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No matter what the others say NEVER wear shoes with ODU's.

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The optional boat shoe (dark brown leather) low cut shoe of moccasin type construction with functional rawhide lacing, brass eyelets, and non-marking soles may be worn.

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Originally posted by Peale1:
. . . While regulations don’t bar boat shoes I think as a matter of safety you are better off wearing the safety boots.

I have seen the term “boat shoes” apply from clogs to penny loafers. . . While safety boots won’t protect you from everything they are better than boat shoes, or as some have mentioned no shoes.

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Whatever you wear, look professional.

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I think if you wear the Coastie uniform you should look like a Coastie, we are TEAM COAST GUARD after all. Otherwise the Auxiliary should come up with their own completely different uniform.

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. . . people get their first impression by the way you look, and the way you look says a lot about you.

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I would never go on any vessel in boat shoes, but I would have enough respect to wear non-streaking boats.

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The key is to mandate wearing of the Aux uniform while augmenting, instead of trying to blend in with the Regulars (thus causing most of this confusion).

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Originally posted by geejaydee:

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Originally posted by Peale1:
. . . While regulations don’t bar boat shoes I think as a matter of safety you are better off wearing the safety boots.

I have seen the term “boat shoes” apply from clogs to penny loafers. . . While safety boots won’t protect you from everything they are better than boat shoes, or as some have mentioned no shoes.

It's not that the regs "don't bar" boat shoes --rather, they specifically mandate them in certain situations. On the Eagle, for example, safety shoes may be required for for heavy work, but non-skid shoes for boat operations are mandatory. (The ODU is worn with steel-toed boots in most circumstances, but low-cut black or brown boat shoes may be prescribed for certain situations.. .

Good, if you go on the Eagle wear boat shoes, but what about 99.99999999% of the other time? I am referring in general, not such an obscure example like the Eagle, which most Coasties or Auxies will never serve on. I am not going to risk breaking a foot or worse because I want to feel more comfortable.

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Whatever you wear, look professional.

I concur, but then you say:

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I think if you wear the Coastie uniform you should look like a Coastie, we are TEAM COAST GUARD after all. Otherwise the Auxiliary should come up with their own completely different uniform.

I think an Auxie should look like an Auxie, not an AD member of the CG. The Auxiliary uniform is sufficiently distinctive than the CG uniform. The key is to mandate wearing of the Aux uniform while augmenting, instead of trying to blend in with the Regulars (thus causing most of this confusion).

You are wearing a CG uniform with Auxie insignia. The Auxie regulations are exactly the same as the Coast Guards in regards to grooming. And if you are wearing ODUs you shouldn’t wear tennis shoes with it. If people don’t want to follow the CG and even the Auxiliary standards maybe its time for a different uniform, like a polo shirt and slacks, with tennis shoes or loafers, and some kind of safety shoe for patrols.

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. . . people get their first impression by the way you look, and the way you look says a lot about you.

Possibly, but only if one only looks at the superficial. The way you do you do your assigned job over the long haul (and regardless of uniform niceties) says a lot more!

Would you want a waitress who was the best waitress in the world as far as service goes, but wore dirty clothes, long unkempt hair, and unbrushed teeth?
Pride in what you look like says a lot. If I go to a junkyard and the guy working there is dirty that’s normal, but there is NO EXCUSE for someone in the Auxiliary to wear soiled uniforms.

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I would never go on any vessel in boat shoes, but I would have enough respect to wear non-streaking boats.

It's interesting how times change. When I was on the Eagle "Top Siders" were mandatory for all cadets, as well as all enlisted crew and officers. I can't imagine it being "safe" to climb the rigging in boots -- but maybe that's why they now have to wear safety harnesses when working aloft!

That's what I think, and I'm sticking to it. . .

That’s your best example for wearing boat shoes, the Eagle? Next time I go on patrol on a barque and have to climb the rigging, I will break my own policy and wear boat shoes. Again, on 99.999999% of CG ships you will be expected to wear boots.

...gjd

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Originally posted by Peale1:
The bottom line is if you are going to wear a uniform, wear it right. Don’t look like a slob, don’t look like you just rolled out of bread, and don’t look like you don’t know what a washing machine is. If you augment with the CG try to look as nice as possible so we all don’t come across as a bunch of schlemiels.

Anyone disagree with that?

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That’s what I mean by 99.999999%. Is that so hard to understand?