Chuck Norris, Naval Aviator

[AdlerDriver]

Calling it a scarf doesn't make it more cool.

True - however, I never said it did. Just pointing out that the only people I've heard call them "ascots" are Navy guys poking fun. Unfortunately, wearing them sometimes gets emphasis from above if the Wing CC, etc has gotten his standard O-6/O-7 lobotomy. No fighter pilots I know wear them willingly.

As far as "pressed flight suits". I've never taken an iron to one yet. I think what you may be seeing is the result of someone using this thing called a "hanger" after washing it.

If you ball it up and put it in the bottom of your locker, it looks more "Navy" and might seem more familiar to you. I'll take our way any day. The AF views the bag as an actual uniform and in exchange for not looking like a dirt bag when we wear it, we get to wear it anytime - not just when we fly.

Having to change into a utility uniform like khakis or winter blues when you're done flying or not on the flight schedule is hardly worth being able to look like sh!t in a flight suit.

Cheers dudes!
P.S. No matter what you look like, I still respect the sh!t out of you guys. 6 months+ cruises are a big sacrifice and we're lucky to have real pros who are willing to do it. 35 days on FFG-5 when I was a midshipman (before I saw the light ) was enough to earn my respect.

 

[Deuce130]

We also have the Navy to thank for the flight suit side "pockets" with the zipper we had to endure in the mid-90's.

 

[SIG600]

As far as "pressed flight suits". I've never taken an iron to one yet. I think what you may be seeing is the result of someone using this thing called a "hanger" after washing it.

It's not about hanging it up and keeping it presentable. It's about the hyd fluid, fuel, catapult grease, random black sh!t, that keeps it from being an "off base" uniform. I haven't had khaki's on in 7 months, however I can't wear my flight suit to a bar in town either. Although I think hanging out in town in uniform saying "look at me" is kinda retarded. (being on the road not withstanding)

 

[Scrapdog]

It's not about hanging it up and keeping it presentable. It's about the hyd fluid, fuel, catapult grease, random black sh!t, that keeps it from being an "off base" uniform. I haven't had khaki's on in 7 months, however I can't wear my flight suit to a bar in town either. Although I think hanging out in town in uniform saying "look at me" is kinda retarded. (being on the road not withstanding)

Sig, why in the hell would you wear your flight suit to a bar in town in the first place? I guess that's possibly a standard in the Navy...I can garauntee you no aviator worth his salt in the Air Force does that garbage. "Hey guys let's go hit happy hour downtown in our flight suits right after the debrief...sound good?" Yeah right - YGBSM. "Kinda retarded??" Try completely gay! Secondly, keep your catapult grease all you want...I still agree with Adler - it is a professional uniform and therefore keep it that way. Obviously after a sortie you'll have sweat in it, however if you're getting hyd fluid and grease all over it, you might want to recheck what exactly you're doing. You sound more like a backshop mechanic than an aviator. Walk arounds really that bad in the Navy huh??

 

[AdlerDriver]

Secondly, keep your catapult grease all you want...I still agree with Adler - it is a professional uniform and therefore keep it that way. Obviously after a sortie you'll have sweat in it, however if you're getting hyd fluid and grease all over it, you might want to recheck what exactly you're doing. You sound more like a backshop mechanic than an aviator. Walk arounds really that bad in the Navy huh??

Yeah, I wasn't talking about wearing the thing to some bar or whatever. O-club, to/from base, daily duties (flying or not), etc.
Scrap - Unless things have changed, the Navy does not consider the bag a uniform like the AF does. I'll let Sig explain if he wouldn't mind. Last I knew they had some kind of rules about wearing it when you don't fly.
Sig - do you wear it daily regardless of your duties that day or is it a "I'm flying today, so I wear it" kind of thing?

7 months is a long time to go without the khakis - I gotcha beat though. 20 years this month and I NEVER went to work in anything but a bag. Blues for an hour here or there to get a medal or kiss some a$$ - but never a whole day. Maybe 6 hours out of the green bag in 20 years - not bad.

 

[SIG600]

Scrap - Unless things have changed, the Navy does not consider the bag a uniform like the AF does. I'll let Sig explain if he wouldn't mind. Last I knew they had some kind of rules about wearing it when you don't fly.
Sig - do you wear it daily regardless of your duties that day or is it a "I'm flying today, so I wear it" kind of thing?

