Navy uniforms (BWU)

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Miska002

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Hi,

I scheduled a clerkship in San Diego this summer should I purchase the aquaflage uniforms?I know there was a thread about this some time ago but everyone wasn't sure whether people were wearing them in the hospitals yet.

Thanks in advance!

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Hi,

I scheduled a clerkship in San Diego this summer should I purchase the aquaflage uniforms?I know there was a thread about this some time ago but everyone wasn't sure whether people were wearing them in the hospitals yet.

Thanks in advance!

Don't bother buying it. The uniform to wear is khakis. You can wear NWU if you want. Officially the UOD is always whites or dress blues.
 
Hi,

I scheduled a clerkship in San Diego this summer should I purchase the aquaflage uniforms?I know there was a thread about this some time ago but everyone wasn't sure whether people were wearing them in the hospitals yet.

Thanks in advance!

Kakhis are definiltey acceptable and half the hospital wears them. Bethesda and Portsmouth don't allow physicians to wear blueberries so I wouldn't invest in them unless and until you've matched in San Diego.
 
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Hi,

I scheduled a clerkship in San Diego this summer should I purchase the aquaflage uniforms?I know there was a thread about this some time ago but everyone wasn't sure whether people were wearing them in the hospitals yet.

Thanks in advance!

People wear them in San Diego. I would contact the particular program you are rotating with and see what they expect you to wear. I would expect that most departments would be fine with HPSP students being in khakis if they need a uniform.

If they say you need the NWUs (Navy Working Uniform, aka aquaflage), I would only buy one. They are pretty low maintenance, and that will be fine for a four week rotation.
 
I've been told Khaki's vice NWU's before but never the other way around. If you have khaki you should be good. If you are doing anything clinically that would require NWU's I'd expect you will be in scrubs. (but do contact the actual program you are rotating with if you have questions)

That said some people actually like the blueberries and you will probably need to get them eventually. I guess if you wait till you hit internship you can save on insignia.
 
I've been told Khaki's vice NWU's before but never the other way around. If you have khaki you should be good. If you are doing anything clinically that would require NWU's I'd expect you will be in scrubs. (but do contact the actual program you are rotating with if you have questions)

That said some people actually like the blueberries and you will probably need to get them eventually. I guess if you wait till you hit internship you can save on insignia.

Until they tell me I have to stand inspection in the Blueberries, I am not gonna get um. In my current job, that possibility is zero. It is a ridiculous uniform.

Now dress khakis.....cool uniform. I might actually get that one.
 
I like that they are low maintanence that's all :). Thanks for the replies.
 
For some reason I thought the NWU's were preferred over the khakis, they look comfortable.
 
Now dress khakis.....cool uniform. I might actually get that one.

Except they have apparently killed the reincarnation. I recently called Abbots uniform shop (best uniform shop in my opinion.... Well in the US) and was told they had recently been informed by big Navy to consider it very unlikely to be rolled out. So goes Adm Mullen, so goes Dress khakis I guess. Boo!
 
Except they have apparently killed the reincarnation. I recently called Abbots uniform shop (best uniform shop in my opinion.... Well in the US) and was told they had recently been informed by big Navy to consider it very unlikely to be rolled out. So goes Adm Mullen, so goes Dress khakis I guess. Boo!

Sure about that?
http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/reference/messages/Documents/NAVADMINS/NAV2012/NAV12164.txt

E. SERVICE DRESS KHAKI (SDK). THE CNO HAS APPROVED THE CONTEMPORARY DESIGN SDK FOR OPTIONAL WEAR. DETAILED GUIDANCE ON THE OCCASION FOR WEAR, FLEET AVAILABILITY AND WEAR COMMENCEMENT DATE WILL BE PROMULGATED IN A FUTURE NAVADMIN. UPON AVAILABILITY, THE SDK WILL BE SOLD VIA SPECIAL ORDER FROM NAVY EXCHANGE SERVICE COMMAND (NEXCOM) UNIFORM CENTERS. BECAUSE IT WILL BE AN OPTIONAL UNIFORM, THE COST TO OWN WILL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE SDK MUST ONLY BE PURCHASED FROM AN OFFICIAL NAVY-CERTIFIED SOURCE.
 
Kakhis are definiltey acceptable and half the hospital wears them. Bethesda and Portsmouth don't allow physicians to wear blueberries so I wouldn't invest in them unless and until you've matched in San Diego.

Not true. At Bethesda it just depends on what department you're in.
 
I've seen the aquaflage at Portsmouth as well.
 
Here's a nice little cardinal rule about military culture: dress like those around you, it's called a "uniform" for a reason. If everyone in your clinic hates the NWUs--I've heard some older physicians comment that they look unprofessional, bla bla bla--and is wearing khakis, you should do the same. If on a ship and the situation is reversed, wear the NWUs. Point is, you don't wanna be the odd man out.

Seems like a lot of folks don't like the NWUs, maybe this new 'Battleship' movie where Liam Neeson plays an Admiral sporting the new uniform will change the tide.
 
Kakhis are definiltey acceptable and half the hospital wears them. Bethesda and Portsmouth don't allow physicians to wear blueberries so I wouldn't invest in them unless and until you've matched in San Diego.

This comment is very incorrect, as NWUs are a required uniform at Portsmouth.

Best to ask the med student coordinator or someone important in the department. You can also try to access the Plan of The Day for a hospital, as this will have the Uniform of the Day listed, but sometimes you cannot do that off site. Also note that your uniform could be scrubs with a white coat depending on your department or they might do something weird like "Dress Blues Only on Fridays" or something.

Working Khaki's is almost always a safe bet if at a hospital, but check.
 
I'm going to go against the grain and advise that you have a relatively complete "seabag" when you are a rookie in a military situation - you never know what the required uniform is where you are going and people here are talking about their specific situation, which might be different from yours.

If you are just an HPSP student going out on rotations, I would bring the blueberries and khakis - its a good set to have and will serve you in 95% of situations.I would probably throw in the correct dress uniform - whites or SDB's, just to be safe. Army wears their BDU's or whatever everywhere - in a joint environment you want to look like everyone else - hence wear NWU's.

Another thing is that my khaki's get extremely worn out being worn everyday, the NWU's are good alternate even though they are pretty ugly.
 
Hi,

I scheduled a clerkship in San Diego this summer should I purchase the aquaflage uniforms?I know there was a thread about this some time ago but everyone wasn't sure whether people were wearing them in the hospitals yet.

Thanks in advance!

I am just wondering did you do ODS before they were a required purchase? If not might be worth buying since they will just make you once you get there. Guys I met last summer said they are being used more and more in bases though
 
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