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Z-Gram # 87; dated 13 June 1971

Navy Uniform

R 131037Z JUN 71
FM CNO (Z-87)

TO NAVOP

UNCLAS //N01020//
NAVY UNIFORM

1. A NAVYWIDE POLL WAS CONDUCTED IN DECEMBER 1970 TO DETERMINE SENTIMENT FOR CHANGE TO THE NAVY UNIFORM. THE RESULTS OF THAT POLL HAVE BEEN CAREFULLY EVALUATED AND I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE FOLLOWING CHANGES HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY SECNAV:

A. OFFICERS. DELETE SERVICE DRESS KHAKI UNIFORM, RETAINING TROPICAL KHAKI LONG WITH WORSTED TROUSERS AND TROPICAL WHITES. A SUMMER WEIGHT SERVICE DRESS BLUE UNIFORM IS AUTHORIZED.

B. CPOS. DELETE SERVICE DRESS KHAKI AND SERVICE DRESS WHITE UNIFORMS. SAME PROVISIONS FOR TROPICAL KHAKI LONG, TROPICAL WHITES, AND SUMMER WEIGHT SERVICE DRESS BLUE UNIFORM APPLY AS FOR OFFICERS.

C. OTHER ENLISTED: DELETE PRESENT SERVICE DRESS BLUE UNIFORM, UNDRESS BLUES AND UNDRESS WHITES. ADD TWO OFFICER/CPO TYPE SERVICE DRESS BLUE UNIFORMS (ONE WINTER AND ONE SUMMER WEIGHT), WHITE SHIRTS, BLACK TIE AND OFFICER/CPO TYPE CAP WITH DISTINCTIVE INSIGNIA. TROPICAL WHITE UNIFORMS ARE RETAINED.

2. PRESENT PLANS ARE TO INCREASE CLOTHING MAINTENANCE ALLOWANCE AND BEGIN ISSUE OF NEW UNIFORMS TO RECRUITS ON 1 JULY 1973. ALL E-6 TO E-1 WITH OVER 1 YR OF OBLIGATED DUTY REMAINING ON 1 JULY 1975 WILL PURCHASE THE REQUIRED UNIFORMS OUT OF THEIR CLOTHING MAINTENANCE ALLOWANCE BY THAT DATE. VOLUNTARY PURCHASE OF NEW UNIFORMS NOT AUTHORIZED AT THIS TIME DUE REQUIREMENT TO REDUCE INVENTORIES OF PRESENT UNIFORMS AND MATERIALS. EVERY EFFORT WILL BE MADE TO EXPEDITE THESE REDUCTIONS SO THAT EARLIEST INTRODUCTION OF UNIFORMS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED. INFO WILL BE PROMULGATED AS SOON AS DECISION POSSIBLE. PRESENTLY PLAN TO RETAIN SERVICE DRESS KHAKI AS AN AUTHORIZED UNIFORM UNTIL 1 JULY 1975 WITH PHASE-IN OF SUMMER WEIGHT SERVICE DRESS BLUE UNIFORM TO COINCIDE WITH ENLISTED SCHEDULE OUTLINED ABOVE.

3. THE SERVICE DRESS BLUE UNIFORM TO BE WORN BY E-6 AND BELOW IS THE SAME AS THAT NOW WORN BY OFFICERS AND CPOS, EXCEPT THAT IT WILL HAVE OXIDIZED SILVER BUTTONS. THE CAP WILL ALSO BE THE SAME EXCEPT FOR A NEW DISTINCTIVE CAP DEVICE AND OXIDIZED SILVER CHIN STRAP SCREWPOSTS. RATING BADGES TO MATCH THE UNIFORM MATERIAL WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE.

4. THIS UNIFORM CHANGE REFLECTS THE DESIRE FOR CHANGE ON THE PART OF A LARGE MAJORITY OF OFFICERS AND ENLISTED MEN. IT ALSO PROVIDES A UNIFORM WHICH HAS BEEN TIME TESTED AND WHICH IS POPULAR WITH 92 PERCENT OF ALL OFFICERS AND CPOS NOW WEARING IT. MOREOVER, IT WILL BRING THE NAVY INTO LINE WITH ITS SISTER SERVICES BY PROVIDING ONE UNIFORM FROM SEAMAN TO ADMIRAL. FINALLY, IT REPRESENTS MY MOST EARNEST DESIRE FOR ONE NAVY, UNITED IN PURPOSE, STRIVING FOR COMMON GOALS. E. R. ZUMWALT, JR., ADMIRAL, U. S. NAVY, CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.
BT

__________

ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS:
CPO: chief petty officer
SECNAV: Secretary of the Navy

[END]
Published: Mon Oct 03 08:26:20 EDT 2016