No it's an everyday uniform for us, regardless of whether or not you're flying, however it's considered a untility uniform, and therefore there is not really a "stadandard" so to speak to keep it up to. Hence why we arn't allowed to wear it off base other than stuff like getting gas, or hitting an ATM. Fuel, hyd fluid, and other crap get all over it on pretty much your standard preflight. "If it's not leaking, it's empty." Especially on hot days. That's the difference, it's not a proffesional uniform in the Navy. Keeping it as such would just be too much of a pain anyway. I'm not saying my bags look like crap, but I like not having to sweat every black spot on my tan flight suits, or stain, etc.

As far as being "totally gay" I didn't want to say it, but ya wearing your flight suit out to a bar in town is completely gay (unless you're on the road at an airshow or something). And I saw Langley guys doing it ALL THE TIME when I lived up there. I don't think they were all (or even any) Eagle guys, but I can't count the number of times I saw dudes just hanging out at Hooters after 1900, or some of the other local bars, just chillin in their bag. Gay.

7 months is a long time to go without the khakis - I gotcha beat though. 20 years this month and I NEVER went to work in anything but a bag. Blues for an hour here or there to get a medal or kiss some a$$ - but never a whole day. Maybe 6 hours out of the green bag in 20 years - not bad.

An Air Forceism I'm REALLY glad the Navy adopted. At least in the squadrons. You won't see someone outside of an aviation command wearing one though.

 

[AdlerDriver]

Wow!!
Eagle drivers or not - I'm amazed there were Langley pilots of any type wearing a bag at Hooters.

That's the last place I would have guessed you would see that. I can't think of another base that's closer to the center of the anal AF universe than Langley.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Now what about the Bags at the pentagon.....?? A bit much??

 

[Oh-ryan]

We also have the Navy to thank for the flight suit side "pockets" with the zipper we had to endure in the mid-90's.

Don't forget about the pen holder down on your shin. That worked out well.

I think everyone is missing the big reason why navy flightsuits are "working" uniforms only and limited to mostly on base. It has nothing to do with cat grease, hyd oil, man juice, etc... it's because navy flightsuits are not "uniform" fleetwide or even community wide. The only "uniform" thing on most is the American flag and maybe the name tags. The other breast patch and shoulder patch vary greatly from squadron to squadron. As far as I know, in the USAF, you wear the flag on one shoulder, name tag and ACC/AMC/Whatever patches on the chest, and then a squadron/airframe/I'm cool patch on the other shoulder.

In order for it to be considered a uniform, it probably should be fairly "uniform" throughout the service. For what it's worth, I hardly ever wore anything other than a flightsuit to work whether I was flying or not.

So, you boat guys really get them flightsuits dirty huh? That sucks. I can relate though... I am always blowing out the pockets on my flightsuits cause I over stuff them with my per diem money.

 

[bssthound]

That's the last place I would have guessed you would see that. I can't think of another base that's closer to the center of the anal AF universe than Langley.

Geographically, yes. I think Maxwell is in "spirit."

 

[mudkow60]

Last week, the PR shop told me they accidentally issued one of our pilot's a "woman's cut" flight suite before they realized it...

Man I would have loved to have seen that before they took it back. I think he actually wore it once before the mistake was realized...

 

[bagasticks]

When I was in UPT about 5 years ago, there was a navy dude (flying F model Rhinos now) that showed up to the first day of the flight line in his dad's (70's Phantom driver) bag. It had all the extra pockets, was skin tight, didnt even come to the top of his boots, had little stitching on old tears, unzipped to his belly-button, and had his last name embroidered on the left breast diagonally. He got his nuts kicked in unmercifully. . .It was one of the funnier moments of UPT.

Except for the boat (used to be a hornet PC) I havent noticed that Navy flight suits look that much crappier than USAF ones, it would just appear that what you wear on, under and zipper position are different. It is absolutely impossible to keep anything clean on the boat, most likely dirtier than any land locked AF back shop. . . . . .. . . .I love the smell of scrubby-bubbles in the morning. ..

 

[bssthound]

(flying F model Rhinos now)

Looks like he got the last laugh . . . . . . .