Anyone seen the new Navy utility uniform yet?

[Brian48]

A buddy of mine from the good old days when I was Jarhead just sent me this pic of the new utilities the Navy is using. The first reaction was WTF?

Blue camouflage?. Just exactly what environment are they suppose to blend in with? The water? Must really suck if you fell over board, eh

Seriously, if this doesn't smack of misdirection fashion sense, I'm not sure what is.

 

[Lilorfnannie]

I'd take that any day over those stupid bell-bottoms and those nasty ugly square pockets.

 

[jenlynn724]

Wow!! I thought ghetto camo went out in the 90's..

 

[vellnueve]

One of the arguments in favor is that the camoflauge hides stains.

 

[glostamon]

One of the arguments in favor is that the camoflauge hides stains.

Those are snazy looking seamen,in their stain concelment garb.

 

[Rockrivr1]

I'd take that any day over those stupid bell-bottoms and those nasty ugly square pockets.

Your not kidding! I still have those stupid Bell-Bottoms and light blue shirts in my sea bag. I would of taken those sea-camos in a fast second over what we had.

 

[oldyankee]

The idea of bell bottoms was that they could be more easily removed in the water, and they could then be inflated to act as a float (worked okay in the pool during boot camp training - don't know how well that would work in a real emergency situation). I guess the new utilities will be okay for the troops but I hope they don't replace CPO khakis.

 

[Navy Moose]

Your not kidding! I still have those stupid Bell-Bottoms and light blue shirts in my sea bag. I would of taken those sea-camos in a fast second over what we had.

When I was issued BDUs by my last Navy command, I was damn happy. I hated the chambaray uniforms. Not allowed to roll up the sleeves and showed dirt far too easily. When I got out, the first thing I cut up were those bell bottoms and shirts.

 

[Andy in NH]

Not a Sailor, not in bell bottoms, but a real emergency situation.

Marine Combat Water Survival - PDF - Story starts on page 10.

(BOLD mine)

On Thanksgiving eve, 23 November 1995, the USS America
made its way through the Arabian Sea. Twenty-year-old,
Marine Lance Corporal (LCpl) Zachary Mayo was unable to
sleep and, wanting some fresh air, made his way onto an
open-air platform near the aircraft hangar bay, which was
three levels below the sleeping quarters. While he was on
the platform, the ship veered suddenly, throwing LCpl Mayo
through the platform’s protective bars and into the sea, 30
feet below.

Frantic, LCpl Mayo called out in vain to the watchmen on the
flight deck, which was 64 feet above him. It soon became
clear to him that the USS America would keep its course into
the Gulf of Oman until his absence was discovered at morning
muster. The LCpl took a moment to consider his situation.
Since land was at least 100 miles away, swimming was
suicide; he would have to stay afloat until a search party
found him.

Using the techniques he had learned during combat water
survival training, LCpl Mayo made a flotation device out of
his coveralls and tried to relax.

Meanwhile, business continued as usual aboard the USS America.
Since LCpl Mayo was on special assignment with the
hazardous materials division, his absence went unnoticed until
a petty officer asked several Sailors if they had seen their
shipmate recently. By the time a roll call had been completed,
LCpl Mayo had been adrift at sea for over 24 hours.

Although three, fixed-wing Viking aircraft were deployed to
search for LCpl Mayo, most people aboard ship feared the worst.

After 34 hours at sea, LCpl Mayo was discovered by fishermen
on a Pakistani fishing boat. LCpl Mayo’s survival is a
testament not only to his incredible physical courage, but also
to the soundness of the lifesaving training and techniques he
received during combat water survival training.

 

[fbirdquik6]

I'd take that any day over those stupid bell-bottoms and those nasty ugly square pockets.

+1

 

[wahsben]

I would think that anyone inspecting would end up with a headache after looking at them for awhile.

 

[stencil]

I still wear Seafarers to this day, 42 years after they ceased to be my uniform. Stocked up on the last of them when thy closed out at NEX, and still troll EBay on the lookout (W36 L34 if you have any.)
As to the cammies, it's not a bad thing: it's just symptomatic of slow times at the Pentagon. Costume design is the military equivalent of Freecell.
.

 

[Martlet]

Their other uniform looks like the jarhead uniform.

 

[Jose]

I guess the new utilities will be okay for the troops but I hope they don't replace CPO khakis.

Working Khaki for officers and CPOs are history. This new abortion is an all hands uniform.

