What do you think of the constant uniform changes in the Navy?

When I entered "Boot Camp at Great Lakes, Il. in 1963 the "Flat Hat" was still being issued for the dress blue uniform. We did not wear it but it was issued. Since then the Navy has gone through so many uniform changes that I can't keep track any more. Of course I'm long ago retired so I don't have to keep my seabag up anymore but my shipmates of that time and I sure spent a heck of a lot more than our clothing allowances to keep up with all the changes. I watched a game show recently in which a contestant supposed to be a 2nd class Navy PO was wearing Navy blue chief style trousers, a khaki short sleeve shirt with crows on both sleeves and an over sized silver or chrome belt buckle. It looked like he was just really messed up uniform wise. Both my wife and I thought that it might have been a case of "Stolen Valor" but it just didn't seem that a major TV network would have let that slip through, especially since the contestant returned 2 more times, dressed the same way.

All I can say is that I am glad that I served (27 yrs) and now at age 72, I am still alive to enjoy my grandkids

Nothing new. Went to boot in SD Aug 77. Went to first duty station Jan 79. When I arrived was told the Chambray top (pull-over) was a safety problem and was no longer authorized as a uniform. Was told a few days later that the Navy extended it for 6 months as they had too many in stock and needed to finish issuing them. (Sailors lives be damned need to save money.) Then the "Flat caps" were discontinued for E6 and below. There were none in the supply/Exchange so we had to buy them from a local producer at up to $10 each or get written up. Nest to go was "Salt/Peppers", and dress blues (I was glad to get rid of the two "double breasted" suits anyway). Then the "Ice Cream Man" uniform, and the "Gestapo" Working Blues uniform (I actually liked the Gestapo with the flat hat.)

All this with very little increase in Uniform allowance. Also, you had to keep both uniforms in good repair during change-over.

That was almost 40 years ago. Guess the fun has not stopped...

I just don’t understand the reasoning of their digital work uniform. Wouldn’t you want people to be able to see you if some how you get knock into the water?

Also from what I gather from friends in the Navy. They believe the entire branch is lagging behind and has become complacent with old outdated doctrine. That’s from not having an enemy that requires the navy to adapt or improve from contact. So now navy ships just goes around the world ramming commercial ships.

For Charles Weishar: were you stationed in Morocco in the 1950s? Love to make contact. regards,
John Elmgreen

When I joined we had Utility, Working Blues (Johnny Cash's) Working Whites (Milkmen) Dress Blues, Dress Whites and coveralls. Then someone said "Hay that's way to many uniforms so we got to buy NWU (Blue Berrys) and NSU (Peanut Butters) along with Coveralls, Dress Whites and Dress Blues... Then someone said "Hay those NWU and coveralls go up like roman candles when lit on fire and the only thing they are good at is hiding sailors who fall (or jump) overboard. So we got to go out and buy three pairs of NWU Type II and the Navy started handing out FRV's. BUT WAIT FOLKS!!! That's not the end of it NWU Type II's are also not all that flame resistant so lets make a NEW Uniform that is flame resistant AND charge YOU the service member a BUTT Load to own it... so we don't have to hand out FRV's anymore...

The Uniform shake up in my opinion is a financial scam. for one set of the NWU's it runs a service member 100 bucks, The patches alone are 20 bucks on top of that. So your telling me that we the Military buy in mass quantity a pre designed clothing item and it still costs 100 bucks for a set? The "required" Tee-shirts are 15 bucks for 3? ... and the only place that sells them in the Navy Exchange... As for the "clothing allowance" That is enough to replace one maybe two uniforms a year, and they make sure to get it ALL back. The Navy sells the Uniforms to the Nex, the Nex sells them to the service members... You don't need a slide rule to figure this out.

Unnecessary!

They suck!! Nothing wrong with patch pocket dungarees.

I think it's rediculous. Man overboard in ocean cammo is hard to spot. Good for seals...bad for sailors.

Let's see. What politician has money invested in a company's capable of manufacturing uniforms? I went in in 73. Was the last class to graduate from NTC Great Lakes in the old Navy Blue jumper. Then the suits came. Then the suits went away with the return of the jumpers. But not Navy blue. But black. Now khaki work uniform for the cry babies. Notice the Navy is the only branch that constantly changes uniforms? It's politics. It will never change. Glad I retired. BMC

The new work uniforms are more expensive and have zero tradition behind them. NOT to mention the new ones cannot be used as a flotation device.