First, I want to thank John for asking me to join this blog. Over the last couple of months, I have enjoyed reading OPFOR and learning what others think. It is my hope, that any comments I post, will be viewed as getting those in the profession of arms to think, and not to blindly accept what the group think of the day.
Second, can anyone connected tell me when the Navy began having a “dress” uniform that is Khaki in color. Link takes you to a photo of Admiral Mullen at a Pentagon Press Briefing?
http://www.defenselink.mil/dodcmsshare/homepagephoto/2008-07/hires_080702-N-0696M-029.JPG
Welcome aboard Townie.
Service Dress Khaki (SDK) is a new (old) uniform that ADM Mullen is wear testing. There are select officers and Chiefs throughout the Navy doing the same.
It’s intent is part tradition/heritage (WWII) and part adaptation/conformity (joint). We have no working/meeting uniform that is equivalent to other services. So at meetings and briefings we show up in Summer Khakis (short sleeve open collar) looking a bit informal (especially for cameras).
Personally, I like the SDKs, won’t like buying them but that comes with the territory.
Just wait ’til the much vaunted Navy Working Uniform (NWU) hits the fleet….think Azeri paratrooper or Iraqi National Police …blue digital BDUs. Gag. Sad. Bu there it is.
COL – check out John Wayne in In Harms Way. They used to wear it all the time, and it fact it was used up to the Viet Nam era.
Guys, I appreciate the comment.
I was aware that the Navy once had that uniform, in fact In Harm’s Way is one of my four or five favorite war flicks.
The fact that the Navy is considering bringing it back, reminds me of my career in the Army, when I came into the Army we had a Trench Coat style Rain Coat, got rid of it and adopted the black sack, only to bring back the trench coat several years ago. If one waits long enough the wheel is reinvented.
Back in 74, I saw officers in the SDK on a regular basis. So all the hubbub is over a uniform that is actually traditional. Hmmmm!
As an enlisted man who served from 1973 to 1993, I went through several uniform changes/variations. The Service Dress Uniform was the Uncle Elmo double-breasted coat and tie with combination cover. It came in summer and winter weights. We had Tropical White Long(Summer White). In 80-81 we got the jumper uniform back. Yea!. But we still had the Winter Blue(Johnny Cash’s). It was OK as long as the combination cap was worn. It looked really bad with the white hat. Then there was Summer Blue. It was the winter blue trousers and trop white shirt. AKA Salt and Peppers.
Working uniforms were the old utilities and dungarees. Sometime after I retired a new utility uniform came on line. Think undercar mechanic at Sears, OK.
Now the 3 tone blue BDU is coming on line. Another HMMMMMMM. Back in the early to mid 80s, the grey cammies were floated as a uniform for aviation personnel in paygrades E-6 and below. It got nowhere. Being a very tradition bound service, the dungarees stayed with white hat or unit ball cap.
And now the Uniform Board in it’s inifinite lack of smarts is gearing up a new service uniform for year round wear. and boy, is it UGLY. Go to the Navy site and look it up. It is to replace the Winter Blue and Summer White. I actually had young recruiter(2nd Class PO) here in Wichita tell me part of the thinking was to lessen the number of items in the Seabag. Ok, no sympathy from this old Airdale, at all. I lugged a whole lot of uniforms around for 20 years.
If they want tradition then give the First Class and below the Flat Hat for wear with the jumper blues.
Basic Seabag should be:
Dungarees: 4 sets
Dress Blue Jumper Uniform
Dress White Jumper Uniform
Undress Blue Jumper Uniform
Undress White Jumper Uniform
Navy Blue Coveralls, Minimum of 3
5 White hats
Pea Coat
Raincoat
Working Jacket
Unit or NAVY Ballcap
Steel toed boots
Dress low quarters(corfam/plastic optional)
For Flight Deck/Aviation Maintenance personnel fatigue/cammie trousers with jersey and float coat have been and will continue.
I say corfam shoes should be optional for one reason. Anybody ever walked a Shore Patro Beat in Olangapo before? My feet swelled up immediately after taking them off. I used leather dress shoes up to the end. I knew how to make them SHINE. Dad was a Green Beret. I could spit shime in the 4th grade. Lincoln Wax is the best.
Somewher around 20 to 25 years ago, I got hit on a Flag Inspection while an instructor at Attack Squadron One Two Eight. The Admiral didn’t like me in leather shoes and everyone else in plastic. My leather low quarters looked better than all of the plastic. Master Chief Shelton fixed it. Master Chiefs can do that.
OK, I’ve rambled enough.
USAF is testing a throwback uniform too. It’s blue, has a belt and pockets and looks almost exactly like a Chicago motorcycle cop’s uniform that was accidentally bleached during the wash cycle.
Off topic – Could you explain the name? Townie?