"The US Navy is ready to dump the military's most..." Topic

… pointless uniform.

"The Navy has sunk more than $220 USD million developing and fielding the blue-and-gray Navy working uniform, but that uniform's expense and susceptibility to fire is prompting the service to look at new options.

After six years in the fleet and some controversy, the blue-and-gray cammies could be headed for Davy Jones' seabag.

The digital blue Navy Working Uniforms were a fleet mainstay until 2013 after they were found to be unsafe to wear while fighting a fire. One plan is ditching these blue Navy working uniforms in favor of their green cousin. The service could potentially save millions by switching to the woodland cammies already worn by Seabees and master-at-arms. The green-and-tans are also not flame-resistant but would be the standard for ashore wear; flame-resistant coveralls and flight suits are mainstays for at-sea wear…"

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It always amazes me how inept and short sighted my Navy is in uniform selection. Way back in Vietnam we had flammable, non-fire resistant uniforms.

Was it here that we had a discussion about how these uniforms (1) ensure that a sailor who falls overboard will not be seen but (2) do not make it harder to see sailors aboard ship or ashore?

So epic fail, as the kids used to say.

That is a shame, and I'm sure it needs to be addressed too, but they're looking at the wrong end of the spectrum.

Perhaps they should really go where the big dollars are being wasted, on the LCS program, and some others.

I suspect what uniform sailors are wearing when their anemically armed vessel is shot out from under them and sinks, isn't going to be the main concern.

Hopefully, someone's working on a good shark repellant cocktail to issue to all the crews.

Aquaflage wouldn't do them much good when their anaemically armed ship is sunk, the sea camo would make them hard to spot and rescue :)

A USN chum said it was developed as a cost saving measure – if you go overboard there's no hope of seeing you so no need to turn the ship around and waste time and fuel looking :D

I am current Sailor and I like the NWUs (both the blue and green variants) and most of my shipmates like them too. For shore facility and ship board use, the blue non-fireproof NWUs are comfortable, long lasting, and very weather-proof (warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and dry in foul weather). They replaced both enlisted and officer working uniforms that were uncomfortable, non-durable, and cold/hot/wet. In both cases, they were not fire-proof.

For the 25 years I have been in the Navy, we issued fire-proof coveralls for use while working in machinery spaces and firefighting ensembles when part of a damage control party.

It seems to me, that the easiest thing is to just upgrade the current uniforms with fire-resistant materials.

They last point is that camo uniforms are a recruiting tool that helps interest your men and women in serving in the Navy. I personally could care less whether they are blue, green, or pink with sequins if it helps with recruiting. Life at sea is hard, long, lonely, and boring except when it is terrifying. Anything that makes Sailors feel special, unique, and proud to serve is a big plus in my book.

LostPict +1 (with the caveat that I'm not currently serving)

As an outsider and from the Marine Corps side of the House, we said it was a self-esteem issue; the Navy uniforms looked horrible so when they came up with something looking like our Charlie uniform and the digital camie everyday uniform that's the only answer we could come up with. I mean what are you using camo uniforms for on a ship, and especially a freaking blue one. What happens when you fall over board.

A USN chum

An unfortunate moniker if there ever was one.

LOL, I guess it does have a different meaning in the US (as I learnt from watching that great cultural export, Spongebob Squarepants)

Yep, but the sharks can still find you.

The blue camo was stupid. If you want to have an effective shipboard camouflage, use a mixture of haze gray, deck gray, and machinery gray. Sailors would actually blend into their surroundings and painting mishaps wouldn't wreck a uniform. Of course, I was a big fan of the blue coverall for shipboard use.

I think it's a decent uniform for Seals, when they're in the water/underwater, but otherwise a lot of other colors would certainly be better.

Flourescent orange would seem to be wise for at sea duty, when on deck.