Why, oh why did the USN NOT copy the Royal Navy working uniform and just change the rank insignia??????

I am SO glad I am long gone, so I will not have to suffer the embarrasment of wearing that clown suit.

 

[Jose]

And we are not the only ones getting into the "sea camo" idiocy.

The Royal Australian Navy has also lost its mind:

 

[Knob Creek]

This must be where they serve:

 

[Serapis]

I liked the coveralls for shipboard use.

 

[MrsWildweasel]

Oh come on the squids didn't want to be left out in the new uniforms like the rest of the services, but blue camo good grief. Nothing like blending in with the water.

 

[Gonzo]

Navy's gotta change their uniforms around every 10 years I guess. And have something around 15 different ones at any given time.

 

[smitty]

Saw it the other day.

On Monday I was at the submarine base @ Groton, CT and the place was full of Navy in the new uniform.

smitty

 

[usnma]

I just sent mine to get the name tapes and insignia sewn on. I have only tried them on, but am not happy. Currently I wear woodland cammies. In October I will be switching to these blue ones.

The blue ones are made of a significantly heavier material than my woodland cammies. Sucks to be on a ship in the middle of the Gulf wearing those things. The pants have an elastic waist. I believe they were designed for the majority of E7 and above. The pants also have a zipper fly instead of the button fly. I prefer the button fly.

The covers come in about 20 different sizes. Instead of the small, medium, large etc. they are 7 1/4, 7 3/8, 7 1/2 etc.

I like that sleeves will be rolled the way the Army did before ACU's as it is more practical, although I prefer the look of the way we roll them on the woodlands (Marine style) as they look better.

Instead of name tapes being one color for all E1- O10 like the current woodlands they are silver for E6 and below and gold for E7 and above. The belts for E6 and below are black with a silver buckle, and khaki with a gold buckle for E7 and above. Why I cant wear a riggers belt, like I do know, who knows.

As for those who say that Sailors who fall overboard will blend into the water, I believe that is already the case as the current utility uniform is navy blue pants and a lighter blue shirt for E6 and below, and coveralls are navy blue. Nothing changed.

The new service uniform is blah. It is a khaki shirt (unless you read letters in Navy Times from retired E7-O10's) who call them tan, because God forbid an enlisted junior sailor wear a khaki shirt. The pants are black. I'm not impressed. I dont wear a service uniform often (maybe twice in whites and never in blues), as I am usually in bdu's, but I prefer the current summer whites and winter blues.

They are now talking about redesigning the Dress Whites and having them be a reverse image of the Dress Blues. They are thinking of adding zippers to the sides of the top, putting a zipper in the trousers of the blues...

When will it end????

 

[sgtmac]

HA
I am looking at mine, hanging in my closet next to my woodland BDU's, glad I got out before they "made" me wear them!

No way in hell I was walking around in aquaflage after having been in woodland or desert BDU's my whole time in.

 

[vellnueve]

On Monday I was at the submarine base @ Groton, CT and the place was full of Navy in the new uniform.

smitty

FWIW, I was at NNMC Bethesda about 2 weeks ago and didn't see anyone wearing it.

 

[Jose]

I was just fine wearing wash khakis for general duty and blue nomex coveralls for propulsion plant watch officer duty.

 

[Lynne]

I have my dad's blues from when he was in during WWII. God luv him and everyone else - that was pretty heavy material!

 

[Navy Moose]

This must be where they serve:

There is a reason for the ship to be painted like that. It made it harder for submarines to determine which direction the ship was going.

 

[jcetto0351]

I didn't think it could get uglier than the air forces new digimonsters but sadly....

 

[usnma]

Two new versions of this uniform were approved recently. The first is a four color desert version to be worn by Naval Special Warfare Command and those is support roles for NSWC. Any other sailor deploying to that region will continue to wear the Desert Utility Uniform. The other version is a four color woodland version that will be worn by anyone currently wearing woodlands with the exception of Naval Security Forces, they will stay in the blue and gray pattern.

Wonder what the logic is on only allowing NSWC to wear the digital deserts or not allowing MA's to wear something a little more distinctive than the blue/gray uniform.

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2010/01/navy_uniform_query_010710w/

 

[crazymjb]

When we had dental a couple weeks ago the sailors coming in to take the X-rays were all decked out in there fab new digi-blues. It is almost a joke, these things look friggin ridiculous. I'm pretty sure our Corpsmen are now even more than before stoked that they get to wear our utilities.

Mike

 

[usmcs/s]

i like my marpat