Ken777 From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 7454 posts, RR: 5 Posted (5 months 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 1515 times:
Sometimes you run across things in life that are so obviously dumb you have a hard time understanding it.
Today's candidate is the Navy's work uniform:
Quote:
Navy working uniforms are extremely flammable and will melt in a fire, putting sailors at risk, the Navy announced Wednesday.
The nylon-and-cotton (referred to as NYCO) uniforms worn by sailors on ships and at bases “will burn robustly,” and turn into a “sticky molten material,” according to a test conducted in October by the Navy Clothing and Textile Research Facility.
I understand that the various branches of the military have gone to "splotchy" looking fabrics for uniforms. It's sort of the fad these days, maybe because it sorta hides various spills. But I'd love to know how the "Research Facility" was unable to determine the safety problems with this fabric before approving it for use throughout the Navy.
And I'd love to know why the traditional cotton denim that worked so well when I was in the Navy int he mid 60's. That uniform worked so well for so many decades.
Two other bright spark comments from the article:
Quote:
Sailors on ships are regularly exposed to the threat of fire, especially those working with or near planes or engines.
Anyone who has served on a Navy ship understands this.
Quote:
The Navy removed its requirement that all uniforms be flame-resistant in 1996.
I have to believe that the Navy's "Research Facility" is basically outsourced to some civilian company. A find it hard to believe that serving Navy personnel who spent time at sea would actually be that dumb.
I would also have to ask why the Navy needed a "Research Facility" in the first place. The traditional uniforms have served the Navy well for generations.
WrenchBender From Canada, joined Feb 2004, 1779 posts, RR: 9 Reply 1, posted (5 months 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 1501 times:
Definitely a "DOH" moment when some idiot made that decision in 1996. They can do whatever they want with dress uniforms but work/duty uniforms have to safe, this applies to all branches of the military.
DeltaMD90 From United States of America, joined Apr 2008, 5305 posts, RR: 47 Reply 2, posted (5 months 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 1446 times:
Yeah, I'm in the Navy, I have no idea why the Navy (and the other branches) decided to go with digital...
I mean, at first glance, the NWUs don't make any sense, but explained, they are digital to be like everyone else (ok...) and the colors that they are not to blend in with the water but to match the most common stains they'd encounter on board a ship. Supposedly... I don't know, I wear flight suits instead of NWUs. I don't see what was wrong with everyone having BDUs, but if they are going to update it, go with Multicam... it's the best out there
As far as what the fabric is made of, I have no idea. They tell us our flight suits are flame resistant... hope they are. If I'm on fire in a crashing aircraft, I doubt it will make much of a difference lol
sprout5199 From United States of America, joined Feb 2005, 1779 posts, RR: 2 Reply 3, posted (5 months 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 1179 times:
Quoting WrenchBender (Reply 1): Definitely a "DOH" moment when some idiot made that decision in 1996. They can do whatever they want with dress uniforms but work/duty uniforms have to safe, this applies to all branches of the military.
When I was in(1985-1991) we had dungarees as a working uniform, they worked fine. And on my ship the CO banned Corfam shoes, as these would melt. We had a lot of lessons learned from the British(Falklands War) and USS Stark. Stuff like clothes melting and sticking to the skin of the sailors. I guess the Navy has forgotten these things.
Quoting DeltaMD90 (Reply 2): Yeah, I'm in the Navy, I have no idea why the Navy (and the other branches) decided to go with digital...
Because somebody decided that the other services uniforms are cool and the Navy should have them, forgetting the purpose of a work uniform in the first place. START RANT I HATE the service uniform. Makes a sailor look like a Marine or a Soldier. By God, we are a different service, so why make us look like all the others. Where is the Rating Badge? I was proud to show off that I was an ET. There was nothing worng with the Good Humor Suit or the Johnny Cash/Nazi SS winter blues. END RANT.
stealthz From Australia, joined Feb 2005, 5431 posts, RR: 49 Reply 4, posted (5 months 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 1167 times:
The RAN has gone with disruptive pattern uniforms as well... can't be for camouflage, you are generally inside a big grey ship!
