NWU TYPE I UNIFORM SAFETY UNCLASSIFIED/ PASS TO ALL OFFICE CODES: FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// SUBJ/NWU TYPE I UNIFORM SAFETY:
1 NAVADMINs are known that refer back to this one:
UNCLASSIFIED// ATTENTION INVITED TO ROUTINE R 192314Z DEC 12 PSN 130692K21 FM CNO WASHINGTON DC TO NAVADMIN ZEN/OU=DOD/OU=NAVY/OU=ADDRESS LISTS(UC)/CN=AL NAVADMIN(UC) INFO ZEN/CNO WASHINGTON DC BT UNCLAS QQQQ SUBJ: NWU TYPE I UNIFORM SAFETY UNCLASSIFIED/ PASS TO ALL OFFICE CODES: FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// TO NAVADMIN INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// UNCLAS//N01020// NAVADMIN 388/12 MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/DEC// SUBJ/NWU TYPE I UNIFORM SAFETY// REF A/MSG/COMNAVSAFCEN NORFOLK/00/061857ZOCT11// REF B/MSG/COMUSFLTFORCOM/00/120737ZDEC12// NARR/REF A IS COMNAVSAFECEN AFLOAT SAFETY ADVISORY 6-11 NAVY WORKING UNIFORM (NWU) WEAR FOR INITIAL DISCOVERY PERSONNEL AND RAPID RESPONSE FIRE FIGHTING. REF B IS USFF PERSONAL FOR MESSAGE.// RMKS/1. A RECENT IMPROMPTU TEST OF THE FABRIC USED TO MAKE THE NWU TYPE I HAS RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER THE NWU TYPE I IS A SAFE UNIFORM FOR WEAR IN A SHIPBOARD ENVIRONMENT. AS PRESIDENT OF THE NAVY'S UNIFORM BOARD AND A FORMER COMMANDING OFFICER MYSELF, I AM VERY COMFORTABLE WITH OUR SAILORS WEARING THIS UNIFORM IN THE MANNER AND IN THE ENVIRONMENT FOR WHICH IT WAS DESIGNED, AND FOR THE INTENDED WEAR IN SEA AND ASHORE CONDITIONS THAT DO NOT REQUIRE SPECIAL CLOTHING (E.G. FLIGHT DECK, ENGINE ROOM, ETC.). 2. THE NWU WAS DESIGNED TO REPLACE THE NAVY WORKING UTILITIES FOR E6 AND BELOW AND WASH KHAKIS FOR E7 AND ABOVE AND PROVIDE THE SAME LEVEL OF PROTECTION WHEN WORN FOR GENERAL USE IN SHIPBOARD AND ASHORE ENVIRONMENTS. PER REF A, THE NWU CAN BE WORN TO TAKE APPROPRIATE FIRST RESPONDER ACTION TO COMBAT A FIRE, HOWEVER, LIKE THE UNIFORMS IT WAS DESIGNED TO REPLACE, NWUS ARE NOT MADE OF, OR TREATED WITH, FIRE RETARDANT/FLAME RESISTANT MATERIAL AND ARE NOT MEANT TO BE A FIRE FIGHTING UNIFORM. 3. FIRE RETARDANT CLOTHING REQUIREMENTS ARE SPECIFIED IN THE NAVAL SHIPS TECHNICAL MANUAL (NSTM) AND FURTHER DIRECTED BY THE TYPE COMMANDERS. AS ADMIRAL GORTNEY REITERATED IN REF B, NAVY PROVIDES ORGANIZATIONAL CLOTHING TO THOSE WATCH STANDERS AND SAILORS WHO WORK AT SEA AND ASHORE WHO NEED EXTRA PROTECTION AGAINST FIRE HAZARDS IN ENVIRONMENTS SUCH AS THE ENGINEERING SPACES, ON THE FLIGHT DECK, AND AS PART OF DAMAGE CONTROL TEAMS. THESE ORGANIZATIONAL PROTECTIVE CLOTHING ELEMENTS INCLUDE THE NAVY FIRE RETARDANT COVERALLS, NAVY FLIGHT SUIT, AND NWU TYPE II (DESERT)/TYPE III (WOODLAND) FLAME RESISTANT ORGANIZATIONAL GEAR I AND II (FROG I AND II). FURTHER, FIRE FIGHTING ENSEMBLES ARE PROVIDED FOR SAILORS SPECIFICALLY ASSIGNED TO COMBAT A FIRE. 4. NOTHING HAS CHANGED ABOUT THESE REQUIREMENTS. THAT SAID, INFORMED BY THIS RECENT TEST, ADMIRAL GORTNEY HAS ESTABLISHED WORKING GROUPS TO REVIEW THE REQUIREMENTS FOR -- AND FLAME RESISTANT QUALITIES OF -- WORKING UNIFORMS, INCLUDING THE TYPE I NWU'S. WE WILL CERTAINLY KEEP ALL OF YOU INFORMED AS THAT PROCESS UNFOLDS. 5. THE SAFETY OF OUR SAILORS REMAINS A PARAMOUNT CONCERN. TO ENSURE SAFETY AND OPERATIONAL ISSUES REMAIN IN THE FOREFRONT OF UNIFORM BOARD BUSINESS, I AM ADDING THE NAVAL SEA SYSTEMS COMMAND, THE NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND AND THE NAVAL SAFETY CENTER AS TECHNICAL ADVISORS TO THE NAVY UNIFORM BOARD. I WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH U.S. FLEET FORCES COMMAND, U.S. PACIFIC FLEET, NAVSEA AND NAVAIR TO ENSURE THAT ALL THE UNIFORMS WE PROVIDE OUR SAILORS PROVIDE THE PROTECTION REQUIRED FOR THE WORK OUR SAILORS DO EVERY DAY BOTH AFLOAT AND ASHORE. 6. RELEASED BY VICE ADMIRAL S. R. VAN BUSKIRK, N1.// BT #0504 NNNN UNCLASSIFIED//