A custom in the military is to have military creases in your uniform. These are a series of creases ironed into your uniform. They divide your shirt into even thirds front and back and give your pants a crisp edge. In a dress uniform they do look sharp. Every laundry in and around your base will do them with out asking.

If you are lucky enough to and buy a set of polyester uniforms they will always have military creases. Dress uniforms, as I said, are much better looking when they are in them. However, some crazy commands require you have them in your working uniform as well, dungarees. Let me tell you this from first hand knowledge, it is hard to get them on your shirts, unless you use plenty of starch.

Those who fail to do this properly have what is called summer creases. Summer here, summer there, summer in the wrong direction. Of if you took your shirt from the dryer and didn’t iron it at all you were asked that. Or you are asked if you ironed your shirt with a rock. Some commands did not require military creases in your working uniform, which was a good thing. If you try to do military creases and do not line them up each time you get rail road tracks, multiple parallel lines in your shirt.

Working uniforms required ironing after each wash. Some people would take the time to add creases to their shirts, but those were normally combat or supply guys.