus to graduation, then took the bus back home. 48 hours later I stood on yellow footprints.
I should have let them mail my dipolma or just threw it away. Never meant anything to me. The Globe & Anchor did…
May 15th, 2008 at 9:34 amHere is the link to the High School’s website
http://www.bloomer.k12.wi.us/highschool.html
You can get the phone number off of the page.
I have gone to military.com and have read some of the comments there, and I am a little discouraged. There are very few that seem to understand the difference between wearing a nurses uniform and Marine Corps Dress Blues, Army Dress Uniform, Navy Whites, and Air Force Dress Uniform (my apologies to you Army Dogs and Flyboys I do not know what you guys call your dress uniforms).
I am not even 40 yet and even I can remember a day long ago where a military uniform was shown instant respect, and I grew up in a liberal community. There is and always shall be pride in putting on any one of those dress uniforms.
Semper Fi!
May 15th, 2008 at 9:59 amAgree w/ an earlier comment…
I feel the young guy should have just worn it to graduation & said nothing. But respecting protocol he made the request and… DENIED. SAD.
Got nothin’ but R E S P E C T for Daniel.
FWIW I still think he should wear it underneath his gown. Then upon receiving his diploma, he should have a family member toss him his cover (up on stage) & step outta’ the gown.
This is H.S. graduation for shits sake. This guy looking respectful will only make little kids who attend graduation want to be a Marine… Lord forbid!
May 15th, 2008 at 10:25 amI totally agree with you dude. I actually graduated from high school early to join the marines. Lets just say, I could not care less about not being able to attend my graduation ceremony. I dont know if I even ever got the damn diploma.
I cried when my eagle, globe, and anchor was handed to me. The “education” I received at boot camp made me a man and changed my life.
That being said, I had two sisters that got married and forbid me from wearing my dress blues. Mind you, my family was very supportive of my military service. They just didnt want me to upstage their husbands. It wasn’t my day; it was theirs. At this young Marines graduation it isnt his day alone. In the end, if he wears his blues or not it really wont matter.
The real issue to me - in this dynamic between military and civilian standards - is why cant this young marine drink now?
May 15th, 2008 at 11:20 amHere’s a link to the school board.
http://www.bloomer.k12.wi.us/Board.html
Take a close look at the picture. Any questions as to why this board wouldn’t allow Mr. Ligen to wear the uniform that he earned?
Bonus question: Any guesses who made the un-seconded motion to grant an exception? I’ve got a good idea that it was Mr. Gumness (Front row, right).
Kahuna
May 15th, 2008 at 12:25 pmWhy not just let him wear a pin or sash like someone said? That we he can acknowlege his service.
May 15th, 2008 at 1:26 pmYou are so right! I can’t believe they have the Board member’s phone numbers posted. Another observation, their mascot is “The Blackhawk”. Doesn’t that just beat all?
May 15th, 2008 at 1:59 pmTotally f’ed up. Cap and gown is fine for civilians, the Marine uniform shows more to me than a stupid cap n gown. Here’s a kid who’s already decided to make something of himself and should be a great example to his classmates. But not in the sorry ass education system.
Marx and Alinsky trump Chesty once again.
May 15th, 2008 at 6:02 pmI think he can wear whatever he wants under the gown during the ceremony, and then after the ceremony, he can takeoff the gown at the reception. Kids wear shorts and such under the gown. Hey, he’ll be overdressed. Why wrinkle your fine uniform for these people?
May 15th, 2008 at 8:31 pmOh, and Daniel Ligen, I salute you.
May 15th, 2008 at 8:32 pm