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They may change the uniforms again!
(In the early 60s, as I remember, the attitude was: "Here is you uniform, wear it!")
From Chief of Naval Personnel Public Affairs
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Members of Task Force Uniform (TFU) made their first report to Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Vern Clark recently, after having completed a comprehensive Internet survey and dozens of focus groups in fleet concentration areas. In the past, we have made minor quality improvements to Navy uniforms with limited scope, said Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (SS/AW) Terry Scott. The formation of Task Force
Uniform was about more than just making additional minor modifications. It was about ensuring we have the right uniforms for Sailors of the 21st century. We listened to Sailors and their concerns, and made recommendations based on their desires and the mission requirements of the Navy.
Several uniform and policy recommendations were approved by the CNO as a result of this report, and new uniform concepts were approved for pilot testing throughout the Navy.
Immediate changes to Navy Uniform Regulations approved by the CNO include:
· Revise and rewrite outdated sections of the Regulations.
· Update photographs of all authorized uniforms.
· Add illustrations to increase clarity.
· Reformat the CD-ROM version to make it easier to retrieve information.
· Create an interactive Web-based version.
The CNO directed the pilot and testing of two new uniform concepts: a working uniform for E-1 through O-10 and a year-round service uniform for E-6 and below. And he expanded tasking to examine the feasibility of a year-round service uniform for E-7 and above.
CNO was so impressed with the careful thought Task Force Uniform put into the service uniform issue, that he wanted them to expand the scope to cover all Navy Uniforms, said MCPON.
The major charter expansion involved the implementation of pilot programs to examine and evaluate the new working uniform and the E-1 - E-6 service uniform concepts. The pilot programs will
occur in various locations throughout the fleet and will include personnel in various warfare communities at sea, ashore, overseas and in different climates. The final details and appearance of the uniforms to be tested are still being refined.
The CNO also reviewed policy concerning the use of civilian bags/backpacks, women's handbags, wireless communication devices, breast insignia and identification badges. The specific guidelines
governing these items are being formulated, and Sailors should expect to see further guidance in the near future.
The recommendations made by TFU to CNO and his subsequent decisions were based on interviews with Sailors, command site visits, comprehensive research and data collected from a Navy-wide uniform survey. The survey collected feedback from more than 40,000 Sailors throughout the fleet.
Key factors that went into the decisions were military appearance,
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versatility, storage, safety, ease of maintenance and comfort.
We asked a lot of very detailed questions and received some very detailed responses in return, said MCPON, who oversaw the massive effort. We were very pleased with the level of participation in the survey and the focus groups.
Thirty seven percent of those surveyed were satisfied with uniform durability, with senior officers the most satisfied (52 percent) and E-1 - E-6 the least satisfied at 32 percent. The same figures held true for uniform fit and uniform material, with senior enlisted proving the most satisfied in those categories (51 percent) and E-1 - E-6 the least satisfied at 33 percent and 31 percent, respectively.
The survey found that female Sailors were more dissatisfied than male Sailors across the criteria. Shore-duty Sailors were generally more satisfied with uniforms across criteria than Sailors on sea duty.
The Navy spends approximately $300 million a year on uniforms, including initial outfitting, clothing replacement allowances and organizational clothing.
The vision of TFU is to give Sailors a cost-effective set of uniforms presenting a professional appearance, recognizing naval heritage, and offering versatility, safety, ease of maintenance and
storage, utility and comfort.
Specific tasks included development of alternatives for a working uniform for E-1 through 0-10, to be worn at sea or ashore, across all communities and a year-round service uniform for E-6 and
below; to evaluate the usefulness of each uniform item against specific factors, with an eye toward reducing the number of uniform items and increasing interchangeability; and to streamline and simplify the uniform regulations into an easily understood and enforceable document.
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