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2010-08-12 Home Front: WoT

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The Navy is set to field two new camouflage uniforms next year, just months after the last of the fleet will be issued the service's newest pixel-pattern, blue-and-grey "Navy Working Uniform."

Navy officials announced late last year they would provide a service-specific camouflage pattern to the ever-growing number of Sailors supporting operations in combat environments, recognizing the bright colors of their newest at-sea uniform were inappropriate for anything other than shipboard operations.

"In 2006, the [Chief of Naval Operations] saw the need to improve the tactical uniforms," said Lt. Cmdr. Chris Neish, a top gear buyer for the Naval Expeditionary Programs office. "The rationale was to provide a uniform to address the needs of the battlefield today."

Borrowing from work done by Naval Special Warfare Command on two camouflage patterns similar to the Marine Corps' desert and woodland digital patterns, the Navy began testing the so-called "Navy Working Uniform Type II and III" in late July.

The Type II uniform is a slightly darker version of the Corps' desert Marpat scheme and the Type III set-up is akin to the Corps' woodland digital. Both have the Navy's "Anchor, Constitution and Eagle" emblem embedded in the digital pattern.

According to Navy officials, only Naval Special Warfare operators and those supporting them will be allowed to wear the Type II duds, while all Sailors who are currently issued the old-school woodland uniforms will be allowed to wear the Type III cammies -- both deployed and at their home stations.

That means Sailors in the Seabees, riverine units and explosive ordnance disposal technicians will get the new Navy Type III uniforms for day-to-day wear. Naval Special Warfare operators will also be issued Type III camo duds for woodland and jungle environments.

Commandos issued the Type II desert scheme will not be allowed to wear their new uniforms on base in the U.S. unless they're in training, and any Sailors outside the special warfare or expeditionary community deployed to a desert locale will still wear the Desert Storm-era tri-color desert camo, the Navy says.

The entire program cost an estimated $80 million to develop, test and field the two camo uniforms, officials said.

Posted by Sherry 2010-08-12 10:50|| || Front Page|| [11141 views ] Top

#1 I would think CBs and EOD guys would be allowed to use the Navy Type II uniform, or will they be given Marine uniforms?

Al

Posted by Frozen Al 2010-08-12 11:32|| 2010-08-12 11:32|| Front Page Top

#2 Kinda silly. Just use the Marines stuff.

Posted by OldSpook 2010-08-12 13:44|| 2010-08-12 13:44|| Front Page Top

#3 While some environment and jobs require specialized uniforms, a lot of this camo-hype is nothing moer that a jones keeping up with, inter service style, played also by the Navy Exchange in their never ending quest to keep their coffers full of sailor bucks. Why do you need a digital camo uniform while underway? its not like the boats will be cloaked and the bad guys not really wonder where all the sailors are when they have a CV in their sights. pull the trigger and an unmanned ship goes down? i think not..

bring back the dungarees and call it a day.

Posted by USN, Ret. 2010-08-12 14:52|| 2010-08-12 14:52|| Front Page Top

#4 Are there any additional questions regarding misaligned DoD priorities?

Posted by Besoeker 2010-08-12 18:06|| 2010-08-12 18:06|| Front Page Top

#5 I've seen them up close...they are a nice dark blue - which makes perfect sense if a sailor goes overboard and a SAR situation is needed (sarc/off)

I agree w/the previous commentors, no need for these, some asshole in procurement was prolly hooking up some former O-6 buddy w/a contract and trying to get a MSM in the works for himself while doing so.

Posted by Broadhead6 2010-08-12 19:57|| 2010-08-12 19:57|| Front Page Top

#6 Is simple. Dungarees under way, Marine digicamo ashore. Just saved $80 mil, and got a lot more serviceable uniforms for typical activities.

USMC, Army & Airforce could do the same thing. Go back to the Olive Drab in garrison, ACU/MarPat in the field. ODs a lot cheaper to make and buy, a lot more serviceable for garrison tasks, office work, etc.

Nothing looks more funny than a server room full of USAF computer techs sporting camo in a suburban Air Force Base.

Posted by OldSpook 2010-08-12 20:12|| 2010-08-12 20:12|| Front Page Top

#7 a lot of this camo-hype is nothing moer that a jones keeping up with, inter service style, played also by the Navy

Partly. Mostly it's a 'purple-suit' mentality.

Just think of it as the military version of the trans-nationalist.

Posted by Pappy 2010-08-12 22:22|| 2010-08-12 22:22|| Front Page Top

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