Rumors are starting to circulate about how the Navy brass intends to treat the new Navy Working Uniform (NWU). While us blueshirts were dressed as convicts "'scaped off tha farm," it seemed to make some sense that the needs of the Navy were not met when some A-Gang 3rd class strolled into the quickie mart covered in grease or "gray"water.
The brass made sure to keep us denizens from below the anchor away from the prying eyes of the public. I guess they were afraid the local cops would mistake us for fence jumpers from the penintentary. But with a new uniform and a new "look", I had hoped we could get past one of the last remenants of bleushirt discrimination.
Apparently not, according to Navy Times. The brass will restrict the camo NWU to base and vehicle only.
The shame of it is, now the O-Gang and the chiefs are confined to base or car too! Lets see how long this lasts.
The maritime forces leadership needs to wake up to reality. Prohibiting Marines and Sailors from wearing their work uniform off the base does not increase you combat readiness one iota. We are a military at war and we don't have time for this petty bullshit.
4 comments:
The thing that really irks me is that the other services all wear their working uniforms everywhere. I see guys in everything from flight suits to digital camoflage at fast food restaurants in town, but I can't wear a clean set of coveralls or this new Navy Working Uniform? Common!
Bureaucrats will always have time for petty bullshit. I'm fairly certain it is their entire job description.
We recently had an all-hands call with the CNO. When he got to the end and asked for questions, someone asked this very question. The courageous soul essentially asked how come the other services can wear their working uniforms off base but we can't, and will the policy change with the new digital camouflage working uniform.
The CNO's answer essentially boiled down to, "no." He sort of implied the other services look unprofessional wearing their working uniforms in town. He said something like, "I don't have quite as liberal a philosophy about uniform standards," and he wants the Navy to maintain a more professional image.
Guys, this is a skimmer thing. Something in the shoe culture has them think that "looking professional" is both more important than getting the job done right, and not possible with the same clothes you work in. Think back in the day when the surface wardroom shifted to a dress uniform to eat meals.
It's come up in ever enlisted uniform change I can think of. I don't know how to kill it.
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