Posted on Apr 20, 2015
What do you think of the new Navy crackerjacks?
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The good news: Officials have the money for the long-awaited reboot of dress whites and dress blues.
The bad news: The money isn't available until 2016.
Money problems and a decision to roll-out new women's jumper-style dress blues in tandem with the men's have delayed the roll-out by a year for service dress blues; service dress whites will be delayed for two years.
Men and women, E-6 and below, will be able to buy the service dress blues at the Navy Exchange in early 2016, said Capt. Janet Bristol, head of the Uniform Matters Office. The uniforms are likely to be issued to recruits beginning Oct. 1, 2016, the start of fiscal year 2017. Funding for the crackerjack whites is earmarked for fiscal 2017.
"We are definitely going forward with it," she said in a recent interview. "We are still formalizing some of our final decisions on the timing and rollout schedule, but the funding is in place, the uniforms will be coming and I think the sailors will enjoy the new features."
The dress blues sport sure-to-be popular updates like a front zipper on the trousers that renders the 13 buttons purely decorative, and a side zipper on the blouse. The dress whites are set for the largest redesign in decades and will have tailored cuffs and piping that matches the blues. But not all changes are being well-received: Many female sailors complain that the "Dixie cup" is easily stained by makeup and doesn't fit hair buns.
Read the full story here: http://www.navytimes.com/story/military/careers/2015/04/20/crackerjacks-sdw-sdb-new-uniforms-navy/21340721/
The bad news: The money isn't available until 2016.
Money problems and a decision to roll-out new women's jumper-style dress blues in tandem with the men's have delayed the roll-out by a year for service dress blues; service dress whites will be delayed for two years.
Men and women, E-6 and below, will be able to buy the service dress blues at the Navy Exchange in early 2016, said Capt. Janet Bristol, head of the Uniform Matters Office. The uniforms are likely to be issued to recruits beginning Oct. 1, 2016, the start of fiscal year 2017. Funding for the crackerjack whites is earmarked for fiscal 2017.
"We are definitely going forward with it," she said in a recent interview. "We are still formalizing some of our final decisions on the timing and rollout schedule, but the funding is in place, the uniforms will be coming and I think the sailors will enjoy the new features."
The dress blues sport sure-to-be popular updates like a front zipper on the trousers that renders the 13 buttons purely decorative, and a side zipper on the blouse. The dress whites are set for the largest redesign in decades and will have tailored cuffs and piping that matches the blues. But not all changes are being well-received: Many female sailors complain that the "Dixie cup" is easily stained by makeup and doesn't fit hair buns.
Read the full story here: http://www.navytimes.com/story/military/careers/2015/04/20/crackerjacks-sdw-sdb-new-uniforms-navy/21340721/
Uniforms
Dress Uniform
Navy
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 107
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this is a much better look. It's an invert of the blues essentially. Much more formal and impressive. The colorguard / drill team would look so much more impressive with this. i like it.
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While I didn't love all of the uniforms as an enlisted sailor, I feel that there are so many more pressing issues to handle, such as improving the civilian equivalency certifications for various ratings and specialties, updating and renovating barracks, and other quality of life issues. While this change may (or may not) improve recruiting and retention, it does nothing to improve readiness or quality of life (these uniforms are worn seldom by most sailors).
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The Navy has a very proud of tradition! It's nice to see that tradition coming back. Now, if they could only go back to dugerees and white hats. Sailors need to look like sailors... and not look like Soldiers. Airmen, or Marines... in blue-ish camo...
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I'm confused. I admit I am not Navy, and have been far removed from anything to do with the military for a few years. That being said, I have a friend who is currently AD Navy and he has posted pictures on FB and is in white cracker jacks as recently as 2014. The only difference I can see between what he is wearing is the cuffs on the shirt/coat/blouse, what ever it is officially called in the Navy.
Regardless, I like them. They look tons better than the blue digital thing being worn now.
Regardless, I like them. They look tons better than the blue digital thing being worn now.
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SSgt Robert Clark
Um, but if the shark theory is true with a sailor falling over board, wouldn't the same be true with SAR? Seems to me you'd want something on the uniform to be at least a litter different color than the water, but I am just a old AF ground pounder what do I know?
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CMDCM Gene Treants
Now SSgt Robert Clark are you really doubting the WISDOM of the Uniform Board members or saying they might not be able to find their own evacuation portal with an illuminating device and a pictorial set of directions? Say it is not true. :-)
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SSgt Robert Clark
You're to funny MCPO, you make me laugh. In all honesty, I do like the new crackerjacks.
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PO2 (Join to see)
They wouldn't be used in replacement of the blueberries the are to be a dress uniform.. As I understand them to be... I don't understand why the change but again nobody really does
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Yeah, I agree with the poll results: if this is what's highest on Big Navy's list of things to do, we need a major re-prioritization.
So this would supersede both SDB and SDW for E-6 and below? If it reduces the amount of gear we have to haul on deployment, then maybe it's worth looking into.
Personally, the one I wish they'd ditch summarily is that horrid Type I (blue camo).
So this would supersede both SDB and SDW for E-6 and below? If it reduces the amount of gear we have to haul on deployment, then maybe it's worth looking into.
Personally, the one I wish they'd ditch summarily is that horrid Type I (blue camo).
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LCDR (Join to see)
I think the change I hate the most is the Khaki uniform they added for E-6 and bellow. Back in the day Khaki was a distinctive right of passage. As you well know Chief.
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CPO Greg Frazho
Not a fan of the black-and-tans, either, sir. As bad as those look, though, they hold nothing over that godforsaken aqua-flauge.
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I realize I was late to this party.
My wife and I were both on active duty. When women were issued crackerjacks, she hated them. She remembers the old Eisenhower jackets and that style of uniform. For me before becoming a Chief I liked the crackerjack as a dress uniform. I retired before the blue camos came out with, I thought were a good idea and better than dungarees.
Just thoughts. But the 3rd answer choice is more me.
My wife and I were both on active duty. When women were issued crackerjacks, she hated them. She remembers the old Eisenhower jackets and that style of uniform. For me before becoming a Chief I liked the crackerjack as a dress uniform. I retired before the blue camos came out with, I thought were a good idea and better than dungarees.
Just thoughts. But the 3rd answer choice is more me.
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Sort of My late 2022 response to Your 2015 Post. My Dad was Navy and the old enlisted cracker jack uniform were very distinctive and could never be mistaken for any other uniform. Its something that should NOT be changed and keep with the tradition and retention of Navel heritage and History. The Marines Seem to have been the best with hanging onto that heritage of their uniforms without changes and that includes both the Army and Air Force that have made too many changes. The Navy for the most part had hung onto the traditional uniform which in my opinion didn't need any major changes and none much cared for it when they did and corrected that in the case of going back to and retaining the Navy jumper, Cracker Jack uniform. The picture Here is of My Dad in His Uniform when He was on active duty with the US Navy. My Dad is now 96 and was a WW2 Veteran in the Pacific and served during the Korean War also. He had spent 10 years in the US Navy,
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Well tailored, with a set of Dragon Cuffs, The best Uniform of all navies. Add the Blue winter flat cap.
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