Questions on Uniforms

Please read the following link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniforms_of_the_United_States_Navy

And read the section on the working khaki Uniforms. Does this mean that after December 2010, We will be wearing the new NWU ? :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::thumb:

-USMMA2014

USMMA2014: Either a) times and focus of entering PCs have really changed or b) you are trying too be either the Eric Zoolander or Hansel of the Class of 2014. It's been 32 years since I was getting ready to report for Indoc and I know the last thing I thought about while hanging out on the Beach in NJ was "I wonder if they'll give us Kahkis or that new Navy working uniform it looks so spiffy..." Let me think it was a long time ago ... maybe ... NOPE! not even close... I'm pretty sure it was -

1) Did I run enough today so I can just hang out and body surf/surf/ or clam and see if I can sell em for some money that I can use tonight ...
2) If I go run on the beach some more will the girls I run by be even the slightest bit curious about me - especially that one I've been looking at on and off over the last hour in the orange bikini ....
3) Man I wish I had another couple more weeks of this then I do like my friends before they start college - I've got to cram as much fun as I can into this next week without ending up in the back seat of a police car...

I don't recall #4 through #999 other than to say I'm still pretty sure none of them were about what "fashions" I'd get to wear in December....suggest you lighten up have some fun and blow off some steam the next 10 days will fly by and after that you'll have plenty of time to think about what uniforms you'll be wearing in December... well actually maybe not but that's yet another thread...:rolleyes:
 
LOL, jasperdog! You certainly are on the money with your reply!

But I must say, the kid's post caused me to follow the link and take a look at the "new navy uniform" replacing working khakis.

All I can say is, YUCK! Who's awful idea is it to make Naval officers and CPOs look like marines and army grunts? They are hideous - especially the "eight-point utility cover"! I absolutely cannot believe they are going to change the sharp-looking, classic, working khakis with this monstrosity.

This is one time that I hope the thread-bare budget of the USMMA will come to the rescue and keep KP from changing to this mess.
 
They are hideous - especially the "eight-point utility cover"! I absolutely cannot believe they are going to change the sharp-looking, classic, working khakis with this monstrosity.
.

The eight point has always been the camo cover for the Navy. Only the AF and Army wear that weird round thing :)

Actually although the NWU (we're talking the blue one here, only when deployed would you see the green or brown one) was roundly blasted by the fleet when first announced it seems that most people are actually pretty happy with it now that they are in it. Most note that it is pretty darn comfortable and I would say a pretty good percentage actually prefer it now.

It doesn't look too bad in person. Remember it's still a "working" uniform meaning it is really a replacement to the cotton "wash" khaki's for officers and the uniform most likely to be worn will remain the standard khaki's. You will see some commands going almost exclusively to the NWU's though. I would seriously doubt KP would make this a prescribed uniform.
 
Kinda funny the Navy is going to "Blue Camo's". Will make MOD's very interesting since the sailors will look like water! :wink:
 
So does this mean we might be getting these uniforms, but not in lieu of the khakis? For example, we may wear these for certain activities?
 
Besides my opinion that the eight-point utility cover is ugly, one of the things that I hate about the NWU is the way the shirt is worn outside of the trousers.

That untucked 'look' just says "Sloppy" to me. Yeah, I imagine it's 'comfortable', like an untucked shirt is more comfortable than a tucked one, but it looks like hell.

I'm sure I'm going to inspire a floodgate of responses that the comfort of the soldier/marine/sailor trumps looking 'sharp'. I maintain that it's a matter of degree. I think some comfort is worth trading for a clean, classic look. If we all just wore the most comfortable thing, we'd all be wearing sweatsuits.
 
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You do realize that you will be attending the US Merchant Marine Academy and not the US Naval Academy right? At KP you wear Navy style uniforms, not Navy uniforms. Don't expect to wear the NWU or the Navy PT gear.

Just because the Navy is not wearing working khakis anymore doesn't mean they will cease to exist, KP will still be able to get a supply of them.
 
