Why do some enlisted sailors have blue piping on the cuffs and collar of their white uniforms?

Lt Col Jim Coe — Mon, 27 May 2019 18:24:37 -0400

Noticed in fleet week video that some sailors had three rows of blue piping on collar and cuffs. Some were jr enlisted and some were POs. Others had none. Some were of the same rate and rank. Please enlighten on old Air Force guy

Response by LtCol Robert Quinter made May 27 at 2019 11:33 PM

LtCol Robert Quinter — Mon, 27 May 2019 23:33:24 -0400

Well Lt Col Coe, since none of our naval buddies want to jump in and satisfy your curiosity, adding the piping to the whites was a change and they have until 2021 to comply. I wondered the same thing because I swear my Dad had the piping on his whites during WWII and when I saw the sailors without the piping, I wondered how they got off their boat wearing undress whites. Shows what we old guys know!

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made May 27 at 2019 11:37 PM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Mon, 27 May 2019 23:37:17 -0400

Service Dress versus Service Dress Whites

https://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/support/uniforms/uniformregulations/chapter3/MaleEnlisted/ME_ServiceDress/Pages/EM_ServiceDressWhite.aspx

EM_ServiceDressWhite.aspx

Response by 1st Lt Padre Dave Poedel made May 28 at 2019 12:15 AM

1st Lt Padre Dave Poedel — Tue, 28 May 2019 00:15:53 -0400

I saw it too, and as an old Navy Sea Cadet from the 1960’s, our whited had no piping. Then I went back in the Navy Reserve before I was commissioned in the Air Force and we wore these weird white shits, a hat and black slacks. I didn’t stick around long enough to get a set of the “new” old dress whites without piping. I kind of like the look, as it parallels the dress blue “Cracker Jack” uniform, but remember how hard it was to keep whites clean. I wore whites as my work uniform when I was an enlisted ER and ambulance medic in the Air Force, and they were impossible. When they went to the polyester blend whites, they were impossible to keep from yellowing. Anyway, looking good Navy!

Response by CDR Ron Miller made May 29 at 2019 9:43 PM

CDR Ron Miller — Wed, 29 May 2019 21:43:36 -0400

Jim Coe . . . Off Topic: USCINCTRANS?