RAAUZYUW RUENAAA4131 0611842-UUUU--RUCRNAD.
ZNR UUUUU ZUI RUEWMCF5926 0611939
R 021842Z MAR 06 ZYB MIN ZYW PSN 021633K15
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1NT//
TO NAVADMIN
INFO RHMFIUU/CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1NT//
RUENAAA/CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1NT//
BT
UNCLAS //N01020//
NAVADMIN 070/06
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1NT/MAR//
SUBJ/NEW NAVY WORKING UNIFORM AND SERVICE/UNIFORM CONCEPTS APPROVED//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  PHASE-ONE WORK OF TASK FORCE UNIFORM (TFU) IS
COMPLETE.  PHASE ONE BEGAN IN MAY 2004 AND INVOLVED STUDYING THE
FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING A SINGLE NAVY WORKING UNIFORM AND A
SERVICE UNIFORM FOR E-6 AND BELOW.  THAT STUDY INCLUDED FLEET-WIDE
SURVEYS, WEAR TESTS BY SAILOR PARTICIPANTS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A
THOROUGH BUSINESS CASE ANALYSIS.
2.  TFU PRESENTED ITS PHASE-ONE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CNO.  HE HAS
APPROVED THE FOLLOWING:
    A.  PRODUCTION OF A SINGLE NAVY WORKING UNIFORM FOR WEAR BY ALL
SAILORS E-1 TO O-10 -- AT SEA AND ASHORE AND ACROSS ALL COMMUNITIES.
THIS BDU-STYLE UNIFORM WILL FEATURE THREE COLOR VARIANTS:  A
PREDOMINANTLY BLUE DIGITAL PATTERN FOR THE MAJORITY OF OUR NAVY AND
SHIPBOARD USE; AND A WOODLAND DIGITAL PATTERN AND A DESERT DIGITAL
PATTERN FOR SAILORS SERVING IN UNITS REQUIRING THOSE TYPES OF
UNIFORMS.  IT WILL INCLUDE AN EIGHT-POINT SOFT COVER AND BLACK
SMOOTH LEATHER BOOTS.  BLACK SUEDE NO-SHINE BOOTS WILL BE
AUTHORIZED FOR OPTIONAL WEAR FOR THOSE ASSIGNED TO NON-SHIPBOARD
DUTY COMMANDS.  BOOTS APPROPRIATE FOR THE WOODLAND AND DESERT
UNIFORM WILL BE INTRODUCED.
    B.  PRODUCTION OF A SINGLE YEAR-ROUND SERVICE UNIFORM FOR
SAILORS E-6 AND BELOW.  THE SERVICE UNIFORM WILL BE COMPRISED OF A
SHORT-SLEEVED KHAKI SHIRT AND/OR BLOUSE, AND BLACK TROUSERS AND/OR
OPTIONAL SKIRT.  MINIATURE SILVER ANODIZED METAL RANK INSIGNIA FOR
PETTY OFFICERS WILL BE WORN ON SHIRT AND BLOUSE COLLARS.  THIS
UNIFORM WILL INCLUDE A BLACK EISENHOWER-STYLE JACKET WITH A KNIT
STAND-UP COLLAR AND EPAULETS, ON WHICH PETTY OFFICERS WILL WEAR
LARGE SILVER ANODIZED METAL RANK INSIGNIA.  THOSE ENTITLED TO WEAR
GOLD CHEVRONS WILL CONTINUE TO WEAR GOLD CHEVRONS AS THE JACKET S
LARGE METAL RANK INSIGNIA.
3.  TROPICAL UNIFORMS WILL BE ELIMINATED.
4.  TFU IS DEVELOPING THE MANNER OF WEAR FOR THESE NEW UNIFORMS, AND
IS DEVELOPING THE PLAN FOR PHASE-OUT OF UNIFORMS THAT THE NEW
WORKING UNIFORM AND SERVICE UNIFORM FOR E-6 AND BELOW WILL REPLACE.
THESE POLICIES WELL BE EFFECTIVE WHEN GUIDELINES ARE INCORPORATED
INTO THE NAVY UNIFORM REGULATIONS AND WILL BE ANNOUNCED BY NAVADMIN
AT A LATER DATE.
5.  THE NAVY WORKING UNIFORM AND SERVICE UNIFORM ARE NOT EXPECTED TO
BE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AND WEAR UNTIL THE FALL OF 2007, AFTER
WHICH THEY WILL BE INTRODUCED TO RECRUIT TRAINING COMMAND AND
EVENTUALLY DISTRIBUTED TO THE REST OF THE FLEET.  DETAILS ON WHEN
THE UNIFORMS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AND WEAR AT SPECIFIC
GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS WILL BE RELEASED AT A FUTURE DATE.
6.  ALL EXISTING UNIFORMS AND UNIFORM REGULATIONS WILL APPLY UNTIL
THE NEW UNIFORMS ARE AVAILABLE AND THE ASSOCIATED GUIDELINES FOR
WEAR ARE PUBLISHED IN THE NAVY UNIFORM REGULATIONS.  DURING THE
TRANSITION PERIOD, ALL MEMBERS MUST MAINTAIN A COMPLETE INVENTORY OF
SEA BAG ITEMS AND EACH ITEM MUST REFLECT A PROFESSIONAL APPEARANCE.
ONCE THE NAVY WORKING UNIFORM AND SERVICE UNIFORM ITEMS ARE ADOPTED,
MEMBERS WILL RECEIVE A UNIFORM MAINTENANCE ALLOWANCE TO SUPPORT
PURCHASE AND WEAR.
7.  PHASE TWO OF TFU WILL CONSIDER THE COST AND FEASIBILITY OF
ADDITIONAL UNIFORM OPTIONS, TO INCLUDE A SERVICE DRESS KHAKI UNIFORM
FOR CHIEFS AND OFFICERS; THE USE OF A CEREMONIAL CUTLASS FOR CHIEFS;
AND A SERVICE-WIDE PHYSICAL TRAINING UNIFORM.  TFU WILL CONTINUE
EFFORTS ALREADY UNDERWAY TO EVALUATE AND STUDY CURRENT OFFICER AND
ENLISTED DRESS UNIFORMS, AND INVESTIGATE THE PRACTICALITY OF
ADOPTING A SERVICE-WIDE ALL-WEATHER COAT.
8.  THE DECISIONS ANNOUNCED IN THIS NAVADMIN REPRESENT THE
CULMINATION OF THREE YEARS OF DEDICATED EFFORT AND RESEARCH BY EVERY
MEMBER OF TFU, AS WELL AS FLEET SAILORS WHO PARTICIPATED IN SURVEYS
AND WEAR TESTS.  THEY ARE ALL TO BE COMMENDED FOR ESTABLISHING AND
MAINTAINING A CAREFUL, MEASURED, AND DEEPLY ANALYTICAL APPROACH TO
DETERMINING THE RIGHT UNIFORMS FOR MODERN SAILORS.  THE WORK
IS NOT YET OVER, BUT FROM THESE FIRST CRITICAL STEPS THE NAVY NOW
HAS THE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE TO CONTINUE TO REFINE THE SEA BAG
OF THE 21ST CENTURY.
9.  RELEASED BY VADM J. C. HARVEY, JR., N1/NT.//
BT
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