News agencies across the country,and social media sites like Instagram, Twitter and Facebook have blown up with Marines being called in to hold umbrella's for the President even though it violates Marine code.  Right or wrong? You be the judge by answering our poll inside the story.

 

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President Obama was having a joint news conference today with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan when a bit of rain started to fall on the Rose Garden.  President Obama immediately ordered in Marines to hold their umbrella's.

This may not seem like a big deal to many but it is to many a well.  From my understanding and brief research, it is highly unorthodox.

Why don't we get a couple of Marines. They're gonna look good next to us. Just 'cuz I've got a change of suits, but I don't know about our prime minister. There we go. [Gestures to press.] You guys, I'm sorry about

Sure, he is the President of the United States but he is not royalty and this is not the first time a President has been sprinkled on.  Marine Corps spokesman Capt. Greg Wolf said the practice is a rarity and in fact, not even allowed by the Marine Corp as a male in uniform is NOT allowed to carry an umbrella.  We'll get to that in just a minute.

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Umbrella duty is always the job of White House staff; especially at the White House as you can see from this stock image of the Reagan's going out in the rain. President Bush and President Bush both held their own umbrella's and Clinton had an intern do it. (That was a Clinton joke for those who didn't catch it.)

As a matter of fact, I searched Google images back to Nixon (then got tired of looking) and couldn't find a one of a Marine holding an umbrella for any of them. Staffers did and largely, they held their own.

According to Marine Corps regulation MCO P1020.34F of the Marine Corps Uniform Regulations - chapter 3, a male Marine is not allowed to carry an umbrella while in uniform. Not even the President of the United States can request a Marine to carry an umbrella without the express consent of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, according the Marine Corps Manual.  Section 2806 paragraph 2 of the Marine Corps Manual specifically states “The Marine Corps Uniform Regulations, published by the Commandant of the Marine Corps, shall be binding on all Marines. No officer or official shall issue instructions which conflict with, alter, or amend any provision without the approval of the Commandant of the Marine Corps.

If our "Commander in Chief" had actually served in the military he would know this.

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