His first target: Killing aquaflage.
It took almost a year to begin phasing out the blue Navy working uniform in favor of a more popular green version, and now the Navy's top officer is pledging more uniform changes to improve comfort and slim sailors' seabags.
Among the biggest changes Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson wants:
- Making the raincoat and the iconic pea coat optional.
- Introducing and issuing the black, three-in-one parka to sailors.
- Designing and fielding a new flame-resistant fleet uniform.
- Getting sailors better boots.
Richardson is taking direct aim at your seabag, in hope that in his remaining three years he can slim it down while improving some of the uniforms. That's going to be challenging, as the design and logistics to develop new uniforms can be very complicated.
Even the NWU dumping is a work in progress. It'll be another year at the earliest before new recruits start showing up at fleet commands wearing the green cammies and before sailors can purchase and wear them. And by the mandatory wear date of Oct. 1, 2019, Richardson could be retired.
"We're taking kind of a seabag-wide approach," Richardson said in an Aug. 22 interview with Navy Times. "That's exactly what I want to do."
Here's what you need to know:
Fleet uniforms
One of Richardson's first moves was to eliminate the blue-and-gray Navy working uniform, which will be phased out over the next few years. The service is also looking to jettison the uncomfortable flame-resistant coveralls for a new standard fleet uniform.
“The next thing is, what’s the at-sea, operational working uniform?" Richardson said in the Aug. 22 interview.
"We're down to the last couple of questions there — really, should it be a coverall or a two-piece type of a thing…and that would bring us to a uniform that could be worn underway, but worn in port if you're on a ship or a squadron."
Richardson said his goal is to have something sharp-looking enough that it can be worn off-base.
"You don't have to change in your work space," he said. "It's sharp looking."
This review and focus groups are being led by Fleet Forces Command, rather than the Uniform Board.
A source familiar with the results told Navy Times that the two-piece option was popular among focus group participants. Both command leadership and deckplate sailors alike seem to want the flexibility that two-piece uniforms give such as removing the blouse in hot weather.
"We've done a lot of sampling — not so much in the Uniform Board — but hey, let's go get some fleet input on a broad basis," Richardson said.
Pea coats & parkas
The service is weighing the elimination of the traditional pea coat from the enlisted sailor’s seabag. If the idea is approved, it would become optional outerwear. Recruits would no longer get them at Great Lakes, and would need to buy them out of pocket.
"The Navy is also looking to transition to the Cold Weather Parka as the outer garment in the seabag which will reduce the number of coats that sailors wear," said Sharon Anderson, spokeswoman for the chief of naval personnel.
In addition, the service would make the black raincoat, known as the all weather coat, also
This long awaited, black parka is in the final stages of development. Right now, Navy textile engineers are reviewing fabrics and costs prior to finalizing technical specifications. Once that's done, contracts will have to be let to produce it.
Sailors would be allowed to wear this uniform with either working, service or dress uniforms.
"After this potential change, the pea coat and all-weather coat would no longer be issued items, but would be optional for wear once the cold weather parka becomes available," she said.
Better boots
One thing that sailors still hate: the black NWU boots.
Research and development is ongoing with the boots, officials say. The effort became a priority for Richardson after started the job a year ago and began hearing sailors' complaints.
It's clear that any new footgear is still a ways away.
"The Navy is working to improve sailors' boots and will be releasing a survey to sailors in the next few weeks," Anderson said. "Sailors will be asked for their feedback, and once the survey is complete, textile engineers will analyze the data and submit it to Navy leadership for review prior to developing and testing any prototypes."
Anderson said that a survey will take place on the aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush in the coming weeks and officials will use that data to decide how to proceed.
In the end, Richardson says he's doing more than just making changes.
"The thing that, the bumper sticker or the feedback that has come to mean the most to me is you know, 'That makes sense,' right?" Richardson said. "So we'll continue to strive to make sense when it comes to making the lives of our sailors a better place."
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.
