UNCLASSIFIED// ROUTINE R 251319Z MAR 19 FM CNO WASHINGTON DC TO NAVADMIN INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC BT UNCLAS NAVADMIN 075/19 PASS TO OFFICE CODES: FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/MAR// SUBJ/NAVY UNIFORM POLICY AND UNIFORM INITIATIVE UPDATE// REF/A/DOC/COMNAVPERSCOM/1JAN03// REF/B/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/091445ZOCT15// REF/C/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/041928ZAUG16// REF/D/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/261812ZJAN17// REF/E/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/241703ZMAY17// REF/F/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/311413ZAUG17// NARR/REF A IS NAVPERS 15665I, U.S. NAVY UNIFORM REGULATIONS. REF B IS NAVADMIN 236/15, NEW UNIFORM INTRODUCTION/HANDBAG POLICY UPDATE. REF C IS NAVADMIN 174/16, UNIFORM POLICY UPDATE. REF D IS NAVADMIN 015/17, NAVY UNIFORM POLICY UPDATE. REF E IS NAVADMIN 125/17, NAVY UNIFORM UPDATE: PHYSICAL TRAINING UNIFORM AND FEMALE OFFICER AND CHIEF PETTY OFFICER SERVICE DRESS WHITE UNIFORM. REF F IS NAVADMIN 214/17, NAVY WORKING UNIFORM TYPE III AND NAVY WORKING BOOTS UPDATE.// RMKS/1. This NAVADMIN announces updates to Navy uniform policies and provides a status update on several Navy uniform initiatives. Navy uniform policy updates are often the result of feedback received from the fleet. New uniform policy changes approved for this update include the Navy Working Uniform (NWU) Type II and III manner and occasion for wear, enlisted gold rating badges and service stripes, female officer/chief petty officer (CPO) Service Uniform slacks and skirts, optional female Service and Dress Uniform footwear, female hair grooming standards, nursing t-shirts and Joint/Unified Command identification badges expanded wear. Additionally, this NAVADMIN provides a status update on Navy uniform initiatives including the officer/CPO Service Dress White Coat (choker), Improved Safety Boot (I-Boot 4), Optional Physical Training Uniform (OPTU) and new uniform/uniform component mandatory possession dates. 2. Navy Uniform Policy Update a. The manner and occasion of wear of the NWU Type II and III are expanded as follows: (1) Command/Unit Logo Shoulder Patch. Effective immediately, optional wear of an embroidered command/unit shoulder patch is authorized for daily wear in non-tactical environments. The command/unit logo shoulder patch may be worn on the left shoulder pocket flap of the NWU Type II and III in lieu of the Don’t Tread On Me (DTOM) shoulder patch. Simultaneous wear of the command/unit logo patch and the right breast command logo patch is not authorized. Simultaneous wear of the DTOM shoulder patch and right breast command/unit logo patch is authorized. The command/unit shoulder patch will be two and one-quarter inches by four inches in dimension with subdued matching NWU color embroidered logo and lettering. Command/unit logo shoulder patches are considered optional personal purchase items and are not mandatory for wear or possession. The design of command/unit logo patches must be approved by the unit commanding officer. (2) NWU Parka Fleece Liner and Black Gloves. Effective immediately, black leather and black non-leather gloves are authorized for wear with the black NWU parka fleece liner. (3) NWU Type III Rank Insignia. Effective 1 June 2019, NWU Type III captain (O-6) rank insignia will be available for purchase and optional wear in silver thread. The silver thread eagle provides improved visual recognition and distinction between O-6 and E-4 Sailors wearing the NWU Type III. The silver O-6 rank insignia may be worn in non-tactical environments only. Wear in environments that require concealment or camouflage clothing is prohibited. b. Enlisted Gold Rating Badges and Service Stripes. Effective 1 June 2019, the requirement for enlisted Sailors to obtain 12 years of service along with continuous good conduct and minimum performance evaluation to qualify for wear of gold rating badges and service stripes is rescinded. All enlisted Sailors with 12 cumulative years of naval active or active reserve service are authorized to wear gold rating badges, and gold service stripes in lieu of red rating badges and stripes. The 12 years of service may be active or drilling reserve time in the Navy, Navy Reserve, Marine Corps or Marine Corps Reserve. Time counts excluded from this calculation are delayed entry programs, inactive reserves and broken service. Under broken service conditions, resume the cumulative time count upon active duty reenlistment or upon enlisting in the drilling reserves. Gold rating badges and service stripes may be worn on Service Dress Blue, Dinner Dress Blue Jacket, Dinner Dress White Jacket and Full Dress Blue uniforms only. Petty officers entitled to wear gold rating badges and service stripes wear gold chevrons on their cap device, and the epaulets of the black relax fit jacket worn with the Service Uniform. c. Officer and CPO Female Slacks and Skirts. Testing and evaluation of an improved design female officer and CPO Service Uniform slacks and skirt are complete. The improved slacks design incorporates a lower waist, reduced rise (top of inseam to waist) and reduced zipper closure length. The improved skirt incorporates a straight line design. The improved design slacks and skirts, officially labeled New Fit, are currently available at the Navy Exchange (NEX) Customer Contact Center and can be purchased on-line via https://www.mynavyexchange.com/nex/uniforms or by calling (800) 368-4088. New Fit components are available for purchase at the Norfolk Main Exchange, Arlington Uniform Center, Newport Uniform Center, San Diego Fleet Store and the Pearl Harbor Fleet Store now. Availability of New Fit components at other fleet uniform centers will be announced via local NEXs and future NAVADMINs. d. Female Service and Dress Uniform Footwear Option. Effective immediately, the optional wear of smooth or synthetic leather flat shoes (flats) is authorized with female Service and Service Dress uniforms. (1) Description. Flats will be slip-on and plain without ornamentation, designs or decorative stitching, rounded and closed toe and closed heel. It will be constructed of full grain, dress shoe leather or a poromeric/synthetic material with a leather appearance in black, brown or white in line with reference (a). The outsole and heel shall be black for black and brown shoes and white for white shoes. The outsole will also be made of non-marking rubber with a traction design and have a heel between one-quarter and one-half inches. (2) Manner of Wear. Flats shall be worn in the same manner as dress shoes to include hosiery. e. Female Hair Grooming Policy (ponytails). In response to requests from the fleet, clarification of the definition and manner of wear criteria for the ponytail hairstyles follows. A ponytail is a hairstyle in which the hair on the head is pulled away from the face, gathered and secured at the back of the head with an approved accessory. Hair extending beyond the securing accessory may be braided or allowed to extend naturally. The following criteria pertain to the wearing of ponytail hairstyles while wearing a U.S. Navy uniform. Ponytail hairstyles shall not interfere with the proper wearing of military headwear and equipment nor extend downward more than three inches (approximate length of a Common Access Card) below the lower edge of the collar (shirt/blouse, jacket or coat) while sitting, standing or walking. Additionally, ponytails will not extend outward more than three inches behind the head as measured from the securing accessory nor shall the width exceed the width of the back of the head or be visible from the front. f. Nursing T-shirt. Effective immediately, optional wear of nursing t-shirts is authorized for nursing Sailors. The nursing t-shirts may be long or short sleeve and must be white when worn with Service Uniforms, coyote brown when worn with the NWU Type II and III, blue when worn with the NWU Type I and black when worn with Flight Suits. Long sleeve nursing t-shirts will be worn with fully extended long sleeve uniform shirt/blouses. The nursing t-shirt will be worn tucked-in unless worn with maternity uniforms. When worn with maternity uniforms, the T-shirt will not extend beyond the hem of the maternity top being worn. Removal of a uniform shirt/blouse when wearing a nursing t-shirt is authorized only in designated lactation rooms. Nursing t-shirts are not made of 100 percent cotton and due to safety requirements are not authorized for wear in shipboard or organizational clothing environments. g. Joint/Unified Command Identification Badges. Effective immediately, Sailors assigned to Joint/Unified commands are authorized to wear the identification badge of that command during the period of assignment only. Joint/Unified command identification badges will be worn on authorized uniforms in the same manner as prescribed for the Office of the Secretary of Defense and Joint Chiefs of Staff badges in line with reference (a). 3. Navy Uniform Initiatives Update a. Officer and CPO Service Dress White Coat (Choker). Effective 1 March 2019, upon initial purchase of a Service Dress White Coat, if the collar of the coat must be replaced to facilitate proper fit, a new collar will be provided at no cost by the NEX Uniform Center. A tailoring charge to attach the new collar will apply. b. I-Boot 4. The I-Boot 4 development was directly informed by Sailor feedback and included a padded foam collar, moisture wicking full interior liner, enhanced durability and weather compatible slip-resistant outsole. It is available for sale now at the following NEX Uniform Centers: Norfolk Main Store, Jacksonville Main Store, Pearl Harbor Fleet Store, San Diego Fleet Store, Newport Uniform Store, Yokosuka Fleet Store, Great Lakes Student Store, Sasebo Uniform Store and the NEXCOM Customer Contact Center. c. OPTU. The OPTU (navy blue with pantone gold NAVY logo and brand (FORGED BY THE SEA), high-performance physical training uniform shirt and 5- inch running short) is available now at the following NEX Uniform Centers: Norfolk Main Store, Newport Uniform Store, Arlington Uniform Center, San Diego Fleet Store, Pearl Harbor Fleet Store, Great Lakes Student Store, Uniform Center Aviation Plaza, Pensacola, FL and the NEXCOM Customer Contact Center. d. New Uniform/Uniform Component Mandatory Possession Update. Previously announced mandatory uniform possession dates in line with references (b) through (f) for the following uniforms items are updated as follows: (1) NWU Type III and 8-point cover with ACE logo: 1 October 2019. (2) Female E-1 through E-6 Jumper Style Service Dress Blue with Enlisted White Hat: 31 January 2020. (3) Female officer and CPO Service Dress White (Choker): 31 January 2020. (4) Black Cold Weather Parka: 30 April 2021. (5) Navy Fitness Suit: 30 September 2021. (6) Male and female E-1 through E-6 Service Dress White with Blue Piping: 31 October 2021. 4. Questions and comments regarding this NAVADMIN should be addressed to the Navy Uniform Matters Office, OPNAV N13X, via e-mail to Mr. Robert Carroll, Head of Navy Uniform Matters Office, at robert.b.carroll(at)navy.mil, CMDCM(SW/AW/IW) Marisol Dumlao, Deputy Head of Navy Uniform Matters Office, at Marisol.dumlao(at)navy.mil, LSCS(EXW) Michael L. Harvie, Reserve Component Specialist, at michael.harvie(at)navy.mil or PS1(SW/AW) Batricia B. Morgan at batricia.morgan(at)navy.mil. Feedback and recommendations regarding uniform policy, uniform components and uniform availability are welcome and can be provided via MyNavy Portal at https://www.mnp.navy.mil/, select Professional Resources, U.S. Navy Uniforms and *Ask The Chiefs.* Feedback can also be provided via the Navy Uniforms App. 5. Retain this NAVADMIN until policy changes are incorporated in reference (a), superseded or canceled, whichever occurs first. 6. Released by Vice Admiral R. P. Burke, N1.// BT #0001 NNNN UNCLASSIFIED//