Then someone realised that it might be a good thing to be able to spot a sailor that falls overboard(especially useful to the unfortunate sailor) so these blue/grey disruptive pattern uniforms now include several large retroreflective strips so they CAN be seen!
If your camera sends text messages, that could explain why your photos are rubbish!
SmittyOne From United States of America, joined Feb 2012, 898 posts, RR: 2 Reply 5, posted (5 months 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 1138 times:
Quoting sprout5199 (Reply 3): And on my ship the CO banned Corfam shoes, as these would melt.
Those shoes are an abomination, melty or not. Nothing more irritating than the sound of sandpeeps squeak squeaking around in those things.
I'm guessing the NWU will go the way of the snot green Army ACU (designed apparently to keep soldiers safe on their train ride in to the Pentagon station).
DeltaMD90 From United States of America, joined Apr 2008, 5305 posts, RR: 47 Reply 7, posted (5 months 2 days 2 hours ago) and read 999 times:
Quoting stealthz (Reply 4): The RAN has gone with disruptive pattern uniforms as well... can't be for camouflage, you are generally inside a big grey ship!
Could it be similar to the USN's reason? The blue obviously doesn't camouflage with the ship, but it very easily hides the most common stains, or so they say. IDK, I wore them for 3 months in OCS but never since
LMP737 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 10, posted (5 months 2 days ago) and read 949 times:
Quoting sprout5199 (Reply 3): We had a lot of lessons learned from the British(Falklands War) and USS Stark. Stuff like clothes melting and sticking to the skin of the sailors. I guess the Navy has forgotten these things.
The Navy is a funny thing. While on one hand it has long institutional memory it has tendency to forget rules that are written in blood. Maybe that's why sailors are wearing uniforms that melt and Navy is ordering ships made with aluminum, i.e. the LCS.
Quoting sprout5199 (Reply 3): Because somebody decided that the other services uniforms are cool and the Navy should have them
Back in the mid to late seventies they had something similar happen with the salt and pepper uniforms. What they ended up with was a uniform that really was not meant for the tiny storage spaces on board ship. End result, return to dungarees.
Ken777 From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 7454 posts, RR: 5 Reply 11, posted (5 months 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 923 times:
Quoting LMP737 (Reply 10): What they ended up with was a uniform that really was not meant for the tiny storage spaces on board ship. End result, return to dungarees.
That is one of the important factor on small berthing spaces. Stack 'em 3 high and minimize storage. Fortunately most sailors have sufficient friends to have "storage options" when hitting places like Hong Kong.
Actually I liked the old dungarees. They lasted a long time, you had the Seafarer's option and they fit in the lockers without a problem.
sprout5199 From United States of America, joined Feb 2005, 1779 posts, RR: 2 Reply 12, posted (5 months 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 913 times:
Quoting Ken777 (Reply 11): Actually I liked the old dungarees. They lasted a long time, you had the Seafarer's option and they fit in the lockers without a problem.
And when they faded, DYE them. Most of my shirts were short sleeved(stationed in Mayport FL) so they were comfy. The only bitch was the name on the back of the pants would fade real quick, so when the laundry came back it was hard to sort.
Quoting DeltaMD90 (Reply 7): but it very easily hides the most common stains
I had a couple of sets just for dirty work, not that I got dirty as I was an ET. The snipes had coveralls to wear. The dungarees were perfect. Front pants pocket/ belt loop was right in line to clip a flag halyard clasp with keys attached, back pocket held the little green book everyone carried, shirt pocket held my smokes and a couple of those cheap pens/coffee stirrers, and the adjustment part of my ballcap held the little plastic bottle for my ear plugs. Hell I bet the new uniforms have a pocket for an iPhone, and the ship is a WiFi hotspot.
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