April 6, 2016

The Dixie Cup: An Everyday Icon and Historic Symbol

Of all uniform items issued to Sailors in the United States Navy, no other item may be as iconic as the white hat, affectionately known as the "Dixie Cup." This week, the Dixie Cup was further rooted in our heritage when the first female recruits at Recruit Training Command were issued their new enlisted white hats as part of the Navy's efforts

April 1, 2016

Skin Deep: The Nautical Roots of Tattoo Culture

Editor's Note: In response to feedback from the fleet and senior enlisted leadership, the Navy announced two changes to its uniform policy, March 31, in NAVADMIN 082/16. Learn more about the changes here.Modern tattoo culture is rooted in the nautical world. The connection between tattoos and Sailors was cemented by the Tahitian voyages of Royal

March 16, 2016

St. Patrick's Day: Irish-Americans in the U.S. Navy

Today we celebrate St. Patrick's day by taking a brief look at the contributions of Navy's well known Irish-Americans Sailors. We think you'll enjoy reading about the few we picked, but let us know about the Irish-American Sailors you think did a great job representing our Navy!  John BarryAs a young man, John Barry was active in the seagoing trade

Feb. 26, 2016

The Making of the Medal of Honor

Like a ship's crest, the symbolism behind a physical medal associated with an award in America's Navy isn't represented by a single element, but is instead the combination of many extraordinary components. Together with the multiple actions that combine to make the recipient worthy of recognition, the symbolism of the physical award becomes an

Feb. 10, 2016

Make it More Than Just Another Black History Month

African American/Black History Month is one of the nine commemorative months celebrated from February to November to honor the contributions of those people previously neglected or marginalized in United States History. National, local, community, Internet and multi-media programs will pay tribute to and share the history of that group. The theme

Jan. 29, 2016

In February, We Honor the Contributions of African-Americans to our Proud Naval History

February is BLACK HISTORY MONTH, a time to commemorate the history and heritage of African Americans and for us, their accomplishments in the U.S. Navy. Here are a few notable figures from naval history.Carl M. Brashear, while on assignment during bomb recovery operations in March 1966, a line used for towing broke loose, causing a pipe to strike

Dec. 14, 2015

Nautical Terms and Naval Expressions: The Holiday Edition

Now that the holiday season is officially underway, we thought we'd get into the spirit of the season by taking a look at a few nautical terms and naval expressions that remind us of the holidays. You'll be surprised by the origin of some of these widely used terms and maybe even those you've never heard before.Sugar ReportOur Sailors can't always

Nov. 24, 2015

Navy Ships Named in Honor of American Indians

November is National American Indian Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the history, heritage, and traditions of American Indians and Alaskan Natives. As we reflect on the accomplishments of the original inhabitants, explorers, and settlers of the United States, we remember a few of the many ships the Navy has named in honor of American Indians,

Nov. 4, 2015

Building Bridges on Sunken Ships

I've just attended a series of meetings in Jakarta last week where government officials from Indonesia, the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom all expressed their determination and resolve to protect and preserve the USS Houston and other sunken wrecks, many of which serve as war graves. "We've been working for some time now with

Sept. 8, 2015

Infamous Words from Failed Battle Inspire Naval Victory

When it comes to memorable flags, they're not always the Stars and Stripes of the American flag. Sometimes it can be just a simple piece of cloth with a meaningful message that will be the driving force to victory. On this celebration of Flag Friday, let's look at a simple piece of fabric flying from the mast of the USS Lawrence 202 years ago on