If anyone is interested here is the link to check out for obtaining use of military trademarks. Currently in the processes of obtaining the Marine hobbyist licensing cost is $30 per year with sales up to $5,000.
http://www.defense.gov/Media/Trademarks
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Good information, I had no idea. Let me know if they send you the artwork, I’m considering this but I’d hate to do this and end up having to search online for the drawings.
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This all started when i was thinking of buying a .stl file. It got me thinking about how they might have the rights to sell the file but do i have the rights to reproduce it. so i started looking in to it and found this info.
I like how the Marines make it easy, $30 for hobbyists. On the other hand, the Navy requires a business plan, credit scores, business records for past years, samples, etc. Even after being out for 6 years they manage to find ways to keep trying to screw me over… 
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I’ve been out of the Navy for over 30 years. One just has to remind them that the Navy and the Marine Corps are part of the same DoD Department, i.e. the Department of the Navy. And one should not be very subtle or gentle when reminding the Navy of this fact.
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Glad to say that I got a response from the Marine trademark office and my application was accepted. got my $30 paid just waiting on my hobbyist license number.
They did send a little bit of artwork. Mostly guidelines of dos and do nots So here is what I made.
This is a one piece project cut with easel and f-engrave.
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Beauty! I owe a jarhead friend of mine something nice, that looks like something he’d love. Did you pre-stain to get the color difference?
The way I made this one I could not pre stain I did this in many steps.
- remove 1/8th material across the whole board leaving the U.S.M.C. as raised lettering.
- make a silhouette of the eagle /globe and anchor and cut a circle pocket around the image 1/4in. deep.
- make the v carving of the image
- cut out a 17 1/ inch circle
- finish sand and paint/stain.
I am aware that this could be done in fewer steps. But making each element a separate cut allowed me to tweak the project as i went along. This is a gift to a Marine vet I work with.
BITS USED
.75 POCKET BIT
.25 STRAIGHT FLUTE
.125 2 FLUTE UPCUT
.055 FISHTAIL
.5 90 DEG. V
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What is it with all of these crazy questions and a credit report with score??? Man Brutal. I am gonna have to look at only doing military logos for friends and family as gifts at this rate. I was already avoiding all Sports team logos for this reason now I shall hold off on all Government logos as well. Whats next? Do we have to go to DC Comics or stop using any superhero stuff too??? Actually probably is all owned by Stan Lee…
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Licensing is a big deal to me, None of my products for sale will ever have a copyright infringement item however I do see a ton of that kind of stuff being made all over the woodworking and CNC communities. I think it is good to notify the groups on watching their legal tails in the case of a lot of things we make.
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Well, I got marine corps decals that Ive made in my car, I haven’t sold any because I just don’t want to, I could but I just don’t. And if I ever do and if they wanna court martial me after being out for 21 years they can do so, lol. Even though I don’t wanna go back to the brig, but Im sure that they got bigger things to worry about than just a few decals or any pieces of wood with our emblem on them. Plus they got a descent piece of me for my service to this country, so hopefully they will overlook a couple of decals. By the way Shane, that piece is gorgeous, if I didn’t have an xcarve I would definitely buy that from you. Keep up the good work!!!
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The reason I went with getting the license was for selling at festivals and craft shows. Some of the places we set up require proof that you either own your design of show that you have reproduction rights. $30 and a few days wait is alot less hassle. in recent years we have done more business and better profit just having proof because in our business there are alot of made in china knockoff products.
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Yeah I agree with that, never hurts to be safe.
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Awesome, thanks for the link! I have been trying to go by the book and it is pretty damn hard. At least they are reasonable. I did some searching and emailing for NFL, and they might learn a thing or two from this. Hobbyists cant afford a min of 100k a year 
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Navy now has a hobbyist license I just got mine last week
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Link??
Thanks