Aye it's me with another military question; I lost my last thread so I'm sorry for creating a new one. Again this is for my friend who is FtM and heading off to the Marine Corps. He's going to buy a proper binder and is wondering if he can get away with it. Do any of you have tips, suggestions, or experiences you wish to share with binder wearing while in the military? Thank you in advance.

There can be no assurance of privacy in the military, particularly in boot camp or any barracks situation. Packing 100 pounds of combat gear in the Afghanistan summer heat will also obviate the need for binding.

Another consideration is that the repeal of DADT will have no impact on transsexuals. If determined to be gender variant, your friend would almost certainly be discharged.

Robyn

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,98753.msg726781.html

Sorry I don't have any advice, I've never been in the military.

Thank you for posting that link to my old thread JohnAlex. My friend's a bit depressed about not being able to buy a binder but I'm hoping the possible gain in muscle mass will help him get through it.

Once he gets through bootcamp and any schools that are afterwards, you are pretty free to dress how you like as far as a binder is concerned.  As Robyn said, trans folks still have no choice about military service.  I survived 20 years by living 2 different lives.  It is hard and takes dedication, but not impossible.  You don't have to hang out with anybody you are stationed with once you are off duty, so enjoy life.   If your friend needs some advice from a Marine, by best friend is gay, not trans, but he also has to hide and has left active duty for reserves.  Maybe I can get him to give your friend some advice.

This guy's in the army and posts about his experiences every so often (he seems pretty open about it). He binds, although has to put up with most people viewing him as a butch lesbian.
If you or your friend are on tumblr, it might be worth messaging him about his experiences?

Been 4 years in the German Air Force and I have one *extremely* hard time to imagine an FtM EVER being able to pull that one off!

Firstly Boot Camp, communal showers, sharing rooms with 5 other guys, all hopping around in pyjamas or less at times. That's already beyond my imagination, really.

Then moving on to the barracks, sharing room with 3 dudes and all that's going on there! Farting, cussing, etc. etc. some of  it REALLY gross even for some cis-male.

Moving on as I did, to become NCO, and NCO school, extremely physical and of course swatting, more boot camp stuff, and finally back at the barracks sharing still a room with one other NCO.

Well, I have no bad imagination but this item just beats me.
Never mind binders, good man! Mixing vagina with penis territory?! Hey!
The guys would laugh at you if yours was on the small side, now how about sporting a vag?

Don't know what to say any further, it's almost too funny if not tragic.
Good luck though with the binder,
Axelle

I'm really confused.  Does he want to join the marines as male and present as male?  Or does he just want to wear a binder?  The first is absolutely impossible so I'll adress the second as well as I can.  I was army, but from my experience he won't be able to take one into bootcamp and it's impractical anyways.  His body will be pushed to the limit and a binder is the last thing he's going to want/be able to physically wear.  After camp and AIT he could wear whatever he likes under the uniform.

i would be more worried about his safety then hiding his breasts if one sex deprived man were to discover the fact he is pre-SRS he could be in trouble just saying not a safe situation for him.

LilDoberman, now I'm confused also. Are there female Marines, a crack US combat outfit

Frankly all of this discussion looks more and more like fantasy-land.

Too funny, if it was not rather tragic, since I can understand the wishful thinking behind it all.

Try wear a binder when totally exhausted crawling through the dirt and submerged in swamp water up to your neck, rifle help atop your steel-roof... or crawling through barb wire obstacles and get tear gas chucked at you... and on.

A complete no-no, just can't see it ever.

After some of those "entertainments" I was ready to kill the drill-sergeant! If wearing a binder I'd have had a heart attack more likely.

Axelle

The US has both male and female marines, although only males can do infintry and certain other job specialties.

He's not going to be able to join as male, there's just no way.  I mean, it's simply impossible so it's not even worth theorizing over.  If he wants to join as female and then, what, try to convince everyone else he's male once he's in unit?  Not going to work.  Everyone will know his birth sex.  Period.  End of story.  If he wants to go through bootcamp as female and accepts being known as female as long as he can bind and feel more comfortable that way, well, that's a possibility I guess but not something I'd want to sign up for, and certainly not for 4 years.  How's that for a run-on sentence?

Point blank, transgenders are not allowed in the military in the US at.all.  Binding after boot camp and ait is one thing .. maybe ... if some one in the barracks doesn't blow your friend in. 

Re-joining the USMC was something I gave up complete hope of the day I got my first shot ... after that there's kind of no turning back ...  Aside from not wanting to bind during boot camp (just because of the ->-bleeped-<- you have to do) it would not be allowed.  They issue you EVERYTHING ... sure ... you can bring your own clothes, but your not going to get to wear them ... right down to your underwear.  everything.is.standard.issue. 

Hate to break it to you ... but being a ->-bleeped-<- in the military (unless you're in complete hiding, and are comfortable waiting until your out to really take control of your life/looks) is going to be pretty tough, and very very risky.