The great NWU's

[Jim123]

We still have those as an underway uniform.

Ah, I probably should have known that

Who's got two thumbs and has been in the reserves and away from haze gray for some time? >> This guy <<

 

[scoober78]

Yeah, sorry, I thought that part was just a given.

I had a skipper who disagreed with this part...to the tune of "I think we should wear NWU's in the office when you aren't on the flight schedule. <<palmface>> To say I'm sensitive about the flight suit would be an understatement.

Thankfully, I was on det when this went down and never "partook" in the blueberry suit.

 

[scoober78]

The fear of torn and stained uniforms holds true. It's just done with $80 NWUs instead of $25 coveralls because changing 3-4x a day just to avoid being flame sprayed by the COB for attending training or eating in coveralls is too inconvenient. Figure that takes 20 min total over a work center of 10 and you lose 3.3 man hours a day just for that. Easier to just C/I the san pump or take apart a commutator to clean carbon dust in NWUs. And when they're done with that, now they can go shopping in the mall on the way home, complete with all the aromas of grease, poo, and amine.

Does anyone else think we need a palm-face icon for stuff like this??

Thanks for the post Spek...it's hard to measure the stupid sometimes isn't it.

 

[Jim123]

I had a skipper who disagreed with this part...to the tune of "I think we should wear NWU's in the office when you aren't on the flight schedule.

Yyyyyeah, part of the check-in brief to my fleet squadron was, "We pride ourselves on being professional. We're the only squadron, in the wing, where you wear our khakis unless you're on the flight schedule that day..."

 

[scoober78]

Yyyyyeah, part of the check-in brief to my fleet squadron was, "We pride ourselves on being professional. We're the only squadron, in the wing, where you wear our khakis unless you're on the flight schedule that day..."

See? Palmface icon...it'd be perfect.

 

[Pags]

Yyyyyeah, part of the check-in brief to my fleet squadron was, "We pride ourselves on being professional. We're the only squadron, in the wing, where you wear our khakis unless you're on the flight schedule that day..."

That used to be the standard for east coast HC. Khakis unless you were within a certain time threshold of brief and flight. Had to be back in khakis after your flight.

On my current ship it would seem that coveralls, whether they're the standard swoveralls or the bulwark FR ones, are de riguer. NWUs seem to be the case only for in port if no dirty work or during special evolutions.

 

[wink]

Yyyyyeah, part of the check-in brief to my fleet squadron was, "We pride ourselves on being professional. We're the only squadron, in the wing, where you wear our khakis unless you're on the flight schedule that day..."

West coast TACAIR 1980s into the early '90s when my Reserve squadron became a victim of peace, there were no rules on what to wear around squadron spaces. But everyone wore Khakis when not on the sked and usually changed out of them sometime after your flight. Guys only hung around in the bag if it was convenient, like two hops in a day or waiting for a broke plane to come available. No one bitched about Khaki, that was just the natural state of affairs. Never gave it a thought. We still lobbied for wider wear off base, but that was just to make early briefs and late recoveries more convenient. I never noticed it changing after I moved down to NAB Coronado for my new gig.

 

[Jim123]

That used to be the standard for east coast HC....

West coast TACAIR 1980s into the early '90s...

True true, this was early 2000s when a lot of squadrons had gotten away from that (even my FRS...).

 

[Gatordev]

So what's the solution to the requirements problem? If the requirement went away in 1996, then are we going to see a change back to the former requirements anytime soon? Since the flight suit and engineering coveralls are the only flame retardant uniforms, what would the easiest/cheapest solution to ensure that Sailors have appropriate working uniforms? I see the "need" to operate in three different environments: at sea, on shore, and in the air. Add to that a requirement for formal events and we have to have a minimum of 3-4 uniforms.

Here's my solution for all of the Navy's uniform issues:
*Afloat uniform- coveralls (FR version)/flightsuits. Black or brown boots (black with coveralls, brown or black with flightsuit). This uniform would be used on ship and in spaces ashore where work is around grease/paint/etc.
*Ashore uniform- NWU Type III (FR version if required). Same boots as before, so either black or brown would work with the Type III with field boots also an option. This would be the uniform for office work, classroom, field work (NECC types, IAs), and general every-day wear.
*Formal uniform- Service dress blues. Tropical weight wool for year-round wear. Could be used in NCR, at change of commands, or any other event requiring suit and tie.

There you have it, a sea bag with one type of boot and one type of dress shoe. All occasions would be covered. Outerwear would probably be a problem since there aren't good cross-over jackets/coats, but it wouldn't be any different than the variety we have now.

***I bring you solutions! Promote immediately!*** <- tongue in cheek

What is it with you and your hard on for Blues? Don't you understand it upsets my life-long mantra to have a job where I don't have to wear a tie? I'm doing pretty well...I think I can still count on one hand the times I've had to wear my blues...and two hands for the times I've had to wear my khakis, post-JO sea tour.

We sorta did with the old blue coveralls (one piece) that came out in the late 1990s... but they were basically not allowed off the pier because everyone was afraid that Seaman Schmucatelli would wear his worst set (the ones that were torn and had paint and grease stains) out in public.

Says the East Coast guy. I was amazed that the Marines were fully cool with maintainers running around the K-Bay exchange in coveralls the first time I heard that. Amazed and happy. And then we pulled into Mayport on my first deployment (and on my second). There was no emoticon for what I was feeling.

 

[kmac]

What is it with you and your hard on for Blues? Don't you understand it upsets my life-long mantra to have a job where I don't have to wear a tie?

Because it makes us look like an officer and a gentleman.

 

[insanebikerboy]

Because it makes us look like an officer and a gentleman.

But isn't it all choker whites and dining out? Blues just destroys that possibility!

 

[kmac]

But isn't it all choker whites and dining out? Blues just destroys that possibility!

Damn you guys and your catchy yet archaic sayings. Let's just be glad it's not all about rum, sodomy, and the lash.

 

[helolumpy]

Damn you guys and your catchy yet archaic sayings. Let's just be glad it's not all about rum, sodomy, and the lash.

Ironically, when I joined the Navy, two of these three were frowned upon. Now, there are still two frowned upon, but it's a different two....

 

[OscarMyers]

Did the Navy flat out ban organizational coveralls? At my first squadron in 2002, VFA-106, they issued us green coveralls with some Velcro for a name tag and squadron patch. Couldn't wear them off the flight line, but definitely saved on the wear and tear of the stuff we had to buy. Seemed legit.

 

[Gatordev]

No, both the green and blue ones are still around.