Sailors may soon say goodbye to their “blueberries.”
Navy officials are moving to reduce the number of sets of the blue-and-gray Navy working uniform in each sailor’s seabag. They have also acknowledged, for the first time, that they’re weighing whether to ditch the beleaguered cammies entirely in coming years.
The moves are part of an emerging roadmap for fleet uniforms that recognizes flame-resistant coveralls have effectively replaced the NWU and utility coveralls at sea because they offer better protection.
The initiatives:
- Cut the NWU requirement in sailors’ seabags from four pairs to three by the end of the year. Further reductions are possible, officials say.
- Develop and field test a new flame-resistant coverall this year that could resemble the Coast Guard working uniform. Officials hope this will improve upon the rapidly fielded FRV that many sailors find ill-fitting and uncomfortable.
- Plan to reduce or eliminate the poly-cotton utility coveralls now in the seabag.
