Navy NewsStand has a photo and blurb about prototype changes to the E1-E6 Service Dress Whites and Service Dress Khakis for E7-up. It’s a throwback to WW2 uniforms and I dig it. My dress blues have white piping on the collars and flap. The dress whites should also have a cuff. It looks more refined and sharper than the floppy, open sleeve we’ve got now.
The prototype service dress khaki uniform is a throwback to the traditional WWII style. The uniform allows for chiefs and officers to shift from service khaki to service dress khaki by adding a black tie and jacket. The prototype service dress white uniform focuses on better fabric and fit of the uniform without drastically changing the look. The most visible change of the uniform is adding blue piping along the cuffs and the collar.
Navy Times has a bit more about these changes, including some hidden changes to the Cracker Jacks (Service Dress Blues). The article there says there’s going to be a hidden zipper on the inside-left of both dress uniform jumpers. The material in the dress blues may be changed to a lighter wool. Lastly, the 13-button front flap on the pants is going to be fake. They’re putting a zipper right up the middle of the flap.
24 responses so far ↓
1 New enlisted Navy Service Uniform introduced » Swanky Conservative // Nov 11, 2007 at
[...] Update: More uniform changes are noted here: Proposed Navy Dress Uniform Changes [...]
2 Mike // Dec 9, 2007 at
Why must they make them look stupid though? Men’s dress shoes are too clunky and look herman munster-ish with tighter fitting khaki trousers, and not to mention the jacket which has big shoulder pads and is obviously much too long on that man.
If its a WW2 throwback, bring it back as THEY wore them.
3 Cory // Dec 10, 2007 at
The uniform looks great. It is a great idea to make a year around working uniform, that can be dressed up. By the way Those are shoulder boards not pads, a rank designator as worn on the dress white uniform (tradition). I cant wait to wear it someday.
4 Mike // Dec 16, 2007 at
Those are still big shoulders, and the jacket is too long.
The WW2 service dress khakis looked different and fit much better.
This uniform will not make it into service, mark my words.
5 Mike // Dec 16, 2007 at
http://www.bluejacket.com/usn/images/oth/people_adm-william-halsey.jpg
That is a real service dress khaki look…. not this modernized trench coat.
6 AJK // Dec 23, 2007 at
The khaki uniform looks pretty similar to me, and I think it’s a good move. My only complaint would be that they don’t have sleeve stripes, which I believe the World War II ones did.
7 Mike // Dec 29, 2007 at
Shorten the jacket a hair, and make the pants a little roomier and less like suit slacks. The WW2 uniforms still are distinct and different.
8 Timmy Wall // Feb 2, 2008 at
Khaki Combo Cover and its perfect!
-MIDN Wall
9 Robert // Feb 29, 2008 at
As a proud Navy Vet, I have always said, our E-1 through E6 uniforms suck! Except for the Zumwalt period. Don’t believe me??? Just view how shabby our ColorGuard Looks, I am ashamed. Get out of the 18th century.
10 TomJ // Mar 1, 2008 at
Finally, Robert, someone that agrees with me. Here I thought I was the only one. And you used the same exact argument I always use. Put our Navy Ceremonial Guard next to the Guard from any of the other services and only one stands out. And it doesn’t stand out because it is the sharpest. We stand out because it looks shabby and thrown together. Many make the argument our current Dress uniforms are still the same because of tradition. Well, tradition belongs in a museum. Thank god the Marines put those awful parachute pants in the museum.
But, as long as the Navy’s E-7 and above have a misplaced feeling of superiority in their khakis the E-6 and below will stay in the Cracker Jacks. It’s sad really that all the other services except the Navy wear the same Dress uniform E-1 to O-10. Certain insignias aside.
11 Nick Flynn, FCCS USN (Ret.) // Apr 11, 2008 at
I have to say I couldn’t disagree more about some of the comments here regarding the E1 -E6 uniform. When I first wore my dress blues in bootcamp back in 1972, I couldn’t be prouder, and was devastated when I first saw that crappy Zumwalt uniform. It was little more then a cheap knockoff of the officer/cpo dress uniform. I continued to wear my ‘crackerjacks’ for as long as possible until I was practically threatened with Captain’s Mast if I did not get a set of the Zumy dress blues.
While I was always proud to wear my ‘crackerjacks’ in public, I wore the Zumwalt crap as little as possible.
Needless to say when the old dress blues were reinstated, I gave my Zumwalt uniform the ‘Float Test’ and purchased a new set of real sailor dress blues. Ironicly after having my real uniform restored, I made Chief within the year never to wear my beloved ‘crackerjacks’ again.
Regarding the proposed uniforms, I like the idea of the return of the service dress khaki for officers & chiefs. As far as the dress white uniform, I think the dress white jumper as worn prior to WWII is better looking. That jumper had a blue collar and cuffs with white piping rather then this proposed design. While we’re at it, I think they should bring back to old Flat Hat!
One problem I have with the uniform as worn today, is the way modern sailors wear their whitehats. They wear them like little white pill boxes uncomfortably perched on top of their heads. Not very flattering. When I first came in, sailors wore their hats with a bit of panache. (Think Jack Nicholson in “The Last Detail”, or Gene Kelly in any of his ’sailor’ roles.) It may not have seen strictly regulation, But they sure looked alot better! Check out on Google images to see what I mean.
