New Uniforms for the Navy and Air Force in 2007

In the air and at sea, America's fighting men and women will have a new look starting next year. Both the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Navy have approved new uniforms for their troops. Both services are expected to begin to transition to the new uniforms in 2007.

"This is the uniform of the future," Brig. Gen Robert R. Allardice said in announcing the new Airman Battle Uniform (ABU). Allardice is deputy chief of staff of personnel for the Air Force. The new ABU will replace the existing forest-green and desert-tan versions of the camoflauge Battle Dress Uniforms (BDU) now worn by both officer and enlisted Airmen.

For the Navy, the new uniform will be an even more radical change. Adm. Mike Mullen, the Chief of Naval Operations, has approved a single BDU-style working uniform for all ranks and an new year-round service uniform for enlisted sailors in the ranks of petty officer first class and below.

The new BDU-style uniform will replace a collection of seven different existing uniforms for sailors, greatly cutting down on expenses for the Navy and its Sailors.

"When I walk down the piers, I see a Sailors standing watch as a pier sentry in January and it's 30 degrees and freezing rain," Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Terry Scott said. "You have to ask yourself, does the uniform that we currently issue protect us, and the answer is no."

The BDU-style working uniform is made of a near maintenance-free permanent press 50/50 nylon and cotton blend. Worn with a blue cotton t-shirt, it will include an eight-point hat - called a "cover" in military lingo - and black smooth leather boots, with black suede no-shine boots for optional wear while assigned to non-shipboard commands. It will also be made in three color schemes: predominately blue, with some gray, for the majority of Sailors and shipboard use; and a woodland digital pattern and a desert digital pattern for Sailors serving in units requiring those types of uniforms.

"The intent of (Task Force Uniform) always has been to give our Sailors a uniform in which they can work comfortably everyday and is more appropriate for the joint environment in which we operate," Scott said. "Even better, we've created a uniform that's also easier to maintain, is longer lasting, helps reduce the size of the sea bag, while at the same time recognizing the tradition and heritage of serving in the Navy."

The service uniform for sailors in the ranks of petty officer first class and below is comprised of a short-sleeve khaki shirt for males and an over-blouse for females, made from a wash and wear 75/25 polyester and wool blend, with permanent military creases, black trousers for males with belt less slacks for females and optional belt less skirt, and a black unisex garrison cap.

"These are good uniforms, designed to support the modern Sailor," said Mullen. "Durability, safety, ease of wear and cleaning were all factors that weighed heavily on my mind, as did, quite frankly, the survey data and the opinions of wear testers. This wasn't a popularity contest by any stretch, but we would have been foolish not to consider the opinions of the men and women who will wear these uniforms."

The Air Force's new ABU is a pixilated tiger stripe with four soft earth tones consisting of tan, grey, green and blue. The ABU will have a permanent crease and will be offered in 50-50 nylon-cotton blend permanent press fabric eliminating the need for winter and summer weight uniforms.

"We were looking for a uniform that would be easier to maintain," Allardice said. "We wanted to provide a uniform that the Airman wouldn't need to spend a lot of out-of-pocket expenses to maintain."

Allardice said the Air Force also took feedback from the troops into account in designing the new uniform.

"We listened to the Airmen's request where they wanted pockets to hold small tools and when they wear body armor the existing shirt pockets are not accessible or usable," Allardice said. "It will have the four pockets on the front of the shirt, and also a small pencil pocket on the left forearm and two pockets on the lower legs. In addition, inside the side pockets and inside of the breast pockets there will be smaller sewn-in pockets to hold small tools, flashlights or cell phones."

The Air Force said it will authorize production of the new uniform to begin in October 2006, with a several year transition period. The Air Force is projecting making the ABU mandatory in fiscal year 2011.

Allardice said some decisions are still being weighed on what patches, if any, will be authorized on the new uniform.
According to Master Chief Petty Officer Robert Carroll, a member of the Navy's Task Force Uniform, the two new Navy uniforms are not expected to be available for purchase and wear until late fall of 2007, after which they will be introduced to Recruit Training Command and eventually distributed to the rest of the fleet. A two-year transition period is planned.

"The bottom line for me in making these decisions is culture," the Navy's Mullen said. "Uniforms reflect our culture - who we are - what we stand for. I've said all along that no matter which way we go, I want Sailors to look like Sailors. I really believe these uniforms pass that test."