Navy Jack is back

The Washington Post reports that after a brief absence, Navy Special Warfare folks are bringing back the “First Navy Jack” that they wear on their uniforms in a camouflage version.

Navy personnel closely associate the logo with the global war on terrorism because then-Navy Secretary Gordon England authorized it on May 31, 2002, as the official jack, or maritime flag, for the Navy for the duration of the global war on terrorism. The entire Navy began flying the Navy Jack on Sept. 11, 2002, the first anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. It has been widely worn on the left shoulder by sailors deployed in war zones since then, including SEALs.

The controversy erupted after Carl Higbie, a former Navy SEAL and current Republican candidate for Congress, reported in November for the Daily Caller that some SEAL commanders had ordered their personnel not to wear the “Don’t Tread on Me” patch. He speculated that it was because it is similar to another flag with the “Don’t Tread on Me” motto adopted by the conservative Tea Party political movement.

“The Obama administration and the yes-men top brass have decided to wage war on our Navy’s heritage,” Higbie wrote.

According to the article, the Navy responded that no such ban had been effected, but then later they blamed some senior NCOs for misunderstanding uniform policies – you know, because that happens a lot because senior NCOs are mostly illiterate.

Regardless, the little patches are coming back. The patch has a secondary and more important use – it can be used to identify friendlies in a fire fight because the stripes stand out in NVDs.

Category: Navy