12 chief // May 4, 2008 at
i hate these punk ass uniforms
13 HM1(FMF) jonathan negron // May 7, 2008 at
The Cracker Jacks need to go the way of the dinosaur. I’m a grown man and I have to wear bellbottoms a scarf and a cape. Not to mention a cap which was never meant to be a dress cap. The COAST GUARD has better duds than us! Someone save us. We are the joke of all the services. Its humiliating. I wear my Marine Corps Cammies as much as i possibly can. The folks who make uniform decisions don’t have to wear these Little Rascals, Donald Duck rejects.
14 ben // May 19, 2008 at
hi what type of military jacket does jack nicholson wear in ” the last detail”? as i would like to obtain one.
thanks
15 Phil Hsueh (fmr Cpl. USMC) // Jun 6, 2008 at
“It’s sad really that all the other services except the Navy wear the same Dress uniform E-1 to O-10. Certain insignias aside.”
Actually, the Marine Dress Blues differ between enlisted and officer; the cut’s slightly different, darker shade of blue, officers have epaulets for their rank insignia, matching Service Alpha style belt instead of the white web belt, and most notably the officer’s blues lack the scarlet piping of the enlisted blues. Basically it’s a lot more subtle than enlisted blues and noticeably different from enlisted blues but nowhere near as radical as in the Navy.
16 ex-airedale // Jun 8, 2008 at
“Actually, the Marine Dress Blues differ between enlisted and officer; the cut’s slightly different, darker shade of blue, officers have epaulets for their rank insignia, matching Service Alpha style belt instead of the white web belt, and most notably the officer’s blues lack the scarlet piping of the enlisted blues. Basically it’s a lot more subtle than enlisted blues and noticeably different from enlisted blues but nowhere near as radical as in the Navy.”
Yeah, but the green marine service uniform is identical for officers and enlisted.
17 ex-airedale // Jun 8, 2008 at
“The khaki uniform looks pretty similar to me, and I think it’s a good move. My only complaint would be that they don’t have sleeve stripes, which I believe the World War II ones did.”
Actually, that was pre-WW2, in the 1930s, when khakis had sleeve stripes. It was basically a khaki version of the aviation working green uniform. I like that style a lot better, with sleeve lace and epaulets instead of shoulder boards. That was a more consistent look, since sleeve lace is also worn on the dress blues. Epaulets give uniforms a proper military appearance. They should put epaulets on the peacoat, it would look a lot better. Also, enlisted rank badges and hashmarks should be worn on both sleeves, and get rid of those cheesy UIM’s.
18 michael banks // Jun 12, 2008 at
Yeah, that’s great. The E1-E6 uniform still makes the person wearing it look like a complete douche bag. I was green side navy for 4 years and, luckily, had the option to change to a Marine reg uniform(which I did as quickly as I was able). The navy needs to get its collective head out of its collective sphincter regarding its (lack of) fashion sense.
19 Walter // Jul 9, 2008 at
I saw the new Khaki uniform and I was blown away by it. I am even considering trying to get a commission in order to be able to wear one.
20 Keelhauler43 // Sep 15, 2008 at
I know I am joining this late but I would like to clear up a few things.
One: other services wear the same uniforms because of snipers, we don’t worry about them underway.
Two: The “crackerjacks” have been around for over 120 years old yes traditional yes, but so is the Navy.
Three: Voluntary Service, if you like Coast Guard uniforms better, transfer
I have heard every complaint from everyone of my sailors about this uniform. But you knew what they would make you wear when you raised your right hand (this uniform is really no different than the current one) and you should be able to do your job regardless of what you’re wearing.
Lastly the service Khaki is a huge step towards looking professional while not having to switch back and forth between Khakis and Blues.
21 JONESY // Sep 25, 2008 at
YOU’RE ALL A BUNCH OF ASSHOLES. WEAR THE DAMN UNIFORM AND QUIT COMPLAINING. ITS NOT LIKE YOU HAVE TO WEAR IT WHEN YOUR SITTING ON YOUR FAT ASSES AND TYPING THES DUMB EMAILS. IM DUMBER FOR READING ALL OF THESE …THANKS DICKS…
22 Some Sailor // Oct 30, 2008 at
Simple fact is Navy E-1 - E-6 uniforms look ratty and homely next to other services dress uniforms. Infact I don’t even know why they are considered “dress”. The tradition excuse is bullshit too, the Navy has nit picked which traditions it wants to keep for years. I say we retire this one as well and get a uniform that makes us look like the professionals we are.
23 Ford Lauer // Nov 2, 2008 at
Call me a dinosaur, but I was saddened to see the dungarees go. They are the trademark of the enlisted sailor. Generations of sailors for some 100 years or so have worn dungarees. Of all the services, the Navy has more traditions and practices dating back to the old British Navy before America even existed. I say keep the traditions. The BDU thing is just keeping up with the Jones’s. If you want to wear BDU then join the Marines or Army. If you want to wear the other stuff, go to college and get a commission.
24 IT2 // Nov 20, 2008 at
well, you don’t have to join another service anymore, seeing as we’re going to blue digital cammies this year. and i couldn’t be happier about it. the utility uniform they gave us after they retired the dungarees is ugly and inefficient. still, not a day goes by that you don’t wear your coveralls when you’re on sea duty, and i’m glad that’s not going to change. but i agree - our dress uniforms for E1-E6 look more like a costume than a dress uniform…and that’s exactly how the majority of the fleet sees them.
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