Authorized for enlisted Marines only, the waist plate is designed to be worn exclusively with dress uniforms during special ceremonies or at the discretion of the local commander. Male Marines wear it with the white web coat belt when wearing the Dress Blue or Dress Blue-White “A” uniforms. It is also authorized for wear by Males with the enlisted Blue Dress “C” and “D uniforms when the sword is prescribed to be carried. Enlisted Female Marines, on other hand, wear the combination of white web belt and waist plate when carrying the NCO sword with the Blue Dress Uniform.
This NCO specification brings up another aspect of the waist plate that few outside the Marine Corps know about. There actually three types waist plates, with the plain version (for Lance Corporals and below) made of highly polished brass and worn centered on the coat’s front buttons. An NCO version is the same size and is also attached to the coat’s buttons, but the Marine Corps’ Eagle, Globe, and Anchor (EGA) emblem is affixed to the plate. Lastly, the SNCO (Staff Non-Commissioned Officer) version also has the EGA emblem on the plate, but encircled by a wreath. All three versions of the waist plate have been anodized since 2003.