KP2014: I think either Eric, Hansel, Matilda or those Moiri Warriors they all got freaky with are ALL probably better positioned, equiped and qualified to answer a question on this topic than us. Have you tried tweeting them over @zoolander:smile:
 
2014,

Please don't take this the wrong way, but I'll be blunt. I graduated from KP last year ('09) so some of this stuff is still relatively fresh in my mind.

1) This kind of stuff would be the last thing on my mind when only mere days from Indoc. Spend as much time with your family and current friends as you can now because you are about to become VERY busy for the next four (maybe even five) years.

2) I personally do not like the new NWU and I think that mids would look horrible in them. I hope KP doesn't decide to have the mids wear these (and I'm not the only one to think so).

3) The new NWU only really replaces the wash khakis that was worn aboard ship. The "regular" khakis that KP mids wear is still worn by Navy personnel working in office/non-shipboard environments. This includes (I would imagine) the USN officers working in the Naval Science dept at KP. As KP2001 said though, it's more of a command-wide decision.

4) As was pointed out, the uniforms that KP mids wear are not official Navy uniforms (ie, the USN has absolutely no say in what KP mids wear - it's a KP-designed uniform that happens to be khakis). Physically, the shirts and slacks are the exact same brand and "model", if you will, as the USN but you wear different insignia that are unique to KP. Annapolis mids have their own uniform/insignia that is significantly different than KP. Every midshipman at KP wears the same uniform (except for some insignia), regardless of your post-graduation plans/commitment. Graduation/commissioning day is the first time that those going on to serve in other branches wear that uniform for the first official time.

5) Above all else, you are a midshipman at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Yes, there are options outside of the "traditional" ones that KP grads follow, but KP is a maritime school first and foremost. It's not some quasi-backup-to-Annapolis/WP/CG/AF/USMC option school. Yes, there are mids who graduate into those services, but they all had to go through the exact same experiences that we all did and most of them didn't have an attitude about it. Those who bring in a serious "oo-rah" attitude may think they're all that, but the majority of the regiment will despise you (like I said, I'm being blunt). Those people also tend to not make it through, so be careful with how you handle yourself regarding that. My plebe-year roommate was kicked out because he thought it was more important to shine his shoes to a luster and "look sharper than everyone else", than to study for finals and actually pass his classes. Is avoiding a one minute dress-down more important than, say, graduating? You may think I'm exaggerating, but it's happened. Stuff like that is part of the test to see who has the skills required to make it through and beyond into the real world.

The regiment is small and tight-knit (only ~1000 mids, ~750 on campus), and most everybody knows who the ones are who think they're going to be the most "motivated" mid. Many have tried - most have failed.



Again, not trying to nail you down - just pointing out that you may want to tone down the hot-$^it attitude that I've read in a couple other threads too. I don't want you to become known as "that guy" during Indoc and the rest of your plebe year because it's hard to lose that label. I stayed under the radar during my plebe year and turned out just fine.

Enjoy the rest of your summer and try not to worry about stuff like this which you have absolutely no control over.
 
2014,

Please don't take this the wrong way, but I'll be blunt. I graduated from KP last year ('09) so some of this stuff is still relatively fresh in my mind.

1) This kind of stuff would be the last thing on my mind when only mere days from Indoc. Spend as much time with your family and current friends as you can now because you are about to become VERY busy for the next four (maybe even five) years.

2) I personally do not like the new NWU and I think that mids would look horrible in them. I hope KP doesn't decide to have the mids wear these (and I'm not the only one to think so).

3) The new NWU only really replaces the wash khakis that was worn aboard ship. The "regular" khakis that KP mids wear is still worn by Navy personnel working in office/non-shipboard environments. This includes (I would imagine) the USN officers working in the Naval Science dept at KP. As KP2001 said though, it's more of a command-wide decision.

