Publication:Sea Talk Spring 2006/Clothing shortages felt across Navy
By John Gill
Anyone going into a clothing store in the past couple of months would be aware that we face problems with uniform items being available.
The Defence Material Organisation (DMO) is charged with the responsibility of buying Navy, Army and Air Force clothing and personal equipment requirements. Recently they have been under intense scrutiny by the media, internal Defence audits and a review of their processes, with the latter identifying that there are areas where improvement is required. As a result, DMO has undertaken an extensive change program with regard to their procurement processes, and have advised the Service c-hiefs to expect difficulties in supply as the changes are implemented.
As the first part of the change program, the DMO has advised that it will be refining the specificications of some uniform items and will be ascertaining the user's requirements for new items and modifications to existing items.
So, what does this mean to us?
The procurement process requires that each clothing item being purchased has an in-date specification and user requirement before tender documentation can be released. Regrettably, all three Services use many items that do not have these documents; in some cases because items were being bought 'commercial off the shelf' and in other cases purchases had been made using 'sealed samples' only. The technical section in ADF clothing section is working through this problem, but limited staff and many specifications makes for a short-term solution being unlikely.
At the clothing store level, there is no denying that shortages are being felt as the DMO reform continues. Clothing store staff are working very closely with the ADF clothing section to manage the stocks we have, and a priority has been placed on ensuring new entry sailors and officers receive as much of their kit-up as possible.
In the last couple of months we have seen critical shortages in some sizes of blue coveralls, such that a wide distribution message was released permitting combat coveralls to be worn for OHS reasons in shore-based situations. The DMO monitors the items that the clothing stores/uniforms section identify as critically short, and in some cases this has resulted in items being lifted out of one clothing store to support a higher priority requirement in another (the kit-up stores for example).
The Navy Uniforms Section does not see resolution being possible in the next three to six months, and will continue to closely monitor the situation. At the time of writing this article, shortages are being experienced for some sizes of peaked caps, junior sailors' caps, officer cap badges, safety boots, ADF sport shoes, blue coveralls, soft rank insignia, white lanyards, military style shirts, belts, white trousers, junior sailors' ceremonial jumpers/jackets, white shorts, and black trousers. Interim purchases are underway or being considered for many of these items, but even this action will take a month or so to filter through to the clothing stores through the supply chain.
Your patience and assistance is sought during this time of turmoil. Clothing store staff have little or no control over the situation we face and are doing their best to work with the resources available.
Points of contact:
Manager - Navy Uniforms, Mr John Gill (john.gill@defence.gov.au)
Staff Officer - Navy Uniforms, Mrs Debbie Locke (debra.locke@defence.gov.au)
