Posted on May 21, 2016
Navy uniform upheaval, new tattoo rules: May letters
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Readers weighed in on the high-level discussions to ditch the blue-and-gray Navy working uniform and on the new tattoo rules that allow sailors to have a neck tattoo and sleeves on their arms.
Want to share your take on these and other issues? Send them to [login to see] . Include your name, address, phone number, city, state and rank. Submissions may be published in print and online, and edited for content, clarity and space.
UNIFORM UPHEAVAL
NAVY TIMES
The Navy is ready to dump the military's most pointless uniform
As a recruiter I do get tons of compliments from civilians on how our digital blues are the best looking out of all branches. But looking good isn’t more important than general safety from having it melt to your skin. In my personal opinion I agree to just ditch the digital blue. They are pointless in camo scheme, too heavy, and aren’t fire retardant in a branch highly trained for fire fighting as an all hands effort. I say standard issue the [NWU ] Type 2 or Type 3 and have the deserts worn in summer months and greens worn in winter months on while on shore duty. Same concept the Marine Corps abides with their digital uniforms.
AD2 Daniel Berger
Ocala, Fla.
___________________
I feel the blue two piece uniform the U.S. Coast Guard wears, the Operational Dress Uniform, would be functional and cost effective for the Navy to transition into, for shore and sea duty.
AC1 Ricky J. Williams
Garland, Texas
___________________
The camouflage that is the NWU Type I is such a horrible idea. Why would a person sign off on a uniform that allows a person to blend in with going overboard? What is wrong with coveralls on a ship? If a person is assigned to a ship, that should be their only ‘working’ uniform. Do not get fancy.
One of the best designs I ever saw was from another Navy that had a strip of the glow in the dark lime green around one of their arms. I thought it was a brilliant idea, if the ship had lost electrical power and was trying to find fallen Sailors.
ETC Louis Pyzik (Ret.)
Charlottesville, Va.
___________________
NWU Type I - just get rid of them. On ships, Sailors wear coveralls most of the time. Sailors can wear clean coveralls on base only and can go to and from home only (true emergencies can be an exception, but otherwise no exceptions). Then have those coveralls that are worn for the dirty work, like painting, working in the engineering spaces. For office-type shore-duty, Sailors can wear the NSU/khakis. For shore-duty that is more industrial work is going, Sailors wear coveralls. For Sailors that wear NWU Type III, leave them in those. When it comes to coveralls, everyone should have the fire retardant ones.
We have had far too many uniform changes, especially when you compare our other service counterparts. There are far better things that this money could be put towards. Far too many commands are short on people, need more money for maintenance, etc. Can we stop wasting money on unnecessary uniform changes?
OS1 Sabrina Beyea (Ret.)
Yokosuka, Japan
___________________
I hope the new flight suit coveralls get picked up. As an HT, I put all kinds of stuff in my pockets to six-inch steel rulers to scribes. Plus they look a whole lot nicer than the FRV’s and more form fitting. I wouldn’t have to worry about snagging my rear end on some sharp object due to the extra material flopping around in the breeze.
HT1 Josh Fischer
Yokosuka, Japan
___________________
NEW TATTOO RULES
NAVY TIMES
The U.S. Navy's new tattoo rules explained
I’ve given this New Tattoo Policy a lot of thought and even though I have six tattoos myself, I have to say that I’m not in agreement. When I’m dressed in my regular civilian clothing you can only see one of my tattoos, on my right forearm. My remaining five tattoos are covered unless I’m wearing a tank top or shirtless. I do not agree with allowing Sailors to have “Sleeves” or to have any tattoos on their neck or behind an ear, which to me will only tarnish the meaning of wearing a uniform. There needs to be limitations to every policy, especially one that weighs heavy on our men and woman who are serving in our Navy. These are our ambassadors and they represent this great country, no one wants to see a shipmate standing the watch or marching in a parade with tattoos all up his or her arm or on the neck.
Lt. Cmdr. Daryl F. Walls (Ret.)
Camarillo, Calif.
Want to share your take on these and other issues? Send them to [login to see] . Include your name, address, phone number, city, state and rank. Submissions may be published in print and online, and edited for content, clarity and space.
UNIFORM UPHEAVAL
NAVY TIMES
The Navy is ready to dump the military's most pointless uniform
As a recruiter I do get tons of compliments from civilians on how our digital blues are the best looking out of all branches. But looking good isn’t more important than general safety from having it melt to your skin. In my personal opinion I agree to just ditch the digital blue. They are pointless in camo scheme, too heavy, and aren’t fire retardant in a branch highly trained for fire fighting as an all hands effort. I say standard issue the [NWU ] Type 2 or Type 3 and have the deserts worn in summer months and greens worn in winter months on while on shore duty. Same concept the Marine Corps abides with their digital uniforms.
AD2 Daniel Berger
Ocala, Fla.
___________________
I feel the blue two piece uniform the U.S. Coast Guard wears, the Operational Dress Uniform, would be functional and cost effective for the Navy to transition into, for shore and sea duty.
AC1 Ricky J. Williams
Garland, Texas
___________________
The camouflage that is the NWU Type I is such a horrible idea. Why would a person sign off on a uniform that allows a person to blend in with going overboard? What is wrong with coveralls on a ship? If a person is assigned to a ship, that should be their only ‘working’ uniform. Do not get fancy.
One of the best designs I ever saw was from another Navy that had a strip of the glow in the dark lime green around one of their arms. I thought it was a brilliant idea, if the ship had lost electrical power and was trying to find fallen Sailors.
