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Saw these new unifroms, didn't know if ne1 has seen them yet, if so, can u tell me when they are issuing them out?

I think they are still in a testing phase with these (last I asked a couple weeks ago). I'll ask around, I've see one PO wearing this in my area, but I think she's part of the test group. But, what exactly are you camouflaged from? I don't see a need for camouflage aboard ship, if you're overboard, well then something is wrong and you would probably do all you can to be seen. If you made it ashore and need to evade...you're all blue?!

yea good point.... and i hav no answer... what is it's purpose?

Well, as they told us, the new camos are supposed to be 'digital camoflage' (sp?). If someone runs a radar on a ship, all they're gonna see is the skin of the ship- not how many personell are on board (because of the new camo). The reason doesn't stick with me, but it's not like they gave us alot of choice- basically, it was like, 'alright, we're changing uniforms, which one do you want it to change to?'. There wasn't really an option of, "I like 'em the way they are, thanks!".
Could be because I'm fairly low-ranking, but it seemed no one really had the option to say "no change".

The camoulflage is supposed to make wrinkles and stains less obvious. It's more for ease of maintenance than to blend in to the environment.

quote:

Originally posted by morania:
The camoulflage is supposed to make wrinkles and stains less obvious. It's more for ease of maintenance than to blend in to the environment.

I will second this comment.

Also there was a survey not too long ago on BUPERS Online. We should be hearing some more about what is going to happen with the new uniforms by the end of this year. Hopefully, other then that it is good ole "Hurry Up and Wait".

Don't believe I'm seeing this! You guy's advocate uniforms that are wrinkled and stained? That the camouflage material is only meant more for ease of maintenence than blending into the environment?

gunny--kinda funny I was thinking the same I don't ever remember Uncle Sam making uniforms for comfort and easy to maintain.Do remember when you rolled up a pair Dress Blues how screwed up they were.Also if you fell overboard in blues you wouldn't have to worry about your next pay check.

Wonder if that ever actually happened to a Sailor in blues? (falling over board)

Don't know gunny but I remember how heavy they were I bet at least 30-40 lbs we had to hand wash our work Blues in Boot and I remember we would hang one part on one end and the other part on the other end end.

You'd be surprised at how fast one can become naked after falling of the side of a ship!

gunny -I have a feeling if I ever fell off the side of a ship underway with the screws chopping up the water I would have other things on my mind.I have also saw some pretty cold North Atlantic water.Come to think of it sinking down temp. might be a good thing .

hmmm, my reference was to ditching waterlogged heavy clothing so's I could at least get my nose above the waterline......

gunny-I guess there has been man-overboard with people in blues before .I put 2 yrs. on the USS St Paul(CA 73) which was a Big Gun Crusier and the top watches all stood underway watch in Undress Blues.

Norfolk Virginian-Pilot
March 3, 2006

Unchanged Navy Updates Its Look With New Uniform

By Dale Eisman and Louis Hansen, The Virginian-Pilot

WASHINGTON - Tomorrow's sailor is going to look a lot like today's Marine.

Capping a three-year study that included surveys of 60,000 officers and enlisted members and test-wearing of prototype uniforms by hundreds of sailors, Navy leaders unveiled new "working" and "service" uniforms on Thursday that could begin showing up in the fleet sometime next year.

"It's a well-rounded uniform," said Master Chief Petty Officer Robert Carroll, a 33-year Navy veteran who headed the panel of officers and enlisted sailors that recommended the change.

"You can go from peacetime to combat without having to worry about going down below to change your clothes," Carroll said.

The working uniform, to be worn by officers and enlisted aboard ship, has a "digital print" pattern somewhat similar to camouflage uniforms worn by soldiers and Marines. Rather than the desert tan or woodland colors of those services, however, the Navy uniform will be blue and gray, the colors of the sea and ships, Carroll said.

The Marine-style service uniform, to be worn by petty officers and other junior enlisted sailors in offices or classrooms ashore, will have a short-sleeved khaki shirt, or over-blouse for women, with black pants or skirt.

Unchanged, for now anyway, are the Navy's "dress blues," with their double-breasted and gold-buttoned jackets for officers and the venerable "crackerjack" style for enlisted sailors.

"That's truly where our tradition lies," Carroll said.

The new uniforms should be more comfortable and durable than those they will replace, Carroll said. And, unlike the current attire, they will have a distinctive military look. The new working uniform will be equal parts nylon and cotton. The service uniform will be a 75/25 polyester-cotton blend. The Navy wants the working uniforms to last 24 months - four times as long as those sailors now wear - and adopted the digital design in part because it hides stains and wrinkles.

Petty Officer 1st Class Herod E. Evans Jr., who tested the new uniforms for several months last year on the Norfolk-based amphibious assault ship Iwo Jima, said they proved comfortable and practical during the ship's deployment to the Gulf Coast for Hurricane Katrina relief.

Grease stains from cooking over a grill virtually disappeared into the camouflage, he said. And the jacket was awesome. "Once you put it on, if it was rainy and cold, you didn't feel anything," Evans said.

"More than 70 percent of wear-test participants favored the digital blue … uniform to any other option and a like number came down in favor of the khaki/black service uniform," Adm. Mike Mullen, the chief of naval operations, told other senior admirals in an e-mail sent Thursday morning.

"This wasn't a popularity contest by any stretch. But we would have been foolish not to consider the opinions of the men and women who will wear these uniforms," Mullen added.

Carroll said the new working uniform comes with a 21st century repair kit - swatches of fabric treated with a special adhesive sailors can activate by rubbing in their hands. A patch placed on a torn shirt will remain in place for several months, Carroll said, so the owner need not search out a tailor while at sea.

In addition to the test-wear program, the Navy conducted two major surveys of officers and enlisted members, then hired an organizational psychologist to help Carroll's panel evaluate the results.

The task force also waded through more than 5,500 pages of handwritten comments on today's uniforms from survey participants.

They found women were particularly dissatisfied with uniforms that seemed to have been designed with only the male physique in mind. The new uniform's over-blouse and un belted trousers and skirts for women drew rave reviews in the wear tests, Carroll said.

"It's not traditional, but as the Navy modernizes, so should the uniform," said Petty Officer 3rd Class Jackie Poke, an Iwo Jima sailor.

I just wonder if any of these testers ever worked on a Turbin that drives these Ships or these Diesle engines I wonder if all of those Camo spots will cover up all the oil and grease.When you sit down you will still leave a trail.

Hey Sully! I bet the old dungarees will still be used 10 years from now, on the Tin Cans when the boss man is not looking!

How are you Dave good to see you back on the board.I have been over to Mil.com Health website where You,Mike and the Cherry post sure are doing a great job.Yes I have tried using coveralls when I worked around oil they get pretty hot. I wonder what ever happened to Salior tradition that was once our greatest asset no one ever got us confused with a Jarhead or Dogface .

man them dayz are history!!

quote:

Originally posted by thegunny:
You'd be surprised at how fast one can become naked after falling of the side of a ship!

I dated a sailor while in HS who got me a pair of the dress blue bottoms. I loved them! Nice thick wool..really warm they were. That is until I ended up in the river one night at a party. I got out of em pretty quick! Not quick enough if you had asked the BF...Those buttons get tougher to undo when the wool is wet!..lol

Do they still have the laces up the back???