United States Marine Corps off-base, except in transit to and from their place of duty and in the event of an emergency. As in any military organization, the official and unofficial traditions of the Marine Corps serve to reinforce camaraderie and set the service apart from others. The Corps' embrace of its rich culture and history is cited as a reason for its high "esprit de corps". The "Marines' Hymn" dates back to the 19th century and is the oldest official song in the United States armed forces. The Marine motto "Semper Fidelis" means "Always Faithful" in Latin, often appearing as "Semper Fi"; also
Uniforms of the United States Marine Corps white trousers are not authorized for wear with either the long-sleeved or the short-sleeved khaki shirt, precluding the "C" and "D" uniforms. This uniform replaced, in 2000, an all-white uniform, similar in appearance to that of the Naval Officer/CPO white dress uniform. To differentiate themselves from the infantry, musicians—at that time, buglers and signal callers—would reverse the traditional colors. Today members of the ten Marine Corps field bands wear the standard Blue Dress uniforms, while the members of the United States Marine Corps Band (The President's Own) and the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps (The Commandant's Own), both