From Military.com:
“Navy Eyes Move Away from
Unpopular Unisex Uniforms After Feedback from the Fleet”
The Navy is moving away from a
uniform policy requiring unisex looks after some complained about fit, rank
placement and other issues, a top admiral said Tuesday. Male and female sailors
have been wearing similar-looking uniforms since then-Navy Secretary Ray Mabus
ordered the sea services to develop unisex items in 2015. The policy was driven
by Mabus' thought that when someone sees a sailor or Marine, they should not be
able to immediately tell whether they're a man or a woman based on the cut of
their uniforms. But Navy leaders say they're getting feedback from sailors who
say the unisex looks "might not have been a good policy move or the right
way to go," Fleet Master Chief Wes Koshoffer with Manpower, Personnel,
Training and Education said during a Facebook live town hall event. "So
we're no longer pursuing any specific unisex uniform policy," he said.
"Our strategy here is, in my words, we owe you a uniform that fits well,
that wears well, that's appropriate to the environment that you're working in,
with the best materials available at some cost that's affordable and makes
sense -- uniforms that will last and that you're proud to wear." Some
unisex uniform policies have had unintended awkward consequences. During the
town hall event hosted by the chief of naval personnel, one sailor wrote in to
ask if the enlisted rank insignia on sailors' working uniforms, which is placed
in the center of the chest, could be moved. "I am uncomfortable staring at
a female's chest to see her rank," the sailor wrote. "It's hard to
identify even from just a few feet away. ... Why can't we go back to ranks on
eight-point covers or somewhere different on the uniform blouse?" Koshoffer
said he has gotten an "earful of feedback" from sailors on that
topic. The Navy removed rank insignias from the covers and replaced it with an
anchor, constitution and eagle to align with the Marine Corps' working uniform,
which features the eagle, globe and anchor. But leaders are considering
changing the color of the rank insignia to make it easier to spot, or adding it
to the collar or another position on the uniform, Koshoffer said. "We're
not ready to immediately reverse and go back to the rank on the hat, but we
hear you about the uncomfortable gaze and we hear you on the visibility
issue," he said. Chief of Naval Personnel Vice Adm. John Nowell said the
Navy wants to be sure it's getting sailors' feedback on possible uniform
changes. When the service retired the female bucket cover, for example, some
felt left out of the conversation. One officer wrote about that lack of input
on retiring the traditional cap and the push toward more masculine-style
uniforms in a piece for Proceedings magazine titled "Nobody Asked Me, But
... Goodbye Bucket Cover." Nowell said he wants to be sure no one is
surprised by new uniform changes service leaders are considering. "I think
that's what kind of got a lot of folks a little bit up in arms," he said.
"And I understand that where all of a sudden they said, 'Wait a minute,
you're taking our bucket covers away? How did that happen?'" Koshoffer
said they'll continue assessing each Navy uniform item in the sea bag. Sailors
can share their feedback about possible changes by participating in a bimonthly
uniform focus group that reports directly to Nowell and the director of plans
and policies.
^ It’s good that the Navy is
listening to their sailors and fixing a bad decision. ^
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