Every year, the Navy gives sailors an anniversary present — sort of.
It’s called your annual clothing replacement allowance — it's money sailors are you might not even notice it, but pay attention you’re expected to use it to replace any worn-out uniform items you’ve worn out during the previous year.
Nearly everyone will see their annual allowance drop due to a decreaserop in the required number of sets of Navy working uniforms from four sets to three, because they're no longer allowed at sea due to fire risks.
2016 Navy Women's Seabag E-7 to E-9
2016 Navy Men's Seabag E-7 to E-9
New uniforms are also being factored in. Female chiefs will receive $56.74 to pay for the new combination cover modeled off those worn by male peers, which they're required to own by October 2016.
Women E-6 and below, however, are still required to maintain their "bucket" hat, as they won't be required to own the "Dixie cup" until 2020. But they can wear this sailor hat with Women can already wear the dixie cup with the service dress whites starting in November 2016.
Women will get additional dough to buy their new blue crackerjacks in later years.
Sailors get two kinds of The Navy gives two different kinds of uniform allowances: basic and standard. OnlyThose with three-years or fewer less service get the basic allowance, because, officials say, they’ve just gotten their initial issue uniforms, which won't wear out within three years. in in the past three years and uniforms don’t all wear out that fast.
These allowances are paid annually in your end-of-the-month paycheck of your "anniversary month" — which is the month of the year you entered boot camp. So if you see a spike in your paycheck that month — you know why.
Also, this is one time enlisted can thank their lucky stars: you can thank your lucky stars you are an enlisted sailor. Officers don’t get clothing replacement allowances — by law, they’re expected to foot the bill for uniforms out of pocket — a Navy tradition dating back to 1775 that recently sparked controversy.
The standard allowance for E-6 and below men is $457.20, $36.54 less than last year. For women of the same ranks, they'll get $468.00, $29.42 less than last year.
Chiefs get a different standard allowance. For male chiefs, it's $649.46, $54.48 less than last year. Female chiefs garner $669.60, a drop of $50.96.
What you get each year factors in the cost and number of uniforms required by their expected wear life. The biggest change this year comes from downsizing the blue-and-gray cammies to three sets.
Officials say each set lasts 24 months. Three sets of NWU blouses cost $114.45, so factoring in that you're paid each year to replace half a set equals gives a CRA of $19.08. cost sxperts say a set of Type I’s should last you 24 months, so each year you are paid to replace one half a set. For example, This year, the price of the NWU blouse is $38.15 and you will be paid for half a cost of $19.08. For the trousers, the cost this year is $42.61, meaning you’ll get $21.31 in the allowance.
Mark D. Faram is a former reporter for Navy Times. He was a senior writer covering personnel, cultural and historical issues. A nine-year active duty Navy veteran, Faram served from 1978 to 1987 as a Navy Diver and photographer.
