MCPON is wearing the new service dress khaki (SDK) uniform for the first time as he participates in the wear-test of the SDK. The wear-test is to evaluate the wear, appearance, functionality and comfort of the uniform. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jennifer A. Villalovos (Released)

I always liked the SDK during my time 57/76. I was a CPO from 66/76. The uniform he's wearing looks a little different,I think the jacket seems a little longer.
His trousers are too long and looks sloppy.
TAK AMCS RET.

Concur on the trousers - seems they were either hemmed incorectly or they need to be pulled up.

Otherwise, I like it. Just wish it was authorized when I was in.

Hope they don't authorize the garrison cap for wear with this - I've seen pictures of a couple of officers wearing this uniform with that cap and it seems to look a bit tacky.

I think it's awesome and can't wait for it to be approved. I'm a little old school when it comes to uniforms though. One of my favorite pictures of my dad is him in his salt and peppers with a full beard.

Garrison cap would be a nice option only because I'd rather tuck my cover in my belt than have to carry a combination cover around.

He should have stopped in at 7-Seas Naval Tailors and got that blouse and trousers fitted to his frame.. He's really not cutting a dashing figure of Salty, Seagoing Sailor, in that rig.

I will say that in my time, that uniform and the REAL Wash Khaki's were my favorite uniform.

BMCS
Ret.

It looks sharp, but wasn't the whole point of the task force uniform thing to reduce the number of uniforms to own? Now they're thinking about creating MORE for officers and chiefs? Damned if I'm going to buy it, despite the fact it looks cool.

Wanna, all it does is add a jacket and tie to an existing uniform.

Great idea, really. Go from service to service dress uniform without having to run home and change entirely. Quite practical.

Also like going back to the older uniforms. (think Adam will look good in it too !) Hope they re-instate the blue piping and stars on the jumper whites. That'd be awesome!

quote:

Originally posted by wannagousna:
It looks sharp, but wasn't the whole point of the task force uniform thing to reduce the number of uniforms to own? Now they're thinking about creating MORE for officers and chiefs? Damned if I'm going to buy it, despite the fact it looks cool.

You only need those uniforms required by your prescribing authority and appropriate to your assigned duties. Uniform regulations article 3101.1

Bottom line - sorry, if your prescribing authority says all E-7 and above will wear Service Dress Khaki, guess what?

An observation on the rating badge, that must be a money saver. Notice that the eagle, stars and specialty mark are embroidered in the blue thread, the same style as the WW2 CPO rating badge.

From about 1948 til the 1975 the CPO rating badge for khaki had the silver embroidered eagle, specialty mark, and stars.

A better photo of the rating badge would be nice. It appears, by the shape of the eagles left wing, that it may be of the pre-1990 style eagle.

From a $$$$ point, the thread embroidered rating badge makes a lot more sense on the khaki as far as visibility.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: MastersMate,

quote:

Now they're thinking about creating MORE for officers and chiefs?

Actually LESS for officers and chiefs. My understanding is if approved this would become the dress uniform (good by chokers and SDBs). Also could eliminate whites and johnny Cash because we could wear without the jacket

quote:

Originally posted by william969:

quote:

Now they're thinking about creating MORE for officers and chiefs?

Actually LESS for officers and chiefs. My understanding is if approved this would become the dress uniform (good by chokers and SDBs). Also could eliminate whites and johnny Cash because we could wear without the jacket

Where'd you hear that one? I haven't followed this all that closely, but last I heard this was not replacing any of our uniforms. Not that I would mind seeing choker whites going away, mind you.

Since the Summer White and Winter Blue uniforms are being eliminated for E-6 and below with the new NSU it would make sense we would also no longer have Summer White/Winter Blue as we already have a year-round service uniform.

quote:

Originally posted by william969:

quote:

Now they're thinking about creating MORE for officers and chiefs?

Actually LESS for officers and chiefs. My understanding is if approved this would become the dress uniform (good by chokers and SDBs). Also could eliminate whites and johnny Cash because we could wear without the jacket

Except you wear the long sleeve wash khaki pants/shirt with the SDK apparently and the TFU was supposed to get rid of those in favor of the blue cammies for working. So in addition to buying the new cammies, people would theoretically have to buy the SDKs as well. Sounds like a lot of more uniforms to me.