ETC Louis Pyzik (Ret.)
Charlottesville, Va.
___________________
NWU Type I - just get rid of them. On ships, Sailors wear coveralls most of the time. Sailors can wear clean coveralls on base only and can go to and from home only (true emergencies can be an exception, but otherwise no exceptions). Then have those coveralls that are worn for the dirty work, like painting, working in the engineering spaces. For office-type shore-duty, Sailors can wear the NSU/khakis. For shore-duty that is more industrial work is going, Sailors wear coveralls. For Sailors that wear NWU Type III, leave them in those. When it comes to coveralls, everyone should have the fire retardant ones.
We have had far too many uniform changes, especially when you compare our other service counterparts. There are far better things that this money could be put towards. Far too many commands are short on people, need more money for maintenance, etc. Can we stop wasting money on unnecessary uniform changes?
OS1 Sabrina Beyea (Ret.)
Yokosuka, Japan
___________________
I hope the new flight suit coveralls get picked up. As an HT, I put all kinds of stuff in my pockets to six-inch steel rulers to scribes. Plus they look a whole lot nicer than the FRV’s and more form fitting. I wouldn’t have to worry about snagging my rear end on some sharp object due to the extra material flopping around in the breeze.
HT1 Josh Fischer
Yokosuka, Japan
___________________
NEW TATTOO RULES
NAVY TIMES
The U.S. Navy's new tattoo rules explained
I’ve given this New Tattoo Policy a lot of thought and even though I have six tattoos myself, I have to say that I’m not in agreement. When I’m dressed in my regular civilian clothing you can only see one of my tattoos, on my right forearm. My remaining five tattoos are covered unless I’m wearing a tank top or shirtless. I do not agree with allowing Sailors to have “Sleeves” or to have any tattoos on their neck or behind an ear, which to me will only tarnish the meaning of wearing a uniform. There needs to be limitations to every policy, especially one that weighs heavy on our men and woman who are serving in our Navy. These are our ambassadors and they represent this great country, no one wants to see a shipmate standing the watch or marching in a parade with tattoos all up his or her arm or on the neck.
Lt. Cmdr. Daryl F. Walls (Ret.)
Camarillo, Calif.
Navy uniform upheaval, new tattoo rules: May letters
Posted from navytimes.com
Uniforms
Tattoos
Posted >1 y ago
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Thanks for keeping us informed SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL. Lets hope the U.S Navy's personnel and uniform policies stabilize soon and that they are reasonable and don't respond to fads.
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I have never understood the idiotic decision to have Sailors wear uniform THAT WILL FREAKING HIDE THEM IN THE WATER if they go overboard.
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MCPO Roger Collins
Dungarees and chambray shirts served us well for many years. Easy to store, will not melt with your skin, can serve as a flotation device, and looks good with a Dixie Cup on top. Specialized uniforms for those that need them should be on a case by case basis (I.e., SEALs). But that wouldn't satisfy the MIC that probably never wore a military uniform.
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CPO (Join to see)
MCPO Roger Collins - Master Chief, the problem is they started back in 2005 or so the Navy wanted everyone in one working uniform then they came up with this thing. Well they were going to make everyone ware the uniform until the units deployed then they could wear the appropriate mission uniform for the theater they would be operating in. Well NECC and NSW (SEALS) had a big problem with this as all their units need to go out to the field and train during there preparation for the next deployment. They proved that SEAL's, EOD, SeaBees, Riverine and other NECC would always have to be in at least the type III (Green digis) so they came out with an instruction that maid that uniform organizational gear and uniform so NAVY Paid for it and it is a servable uniform they will never have to buy. The thing with that was all members of NECC and NSW had to have 4 sets of Blue Digis and they would never wear them do to the communities they worked in. These units would have the Type II (Desert) and Type III greens. These to uniforms are outstanding for those mission sets. They have Combat shirts and flame resistant under garments they wear with these uniforms.
Now here we are today the Blue uniform has no use except shore duty and Home Port wear around the Bases. Well this is not good, so now the MCPON as you can see in several photos is always in the type III uniform even when on ship visits and he says he is in that because he is going to visit SeaBees and NECC units that are forward deployed. He is hardly ever in the Blues, that is because that thing sucks and the green one is comfortable as heck. I think by making all sailors go to green he will be able to say everyone is in one uniform and I do not agree. There are those of us that fill that uniform is earned as in all the above normal tactical training that comes with being in those ground combat units. Back when this all started the Coast Guard offered the Navy the use of their uniform so all floating would look a like. In the end this is what they will do as NSW and NECC will be fighting again and as you said there will always be those that will have to wear another type uniform like the over 65,000 NSW and NECC communities.
Now here we are today the Blue uniform has no use except shore duty and Home Port wear around the Bases. Well this is not good, so now the MCPON as you can see in several photos is always in the type III uniform even when on ship visits and he says he is in that because he is going to visit SeaBees and NECC units that are forward deployed. He is hardly ever in the Blues, that is because that thing sucks and the green one is comfortable as heck. I think by making all sailors go to green he will be able to say everyone is in one uniform and I do not agree. There are those of us that fill that uniform is earned as in all the above normal tactical training that comes with being in those ground combat units. Back when this all started the Coast Guard offered the Navy the use of their uniform so all floating would look a like. In the end this is what they will do as NSW and NECC will be fighting again and as you said there will always be those that will have to wear another type uniform like the over 65,000 NSW and NECC communities.
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