4) As was pointed out, the uniforms that KP mids wear are not official Navy uniforms (ie, the USN has absolutely no say in what KP mids wear - it's a KP-designed uniform that happens to be khakis). Physically, the shirts and slacks are the exact same brand and "model", if you will, as the USN but you wear different insignia that are unique to KP. Annapolis mids have their own uniform/insignia that is significantly different than KP. Every midshipman at KP wears the same uniform (except for some insignia), regardless of your post-graduation plans/commitment. Graduation/commissioning day is the first time that those going on to serve in other branches wear that uniform for the first official time.

5) Above all else, you are a midshipman at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Yes, there are options outside of the "traditional" ones that KP grads follow, but KP is a maritime school first and foremost. It's not some quasi-backup-to-Annapolis/WP/CG/AF/USMC option school. Yes, there are mids who graduate into those services, but they all had to go through the exact same experiences that we all did and most of them didn't have an attitude about it. Those who bring in a serious "oo-rah" attitude may think they're all that, but the majority of the regiment will despise you (like I said, I'm being blunt). Those people also tend to not make it through, so be careful with how you handle yourself regarding that. My plebe-year roommate was kicked out because he thought it was more important to shine his shoes to a luster and "look sharper than everyone else", than to study for finals and actually pass his classes. Is avoiding a one minute dress-down more important than, say, graduating? You may think I'm exaggerating, but it's happened. Stuff like that is part of the test to see who has the skills required to make it through and beyond into the real world.

The regiment is small and tight-knit (only ~1000 mids, ~750 on campus), and most everybody knows who the ones are who think they're going to be the most "motivated" mid. Many have tried - most have failed.



Again, not trying to nail you down - just pointing out that you may want to tone down the hot-$^it attitude that I've read in a couple other threads too. I don't want you to become known as "that guy" during Indoc and the rest of your plebe year because it's hard to lose that label. I stayed under the radar during my plebe year and turned out just fine.

Enjoy the rest of your summer and try not to worry about stuff like this which you have absolutely no control over.

Perfectly put
 
2014,

I think the correct answer to your question is NO you will not be getting the NWU and KP will most likely not spend the money on it. As everyone has said, don't worry about uniforms...enjoy your last 4th of July.
 
Thank you , KP 2010 for the first actual response. Same to you and your family
 
Thank you , KP 2010 for the first actual response. Same to you and your family
It was just the first response that didn't include things you didn't want to hear. Sometimes bad comes with good and you need to process both to learn the appropriate lesson.
 
Thank you , KP 2010 for the first actual response. Same to you and your family

Good luck kid. As KPEngineer noted, 2009KPer's answer wasn't anywhere near "the first actual answer". Rather than detail in 5 specific bullet points what a misguided young person you are a few of us tried to use humor to illustrate how misplaced your priorities going into Indoctrination probably are.

I will absolutely agree with 2009KPer's points, particularly the one he makes in bullet #5 - " Is avoiding a one minute dress-down more important than, say, graduating?" Further if you think he or I are misguided look at two facts:
fact a) Repercussions while at KP:
i) unshined shoes = worst case: demerits, get enough and you have to "stay in for the weekend with your "dirt bag/Zombo Friends"
ii) Missing varsity practices so you can study = worst case: you retain your eligibility, you are perhaps demoted from starting team to second string.
iii) Fail a class or two= worst case E-Board leading to involuntary resignation; Best Case: Lag Classes & Summer school, harder academic loads the rest of the time you are there.
fact b) 2009KPer, KPEngineer, and myself = graduates (i.e. what you are just getting ready to try and become) - you = arrogant & clueless. If you are to succeed in the next four years let's all hope for your sake you are a smart as you arrogant because as 2009KPer notes - "Stuff like that is part of the test to see who has the skills required to make it through and beyond into the real world."

I'm done with this thread, say hello to Hansel and Matilda for me they seem like rad dudes to hang with; I'd track them down but I had an absolutely scary and sick experience with some midgets during my sea year that I still have some recurring nightmares about and homey don't play dat anymore.

Also for those more accustomed to politer and more mature posts from me, I'm sorry but the USMMA2014 seems to prefer the blunt, more detailed style utilized by 2009KPer.

Peace Out :eek:
 
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