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Relaxed rules not enough

The Navy has decided to relax its excessively restrictive — and highly unpopular — rules regarding off-base wear of the new Navy Working Uniform.

Until now, sailors were barred from stepping out of a car while wearing the uniform unless it was for a road or medical emergency. Under the new rules, short visits to gas stations, convenience stores and the like are allowed. Sailors can even go out to lunch — at least at a fast food restaurant.

Longer visits, like movies, mall shopping or a regular sit-down restaurant, are still off limits in blue camouflage.

Apparently, the Navy doesn’t really want you to be seen wearing this outfit. The new rules are slightly looser than the rules for the utilities the NWU replaces, but they remain far more restrictive than what the Army and Air Force have for their camouflage uniforms. Marines are not allowed to wear their cammies out in town either, not even for short trips.

Why do top leaders seem ashamed to let sailors be seen in public in this uniform?

Designed to hide grease and stains and give sailors a serious, military look — that is, to make them look more like soldiers and Marines and less like garage mechanics — the uniform was made to appeal to sailors and, therefore, to would-be sailors in the community. It certainly wasn’t designed for function, or it would be more like the coveralls.

Which brings up another silly rule: Sailors can only wear command ball caps within the skin of the ship, and only if the commanding officer allows it. Outside, they have to wear the eight-point blue camo cover — except when they are learning to be sailors at Great Lakes, Ill. There, for some reason, they wear the ball cap — until the eight-point cover is awarded after Battle Stations.

It’s time to end the mixed messages. If this is such a great uniform, sailors should be able to wear it in public. If it’s not — and there’s plenty of evidence to support that argument — drop the pretense and get rid of it.