Uniform usage time
- Thread starter JJohnson
- Start date
The Navy changes, retires, and tests new uniforms, footwear, and regulations pretty regularly. Some changes are subtle, others are major - especially since the start of the GWOT era. One has to remember that there are MANY different types of uniforms in the USN depending on the sailor's job and environment so it is hard to give a simple answer to the question. There are different types of dress, service, PT, and working uniforms, not to mention additional differences between officer and enlisted.
For the sake of simplicity, let's look at the Navy Working Uniform as an analogue to the DS9/VOY jumpsuit.
The Type I blue-and-gray cammies nicknamed "blueberries" started filtering into service in 2008. They had a controversial 11 year run. Concerns ranged from complaints about the senseless camouflage and general comfort to life-and-death concerns about flammability. The blueberries were phased out by 2019 in favor of the woodland Type IIIs which were previously restricted to ground units.
The Navy is always soliciting sailor feedback that inform uniform testing. For example, the Navy is currently running a maternity uniform pilot program at no cost to participating sailors.
The same is true of other services to varying degrees. For example, the US Army recently re-introduced a modern version of the classic WW2 "pink and green" service uniform. It wouldn't be out of the realm of the believability to see a throwback Monster Maroon phased back into service.
I have sometimes groaned at the introduction of Yet Another Trek Uniform in recent years but honestly, it is probably more realistic. The Kelvin timeline in particular felt realistic when it came to their use of different uniforms for ship, shore, away team, pilot, etc. duties.
EDIT: Here's an article about a recent uniform test: https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2019/02/25/new-uniforms-revealed-fashionable-and-free/
For the sake of simplicity, let's look at the Navy Working Uniform as an analogue to the DS9/VOY jumpsuit.
The Type I blue-and-gray cammies nicknamed "blueberries" started filtering into service in 2008. They had a controversial 11 year run. Concerns ranged from complaints about the senseless camouflage and general comfort to life-and-death concerns about flammability. The blueberries were phased out by 2019 in favor of the woodland Type IIIs which were previously restricted to ground units.
The Navy is always soliciting sailor feedback that inform uniform testing. For example, the Navy is currently running a maternity uniform pilot program at no cost to participating sailors.
The same is true of other services to varying degrees. For example, the US Army recently re-introduced a modern version of the classic WW2 "pink and green" service uniform. It wouldn't be out of the realm of the believability to see a throwback Monster Maroon phased back into service.
I have sometimes groaned at the introduction of Yet Another Trek Uniform in recent years but honestly, it is probably more realistic. The Kelvin timeline in particular felt realistic when it came to their use of different uniforms for ship, shore, away team, pilot, etc. duties.
EDIT: Here's an article about a recent uniform test: https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2019/02/25/new-uniforms-revealed-fashionable-and-free/
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I think the reason why it sticks out so much in STAR TREK is because in the era between the Enterprise-B and Picard's command on the Stargazer, there was no change. (Except for the slight variation of the TOS movie uniform.) But between TNG season 1 to DS9 season 5, there were FIVE different types of uniforms. That's only 10 years.
Side note: the only STAR TREK series to not have their own uniform was VOYAGER. Perhaps off topic, but the only series to not have their own theme song is TNG. (While it can be argued that ENTERPRISE's is simply a cover of another song, no other part of the franchise used it. TNG's was lifted right from TMP.)
Ironically, VGR not changing into the late DS9 ones when it got into regular contact with Earth actually made sense. Getting rid of all those useful clothes only to have to replicate a whole new set for the whole crew was probably not energy efficient.
But one thing that changed on VGR, I could never buy into... the phaser and tricorder changes in season 2. That should never have occured, because the change happened during DS9 season 4... a year after they were stranded in the Delta Quadrant. I've heard a theory about how the computer had the specs on hand and were going to be implemented in the ship in the time that we saw, but given that was at a time when they ACTUALLY were resource deprived, there's no way they would ditch all their current gear to replicate new tools and phasers.
