An Cosantóir

19 and under the smock, it acts as a fantastic insulator. Wool also does not melt, and although it does burn, it is classified as non-flammable because it requires more oxygen than is present in the atmosphere to ignite. The use of wool in maritime firefighting suits only changed in the last decade. A sailor wearing NSV DPM and a woollen jumper is very well protected in the event of an unexpected fire or flash from an electrical explosion. The shirt will be worn untucked over the waist, and the trousers will be bloused as normal from under the top eyelet of the boot. When worn with the jumper, the shirt will be tucked in. This is not just for appearances sake, even though it does look far neater, it is in fact part of the layering concept, warm air trapped under the shirt is not vented, thus keeping the wearer that little bit warmer. Adapting to change. The Naval Service has always sought a fabric that did not melts when exposed to flame or heat as part of the core of its operational uniform. This is sometimes erroneously described as being 'fire retardant'. GDR, for its many steps forward in garment technology had one inherent flaw, it has 'fire retardant' chemicals applied to its threads. These would only last for a set number of washes, if laundered in unchlorinated water at cool temperatures. Given that fresh water onboard a ship is often mildly chlorinated for safe consumption purposes, and with GDR often being washed at high temperatures to remove the unavoidable oils and greases, this leads over time to a reduction in the fire retardancy of the materials. This does not make GDR in any way unsafe; it just returns it to a more regular condition which is less than optimal. This is one of the key reasons for making a leap forward with the new NSV DPM, made from inherently 'no melt' and self-extinguishing materials. Meaning no matter what you do to it, how or how often you wash it, it will, if ever exposed to direct flame or extreme heat, not melt. Small changes, big impacts. One of the first items, which everyone will notice is that the shirt pockets have been removed. The primary reason for this is in fact a DF policy to make clothing gender neutral, but it brings operational advantages as eliminating the chest pocket makes the shirt suitable for use with body armour. It is a requirement during operations for the standing sea reaction force (SSRF), and the bridge watch to be able to don helmets and body armour as quickly as possible to react to any threat. Once that pipe 2 or alarm sounds, anything which slows this reaction time down, or which could cause injury 19 NAVAL SERVICE VARIANT DPM bottomed trouser, were items of practical use, which were part of the working dress of the fighting sailor 1 . Today, these items remain as an aspect of tradition, this form of dress has not been the practical daily working wear of any sailor for many decades. All branches of the military have their own culture and language, the Naval Service more than most. It operates in a harsh environment, in what is essentially a floating self-contained town, and it carries everything with it that it needs to sustain maritime defence and security operations in Europe's roughest seas. Uniforms form part of this unique service culture, yet it is more important that the everyday operational uniform be designed to meet the needs of today. What's in the sea-bag? The new NSV DPM will consist of a trouser, shirt and smock. For members of the NS this will replace both the current General Duty Rig (GDR) and the Woodland Green Operational DPM, as well as eliminating for most personnel the wearing of Service Dress No.3, colloquially known as "Office Rig". The roll out was delayed slightly due to the pandemic interrupting the supply of the subdued rank markings, and it will take several weeks as social distancing, and other health and safety measures are employed during sizing and issuing. When all personnel have their full initial issue, a changeover date will be ordered by FOCNS, and a new era will begin. The new uniform has many innovative features, and its prototypes were trialled onboard sea going units. The end users' feedback was assessed, and some minor adjustments made. The black beret, and the traditional dark navy woollen jumper shall remain. The jumper is a most practical and useful item of clothing. As part of the layering system, when worn over the shirt, v Crew of LÉ James Joyce during the sea trials v Engine Control Room Keep an eye out for a future article on the NS dress uniform, its unique features and its origins coming soon in An Cosantóir. 1 Pipe refers to the practice of official ships announcements being preceded by a note sounded on a bosun's call over the intercom before the information is transmitted. It catches the notice of all who hear it, and they automatically pay attention as something important is about to be said. In the days before intercoms, these pipes were actual commands for the sailors to carry out specific duties or actions. 2

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