Regardless, odds of me ever having to wear them would be pretty much nil anyway. I'm going aviation

Unless, of course, there is a training death and you have to go to the serivices like happened back in Feb.....Or a change of command....

On a really odd side note that wanna just reminded me of......everyone know that they wear flight suits on the NR-1

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A better photo of the rating badge would be nice.

Since it would be to large to post here, go to the below link and download the HiRes pic.
Still not a good flat/straight on pic of the rating badge but the only other one I could find right now.

http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=58094

BoatsBM1

Boats, thanx for the link.

Same eagle as on the current rating badge. The aft wing just appeared to have a different curve to it.

Again, appreciate the link.

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Where'd you hear that one? I haven't followed this all that closely, but last I heard this was not replacing any of our uniforms.

It was a private discussion between myself and then Master Chief Carrol (now the civilian in charge of TFU).

Wanna,
Actually the working khakis are different than the SDK I believe. We would still wear the cammies as a working uniform. Although aviation folks would still wear flight deck jerseys The big question for the airdales will be would the E6 and below wear blue cammies and CPO+ continue to wear desert cammies to indicate the differences???

quote:

Originally posted by william969:

quote:

Now they're thinking about creating MORE for officers and chiefs?

Actually LESS for officers and chiefs. My understanding is if approved this would become the dress uniform (good by chokers and SDBs). Also could eliminate whites and johnny Cash because we could wear without the jacket

You know, I'm probably in the minority on this one - but as a blue shirt, I actually aspire to the current SDB and chokers moreso than the current service khakis.

Bringing back the SDK's - whether it means saying good-bye to the SBD's and chokers, or being required to now have three dress uniforms - I believe, is a lose/lose situation.

quote:

You know, I'm probably in the minority on this one - but as a blue shirt, I actually aspire to the current SDB and chokers more so than the current service khakis.

Probably out in left field on this one, but aspiring for the chocker white just doesn't fit into to CPO long line of traditional seabag.

The choker white is just about a 20 year old stop gap measure to provide a ceremonial dress white uniform for CPOs. That damned choker blouse has been an officers uniform for at least 120 years or so. It has no connection to the grade of Chief.

While looking at the CPO khaki again, as an off the wall observation, perhaps the powers that be would look back to about the summer of 1970. At that time, the CG announced that it was looking at the new USN CPO white blouse. It was of the same pattern as the khaki blouse and would replace the double breasted CPO dress whites blouse. For a distinct CPO ceremonial dress white, ditch the officers choker and adopt the while blouse as the same cut as the khaki.

At least it is uniquely a CPO uniform.

the OLD CPO WHITE

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I actually aspire to the current SDB and chokers

You say that now but wait till you have to stand uniform inspection in white shoes. I swear those shoes were invented by a sado-masicist (sp?). Your feet go numb first then the rest of your legs as you wish someone would invent a comfortable white shoe SDK black or brown shoes

quote:

Originally posted by william969:
Actually the working khakis are different than the SDK I believe. We would still wear the cammies as a working uniform. Although aviation folks would still wear flight deck jerseys The big question for the airdales will be would the E6 and below wear blue cammies and CPO+ continue to wear desert cammies to indicate the differences???

Ok, so here's where we're at. Either we keep wash khaki's around, contrary to the purpose of TFU of eliminating other uniforms, or we don't keep wash khaki's around, in which case it's not just a simple "walk into a phone booth, throw on the jacket, and suddenly you're in dress uniform, JUST LIKE SUPERMAN."

Wash khaki's are a horrible working uniform. It was no doubt a step up from wearing chokers all the time (which make a fine dress uniform IMO) but the way the Navy works, they might as well be whites. You can't get a single spec of paint on them or a dab of oil and still call them serviceable. Sadly, coveralls have very much gone that way as well. The Navy doesn't need a new working uniform; it just needs to realize that it's acceptable for a working uniform to not be spotless.