http://www.navytimes.com/story/military/2016/02/24/skirts-out-2016-naval-academy-graduation/80852008/

For whatever its worth, USAFA has had the women in slacks for their formal uniform for years, including graduation.

Yikes. TexAgs is eating my posts!

I think they should let the women choose between pants and skirts, just like active duty. I think the skirts looks nicer, personally.

The Air Force has skirts for formal wear. But when they march, like onto the field for graduation, slacks make more sense.

Skirt + heels = asking for someone to face plant. While I would thoroughly enjoy watching it happen, pants and flat shoes make much more sense if marching around for a ceremony.

I have never worn the skirt sans the day it was fitted for me some years ago. Pretty sure it's still at the bottom of a duffle, where it's been since I left WOCS. Prior to that, it was at the bottom of a duffel from when I left IET. It will probably remain there until I ETS.

I always thought it should simply be an issue of uniformity. When marching in a block you should all be in the same uniform. When you are working, attending an evening event, whatever, skirt is fine.

This has nothing to do with the visuals. Apparently it stems from a gender neutrality push from the upper echelons of the Navy. Sounds like they are making job titles, etc. also gender neutral.

Lobster tails.

Are the males in their fanciest uniforms? If so, the females should also be, which would make it the skirt. When I instructed ROTC at Norwich, I made the females attend graduation and commissioning in the skirt, as it was the most formal of their uniforms. Same as military balls, females wear the skirt when attending, not the slacks.

Skirts while marching across grass?

Sport turf=/= grass

Canyon, Norwich graduates and commissions inside their large field house which has a rubbery surface, as there is usually still snow and the ground and fairly chilly outside in early May. The female dress shoe isn't exactly a stiletto, but yeah, I guess it could be just a little trouble on real turf. Good thing we don't expect our females to put up with difficulty in their military career.

Don't see any skirts at final review either.

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Good thing we don't expect our females to put up with difficulty in their military career.

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Are you really comparing a dumb@$$ uniform rule for a ceremony to regular duty?

I'd love for someone to argue with me that I WILL wear a skirt to some ceremony because it's dressier than slacks. I've never worn that dumb thing. Most female officers I know prefer the slacks because the skirt can make you look frumpy

Yes canyon, if a female is complaining about having to wear heels for an hour or so during a ceremony, then I can just imagine how much she would complain when having to conduct a ruck march, or anything that may cause a little "discomfort". I guess everything should change to suit every individual in the military.

CI, ya, you go ahead an argue with your commander when he tells his females that they WILL attend a Military Ball or Dining In/Out in the skirt and not the slacks. You will lose and you will like it. Oh, and another thing, if you dont carry around over 1/3 of your body weight in fat you will not look "frumpy". I guess you are just big boned, huh? I have never seen a fit female look frumpy in the skirt, only the ones with a K and A code.

In re 1/3 body fat looking "frumpy:" I don't think frumpy is the word I would use, but every services dress uniform is generally unflattering on women (even ones w/ 10% body fat). I have seen in shape women who are otherwise attractive look much less so in Blues. Best example was a PA who was a fitness model for "Outdoor" magazine on the side. She could make a burlap sack look good. She could not make dress blues look good.

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Yes canyon, if a female is complaining about having to wear heels for an hour or so during a ceremony, then I can just imagine how much she would complain when having to conduct a ruck march

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Whatever. If you think ordering women to wear heels and march on grass is a great idea, well, good for you, I guess.

Canyon, there are TONS of things I dislike about the Army, but I have the ultimate option.........I can shut the hell up or get out. The same option every Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine has. If wearing heels for an hour is THAT big of deal, I can only imagine what other gripes or complaints will follow.

In 1993 I was on funeral detail when stationed at Ft Carson. It was in July, and we had seven funerals to perform at in Denver at the Ft Logan National cemetery. After standing in the hot sun for about 5 hours straight, I had blisters on the tops of my toes and the top of my feet. I didn't complain, I just drove on. I did not campaign for different shoes because of one experience. I survived and have turned out OK, no need for counseling or a shoulder to cry on.

I am sorry females MAY have to wear heels in grass once every blue moon. I hope to god they can handle it.

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I am sorry females MAY have to wear heels in grass once every blue moon. I hope to god they can handle it.

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I think we're talking across each other. I understand that people in the military, heck, in all walks of life, have discomfort and inconvenience and they often just need to suck it up and go on with life.

But I have no idea if the females complained about wearing heels to graduation. The article seems to imply it wasn't the female cadets complaining, but the commanders, who wanted a more uniform look. Which makes sense to me.

I was the one who said that skirts were silly for marching across grass. I didn't mention heels, but I suspect they are part of that uniform, I really don't know.

I'll stick to that opinion. Mandating a uniform that is not conducive to the activity going on seems silly to me. You wouldn't make the guys go to a formal ball in their gym clothes, or do the O course in their dress blues. Heck, even the Zouave regiments in the Civil War dropped the fancy uniforms eventually.

Canyon, if I have misinterpreted your comments, then I do apologize. I take the OPs information as more of the young people wanting things their way and complaining about every little thing that they do not agree with.

If a ceremony requires you to wear your most dress uniform, and a skirt is the Army's most dress uniform, then you wear it regardless of whether you match the men's uniform or not, or whether the heels dig in a little in the grass. You will never have true uniformity between a male and female with regards to dress. Females do not wear the same Service cap, and wear the neck tab and not the tie.

Its all about equality until you bring up HT/WT standards or APFT standards, then the tune quickly changes.

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Canyon, if I have misinterpreted your comments, then I do apologize. I take the OPs information as more of the young people wanting things their way and complaining about every little thing that they do not agree with.

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No problem, I don't get angry when disagreeing.

And unless I totally misread the link in the OP, the change was totally leadership, not the cadets. If anything, it appears the female cadets were happier with the different uniforms.

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Yes canyon, if a female is complaining about having to wear heels for an hour or so during a ceremony, then I can just imagine how much she would complain when having to conduct a ruck march, or anything that may cause a little "discomfort". I guess everything should change to suit every individual in the military.

CI, ya, you go ahead an argue with your commander when he tells his females that they WILL attend a Military Ball or Dining In/Out in the skirt and not the slacks. You will lose and you will like it. Oh, and another thing, if you dont carry around over 1/3 of your body weight in fat you will not look "frumpy". I guess you are just big boned, huh? I have never seen a fit female look frumpy in the skirt, only the ones with a K and A code.

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Resorting to insults? This is why most of the current officers "leading from the front" can eat sh**. You included. Glad I went the warrant route. I don't think I could hold my lunch in if I had to deal with your type as one of my peers.

P.S. I'm on the extended scale for most APFT's I take (I didn't work out for five months before the last one, and had to accept a 290; ) but thanks for playing. And if you'd like to bring the male APFT standards in, I usually score in the upper 200's there as well. Plus, per doc, heels are a no go for me. Flats or nothing. Your argument is no longer valid.