Enlisted service uniform rollout speeds up - Navy News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Navy Times

Enlisted service uniform rollout speeds up

The Navy is accelerating the rollout of the new black and tan service uniform for E-6s and below, and has announced a new warfare insignia for aviation maintenance officers.

In addition, the Uniform Board has approved a special device for sailors serving at Fort Meade, Md.

The board approved the moves during its January meeting.

The debut of the service uniform in Naval District Washington was moved up to Feb. 1, and it will appear April 1 in the Tidewater region, which includes the Norfolk, Va., fleet concentration area. Both dates are two months earlier than planned. Production of the uniform is ahead of schedule, which means that if it continues at its current pace, the rollout in other regions could be accelerated as well.

The new qualification pin was approved for 297 professional aviation maintenance officers.

The pin has the traditional aviation gold wings, but atop the shield between the wings is a silver eagle with outstretched wings. The pin will be available in Navy Exchanges soon.

While it’s limited to 297 officers at the moment, there are also 1,100 more line and warrant officers eligible to complete the PAMO qualification process and net themselves the wings.

They must be assigned to a ship that is “aviation capable” or an embarked squadron or staff, and must be designated as a 152X, aerospace maintenance duty officer; or an aviation maintenance limited duty or chief warrant officer in designators 734X and 738X.

Drilling reservists in the same officer designators also can get the pin. To be eligible, they must be permanently assigned to a carrier air wing reserve squadron or a ship reinforcement unit for an aviation-capable ship or afloat staff.

Finally, the board said sailors assigned to the National Security Agency and Central Security Service are now eligible to wear the NSA/CSS Service Badge, but only while assigned to the unit. Men wear the badge centered on the left breast pocket; women will center the badge above the left breast pocket and above any ribbons or qualification devices.

Wear dates

New service uniform rollout schedule, by region:

• Feb.1 (was April 1): Naval District Washington

• April 1 (was July 1): Tidewater

• Oct. 1: Southeast

• Jan. 1, 2010: Northeast

• April 1, 2010: Europe, Japan, Guam