Realistically, the DS9 prop crew could have simply given all the old tricorders and phasers to the VGR prop crew. Probably would have saved them money, too.
Side note: the only STAR TREK series to not have their own uniform was VOYAGER. Perhaps off topic, but the only series to not have their own theme song is TNG. (While it can be argued that ENTERPRISE's is simply a cover of another song, no other part of the franchise used it. TNG's was lifted right from TMP.)
Ironically, VGR not changing into the late DS9 ones when it got into regular contact with Earth actually made sense. Getting rid of all those useful clothes only to have to replicate a whole new set for the whole crew was probably not energy efficient.
But one thing that changed on VGR, I could never buy into... the phaser and tricorder changes in season 2. That should never have occured, because the change happened during DS9 season 4... a year after they were stranded in the Delta Quadrant. I've heard a theory about how the computer had the specs on hand and were going to be implemented in the ship in the time that we saw, but given that was at a time when they ACTUALLY were resource deprived, there's no way they would ditch all their current gear to replicate new tools and phasers.
Realistically, the DS9 prop crew could have simply given all the old tricorders and phasers to the VGR prop crew. Probably would have saved them money, too.
Here are a few examples:
- Enlisted blue dress jumper: 1869-present, 153 years.
- Enlisted white undress jumper: 1869-2018, 149 years.
- Officer dress white: 1901-present, 121 years.
- White mess jacket: 1901-present, 121 years.
- Dungaree working uniform, 1901-2010, 109 years.
- Officer blue service uniform (1919 model): 1919-present, 103 years.
- Officer blue frock coat: 1852-1941, 89 years.
- CPO dress white: 1886-1975, 89 years.
- Officer/CPO khaki working, long sleeve shirt: 1925-2010, 85 years.
- Aviation green uniform: 1925-2010, 85 years.
- Officer/CPO khaki working, short sleeve shirt: 1941-present, 81 years.
- Officer full dress tail coat: 1841-1918, 77 years.
- Blue mess jacket: 1959-present, 63 years.
- Officer blue service uniform (1877 model): 1877-1919, 42 years.
2280s to 2250s, they wore the same uniforms, with small changes.
2350s to 2370s were basically variations of each other (onesies, skant, two piece w/ belt)
2370s – 2380s were the grey military uniforms
2380s, they seem to wear a new uniform every year.
It all seems to be based in promoting individualism, except in wartime when a more collective outlook it needed.
And there are many types of uniforms in Starfleet, depending on the job and mission. Its quite realistic when compared to the USN.
2350s to 2370s were basically variations of each other (onesies, skant, two piece w/ belt)
2370s – 2380s were the grey military uniforms
2380s, they seem to wear a new uniform every year.
It all seems to be based in promoting individualism, except in wartime when a more collective outlook it needed.
And there are many types of uniforms in Starfleet, depending on the job and mission. Its quite realistic when compared to the USN.
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Originally, VOY was to use the abandoned GENERATIONS uniforms. But once those uniforms went out the airlock, they went with the early DS9 ones.
I'm sure Voyager would have loved to get DS9's hand me downs instead of new props.
IIRC, the old phaser and tricorder props, which had been around since TNG were beginning to fall apart, and since that meant new ones had to be built they just decided might as well revamp them a bit. In the case of the phasers, they wanted ones with a curve to them since the straight ones used on TNG had the problem of the actors never knowing how to aim it, resulting in the FX people having to make the beam arc out towards its targets.
Now what was odd was in Voyager's third season when they suddenly got the new phaser rifles introduced in First Contact and kept them throughout the fourth season then they just as abruptly disappear in the fifth never to be seen on Voyager again.
The phaser rifles... yes, that was odd.
I assume you've heard the theme written for TNG that they didn't use.
I have not. I'm curious now.
I have heard it, but since it was never used, like how the abandoned GENERATIONS uniforms was never used so VGR can use them (which still means they never got their own uniforms), it doesn't count.
The only way to make sense of the constantly changing outfits in Trek these days:
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