JANUARY 27, 2017, WASHINGTON (NNS) – On Jan. 26, the Navy released NAVADMIN 015/17 that updates several previously announced uniform policy changes.
These include specifics for the occasion for wear of Navy Security Force (NSF) identification badges/patches, revised implementation schedule for the Navy fitness suit, policy clarification for combination covers, female Service Dress Blue (SDB) covers and black slacks, safety boot wear, coyote brown command ball cap manner of wear requirements, and Cold Weather Parka insignia.
Below are some of the key uniform policy updates:
1. Badges. Effective immediately, the eligibility criteria to wear NSF identification badges and patches is as follows:
* Security Limited Duty and Chief Warrant Officers and (649X/749X) and Master-At-Arms can only wear the Security Force Identification Badge while they are in the Navy Security Force career field. Personnel who change designators or transition out of the security career field will no longer be authorized continuous wear of the NSF badge.
* Correction Specialist badge/patch. Sailors with the Navy Enlisted Codes (NEC) of 2008, 9575 or 9516 and performing correction specialist duties will wear the correction specialist badge or patch only when assigned to a corrections facility.
* Chief Master-At-Arms (CMAA) is the new name for the Command Master-At-Arms and those with Permanent Change of Station to CMAA duties are authorized to wear the CMAA badge and patch only for the duration of their assignment.
2. Navy Fitness Suit. Production challenges delayed recruit issue of the new Navy Fitness suit at Recruit Training Command (RTC) Great Lakes from the previous target issue date of Oct. 1, 2016. The new target date to issue the fitness suit is now April 1, with fleet availability for personal purchase at Navy Uniform and call centers to follow at a later date. A future NAVADMIN will provide an update to RTC introduction and fleet availability.
3. Dress Covers. The new deadline for mandatory wear of the Alternate and Unisex Combination Covers for female officers and Chief Petty Officers is extended from Oct. 31, 2016, to Oct. 31, 2018. The enlisted White Hat remains mandatory for wear with jumper style uniforms only. The Navy continues to rollout previously announced uniform changes as scheduled.
4. Female Officer and Chief Petty Officer SDB Uniform. Effective immediately, the optional wear of male officer’s and chief petty officer’s SDB Trousers is authorized with the female SDB uniform. We are continuing our efforts to redesign women’s pants that will result in an improved fit.
5. Enlisted SDB. Enlisted female Sailors E-1 – E-6 and below Sailors may wear the SDB uniform with four button jacket and slacks or skirt until Dec. 31, 2019. When wearing the optional SDB uniform, the female enlisted combination cover shall be worn. The White Hat is not authorized for wear with this uniform. The new jumper style female enlisted SDB began introduction at RTC Oct. 1 and Fleet availability is expected to commence in February.
6. Safety Boots. As previously announced, the black leather safety boots (steel-toed) are the standard boots worn with the Navy Working Uniform (NWU) Type III. Commanding officers may authorize the optional wear of the Navy certified desert tan or coyote brown rough-side-out leather non-safety boots when wear of safety boots is not required. Sailors must buy these optional brown boots if they are not issued them by their commands as organizational clothing. Optional boots not required as organizational clothing will be procured at the expense of the Sailor and not the authorizing command.
7. Coyote Brown Command Ball Cap. Guidance was provided on the manner and occasion for wear of the Coyote Brown Command Ball Cap with the NWU Type III to be consistent with how the Blue Command Ball Cap is worn. For officers O-5 and above, visor ornamentation for Navy head gear shall be gold in color, consistent with Navy standards.
8. Cold Weather Parka. Sailors E-4 through O-10 will wear rank insignia, either a metal rank insignia or NWU Type I slip-on rank insignia, centered on the rank tab of the Cold Weather Parka. A black slip-on rank insignia is being developed for the cold weather parka to replace the NWU Type I insignia.
For details and more information on the uniform update read NAVADMIN 015/17 at www.npc.navy.mil.
Navy uniform feedback and recommendations can be sent to “Ask The Master Chief” on the web at http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/support/uniforms/ or by email at umo_cmc(at)navy.mil.
From Chief of Naval Personnel Public Affairs