Readers weighed in on the high-level discussions to ditch the blue-and-gray Navy working uniform and on the new tattoo rules that allow sailors Navy's plan to shutter most of the Navy College Offices that provide in-person education help and the newly approved tattoo rules. They eased the rules to allow sailors to have a neck tattoo and sleeves on their arms.
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UNIFORM UPHEAVAL
As a recruiter I do get tons of compliments from civilians on how our digital blues are the best looking out of all branches. But looking good isn't more important than general safety from having it melt to your skin. In my personal opinion I agree to just ditch the digital blue. They are pointless in camo scheme, too heavy, and aren't fire retardant in a branch highly trained for fire fighting as an all hands effort. I say standard issue the [NWU ] Type 2 or Type 3 and have the deserts worn in summer months and greens worn in winter months on while on shore duty. Same concept the Marine Corps abides with their digital uniforms.
AD2 Daniel Berger
Ocala, Fla.
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I feel the blue two piece uniform the U.S. Coast Guard wears, the Operational Dress Uniform, would be functional and cost effective for the Navy to transition into, for shore and sea duty.
AC1 Ricky J. Williams
Garland, Texas
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The camouflage that is the NWU Type I is such a horrible idea. Why would a person sign off on a uniform that allows a person to blend in with going overboard? What is wrong with coveralls on a ship? If a person is assigned to a ship, that should be their only 'working' uniform. Do not get fancy.
One of the best designs I ever saw was from another Navy that had a strip of the glow in the dark lime green around one of their arms. I thought it was a brilliant idea, if the ship had lost electrical power and was trying to find fallen Sailors.
ETC Louis Pyzik (Ret.)
Charlottesville, Va.
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NWU Type I - just get rid of them. On ships, Sailors wear coveralls most of the time. Sailors can wear clean coveralls on base only and can go to and from home only (true emergencies can be an exception, but otherwise no exceptions). Then have those coveralls that are worn for the dirty work, like painting, working in the engineering spaces. For office-type shore-duty, Sailors can wear the NSU/khakis. For shore-duty that is more industrial work is going, Sailors wear coveralls. For Sailors that wear NWU Type III, leave them in those. When it comes to coveralls, everyone should have the fire retardant ones.
We have had far too many uniform changes, especially when you compare our other service counterparts. There are far better things that this money could be put towards. Far too many commands are short on people, need more money for maintenance, etc. Can we stop wasting money on unnecessary uniform changes?
OS1 Sabrina Beyea (Ret.)
Yokosuka, Japan
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I hope the new flight suit coveralls get picked up. As an HT, I put all kinds of stuff in my pockets to six-inch steel rulers to scribes. Plus they look a whole lot nicer than the FRV's and more form fitting. I wouldn't have to worry about snagging my rear end on some sharp object due to the extra material flopping around in the breeze.
HT1 Josh Fischer
Yokosuka, Japan
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NEW TATTOO RULES
I've given this New Tattoo Policy a lot of thought and even though I have six tattoos myself, I have to say that I'm not in agreement. When I'm dressed in my regular civilian clothing you can only see one of my tattoos, on my right forearm. My remaining five tattoos are covered unless I'm wearing a tank top or shirtless. I do not agree with allowing Sailors to have "Sleeves" or to have any tattoos on their neck or behind an ear, which to me will only tarnish the meaning of wearing a uniform. There needs to be limitations to every policy, especially one that weighs heavy on our men and woman who are serving in our Navy. These are our ambassadors and they represent this great country, no one wants to see a shipmate standing the watch or marching in a parade with tattoos all up his or her arm or on the neck.
Lt. Cmdr. Daryl F. Walls (Ret.)
Camarillo, Calif.
