badger said:
Delurking to solicit some opinions....
Item 1: Everyone likes the idea of utilities for the durability, reduced care, and comfort, but how the camouflage pattern conforms to naval tradition is debatable. Would the reservations about the NWU go away if TFU proposed a plain blue/gray/khaki utility style uniform?
I didn't love the colors when I first saw them, but the idea behind them (dropping paint on them) seems sound I guess. Maybe plain colors would look better, but would they be as functional?
Item 2: The process through which TFU solicited inputs on these uniforms was by survey. 70% of the Navy is E-5 and below, and 60% of respondents said they wanted camouflage. Out of over 180 khakis assigned to this ship, I can count on one hand the number who like the idea of camouflage. Granted, giving the bluejackets some say in the uniforms is desirable, but should we let the first and second term Sailors make the call on which traditions stay and which go? If so, what happens in five or ten years when the next crop of Sailors say they want something else?
Which traditions are those? Dungarees? Already gone (the traditional style anyway). Coveralls? Not exactly a 'tradition.' Other uniforms? Are they going away (I can't remember)?
Look, I can remember wearing the old dugarees, and while I was always proud to be in the Navy, that uniform was embarrassing. A military uniform shouldn't be embarrassing, should it? Sure the khakis don't like it, they have nice uniforms to wear. Of course the 60% said they wanted new uniforms, anything is better than what they've got. As a chief would I be thrilled about swapping my khakis for the new utilities? No way! Would it look right for E-6 and below to wear the planned utilities and the E-7 and above to wear khakis? I doubt it. Perhaps if the E-6 and below wore a solid color utility the khakis could keep their current uniform without it looking silly? I'm not sure if it would work, or if it defeats the purpose of the whole switch, but it's one idea.
Oh, and just out of curiosity, how many from the wardroom are on their third tour or more? There were plenty of 20 year first classes on my boat who wouldn't have liked to be lumped in with the "giving the bluejackets some say in the uniforms is desirable, but should we let the first and second term Sailors make the call on which traditions stay and which go" comment.
Keep in mind that although I really, really hated that uniform, I never heard anyone say they were getting out of the Navy because of it. If things stay the way they are people will just keep on living.
From the perspective of the surface force this move to camouflage is pure "me too" from a MCPON who's looking to build a legacy. You'll never get all Sailors in one working uniform, because we work in too many places. Whether it's in the field with the Seabees or NSW, on a flightline in Iceland or in a machinery room on a ship, Sailors will wear different uniforms at work based on what they do. One of you guys said it yourself: you'll just wear your flight suits and service khakis if you don't like the final product of TFU. I've heard of whole wardrooms and chiefs' messes on ships planning to go to the fire-retardant coveralls if these cammies get approved, too. So much for one Navy-wide working uniform.
Standing by for counter-battery fire....
When it all comes down to it, the lower enlisted guys would like a newer, better uniform. The khakis would like to keep theirs. Why can't the uniform team work with that?
