July 01, 2008
New Navy uniform leaves this swabbie cold
050220-N-6932B-008 Kuwait Naval Base, Kuwait (Feb. 20, 2005) - Gunner's Mate 1st Class David K. Bartlett, assigned to Inshore Boat Unit Two Four (IBU-24), Squadron Two Five, is one of 30 volunteers from IBU-24 putting the Navy's newest concept uniforms to the test as participants in Task Force Uniform. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 1st Class Richard J. Brunson (RELEASED)
Petty Officer Gerald Lief models the traditional Navy working uniform -- dungarees, chambray shirt and dixie-cup -- somewhere in the Sea of Japan during the Korean War.
Well, it looks like the Navy has officially decided its time to ditch dungarees and dixie-cups in favor of a copycat camo uniform.
Five years after canvassing the fleet for suggestions on new and more practical uniforms for the 21st century, the Navy has started rolling out a year-round service uniform for Sailors E-6 and below and a Battle Dress Uniform, or BDU-style, working uniform for all ranks.
[...]
The new Navy working uniform (NWU) replaces the utilities, wash khaki, coveralls, woodland green, aviation green, winter working blues and summer whites.
With a digital print pattern incorporating Navy blue, deck gray, haze gray and black, the NWU is a wash-and-wear 50/50 nylon and cotton blend. The majority of Sailors surveyed preferred a BDU-style uniform, one that doesn't show spots, stains or heavy wear like a solid color uniform and allows mending of small tears in fabric, saving money in replacement costs.
Worn with a blue cotton T-shirt, the new Navy working uniform comes with an eight-point cover, a black web belt with closed buckle and black smooth leather boots, with black suede no-shine boots for optional wear while assigned to non-shipboard commands. Cold-weather options include a unisex pullover sweater, a fleece jacket, and a Gore-Tex parka.
"Besides reducing the seabag and providing ease of maintenance, a camouflage-style uniform puts us more in line with our sister services in terms of our appearance," said Master Chief Arthur Rivers, assistant head for the Navy's Uniform Matters Office.
In the future, Sailors operating in tactical environments, including expeditionary Sailors and SEALs, will wear either woodland or desert digital patterns.
The year-round service uniform for E-6 and below includes a short-sleeve khaki shirt for males and an over-blouse for females, made from a wash-and-wear 75/25 polyester and wool blend, with permanent military creases, black trousers for males with beltless slacks for females and optional beltless skirt, and a black unisex garrison cap. Silver anodized-metal rank insignia will be worn on shirt and blouse collars and cap, replacing the rating badge with a collar device that can be taken on and off a uniform and easily updated upon promotion. The service uniform's non-vertical match – tops and bottoms are different colors – is in line with equivalent uniforms of the other service branches.
Great. Nearly a hundred years of tradition out the window, so sailors can look more like soldiers.
Will someone explain to me why men working aboard warships need camo working uniforms? And why a camo pattern that incorporates colors and patterns designed to blend with ocean, ship and sky?
"MAN OVERBOARD!"
"Where is he?"
"I dunno; that new uniform is so stealthy."
"Yeah, and it hides stains, too."
"I like all the pockets"
"Me too."
"Say, what ever happened to Smitty?"
"Oh, yeah. Hmmm."
Great idea. The article mentions that SEALS and other Naval types operating ashore will get camo patterns with terrestrial color schemes, so it seems that the only folks who will be hiding in plain sight with these new uniforms are the men in the fleet.
What a wasteful boondoggle.
Posted by Mike Lief at July 1, 2008 05:44 AM
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Comments
hey, could've been worse. at least they're not wearing berets, like everyone else seems to be.
or do-rags.
yet.
Posted by: the asset at July 1, 2008 01:55 PM