UPDATE: Always on top when I screw up. Reader Mike nails my blabbering to the wall. I missed an important part of the message:
A. THE PRODUCTION OF A SINGLE NAVY WORKING UNIFORM FOR WEAR BY ALL SAILORS E-1 TO O-10 -- AT SEA AND ASHORE AND ACROSS ALL COMMUNITIES. THIS BDU-STYLE UNIFORM WILL FEATURE THREE VARIANTS, ALL IN A MULTI-COLOR DIGITAL PRINT PATTERN, PREDOMINATELY BLUE, WITH SOME GRAY, FOR SHIPBOARD AND NORMAL NAVY USE, JUNGLE/WOODLAND CAMOUFLAGE, AND DESERT CAMOUFLAGE.After hanging my head in shame - this brought up another couple of questions. (1) How do we simplify the seabag by going to three (3) sets of BDU? (2) Why is this better than the Army one (1) BDU for saving money?
Humbled, but still not happy with the decision. Navalize the Army BDU and call it even. Rummy, call your office. Orig post below.
That is the first thing that crossed my mind when I saw the "approved" Navy BDU.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Mullen approved plans for a single working uniform for all ranks and a year-round service uniform for E-6 and below Sailors.
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The BDU-style working uniform, designed to replace seven different styles of current working uniforms, is made of a near maintenance-free permanent press 50/50 nylon and cotton blend. Worn with a blue cotton t-shirt, it will include 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.Look at that heat-sink (higher res here). Everyone who has been deployed on the deck (not in the air looking down) to Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, and/or Iraq during the summertime in the last 5 years raise your hands. The summer, heck spring and fall, direct sun of SW Asia should not be a shock to anyone. Throw in the deck of a CVN and think about how dark that uniform is. I am not going to even talk about the "blue theme." That BDU is going to give Sailors heat stroke and will do zip, zero, nada to anyone trying to hide in a desert environment.
I hope our Corpsmen get to wear Marine BDU. If you are Haji bringing your AK up on a group of Americans, if you even bother to aim, where are you naturally going to point....right! At the dark target against the light background. This is so wrong in so many ways. I like that they kept the hat and all, but just take the Marine or Army pattern, save some money, and get to the business of the Navy. I am sorry. I don't care about your desire to hide you paint stains (this won't do it BTW). This is the wrong answer. As we say in D.C. - I non-concur, sir.
The new service uniform is not going to make the Chief's Mess happy (another tradition down the pipe).
The service uniform for E-6 and below is comprised of 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 belt less slacks for females and optional belt less skirt, and a black unisex garrison cap. Silver anodized-metal rank insignia will be worn on shirt/blouse collars and cap. The service uniform will also include a black relaxed-fit Eisenhower-style jacket with a knit stand-up collar and epaulets, on which petty officers will wear large, silver anodized-metal rank insignia. Those entitled to wear gold chevrons will continue to wear gold chevrons on the large metal rank insignia on the jacket.I have not been happy with Task Force Uniform for awhile. It is tough for me to say, because I have worked with the MCPON when he was at C5F......he knows the heat/direct sun issue.
Not to be a nattering-naybob-of-negitivism - there is one thing I liked.
The work of TFU will not stop. Next on the agenda is to evaluate additional uniform options, such as reviving the traditional Service Dress Khaki uniform for chiefs and officers,You wish. I mean this Service Dress Khaki, that like most great things, was done away with in the 1970s.
One snarky comment from the backbenches in the Salamander family - did you notice that 2/3 of the Navy is female?
Hat tip Lex (he gets a twofer today).
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