Tuesday, February 20, 2001

By Anthony Burgos
Sigonella Bureau

Anthony Burgos / Stars and Stripes Petty Officer 2nd Class Marvin Burrage shops for ribbons at the 7-day store on Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily, Friday afternoon. Burrage noticed that a few items he needed to buy for the upcoming Sea Bee Ball were out of stock. Now that the Navy Exchange offers uniform items online, he plans to shop the Web for items he can't find locally.

NAVAL AIR STATION SIGONELLA, Sicily — For sailors stationed in Europe, getting uniforms and accessories can be tricky.

Even if the nearest exchange is well stocked, there’s no way of knowing when a ship’s crew may pull into port and wipe out what’s on the shelves. At overseas locations, mail delays mean it takes a little longer to get those dress blues, working whites or khakis back on the shelves.

The Navy Exchange is hoping to change the situation with a recent addition to its Web site. Last month, officials added an online uniform section.

"We want to take care of those sailors in remote locations who can’t get the items they need at their exchange," said William Harper, the NEX uniform program manager. "But the site is for anyone."

Well almost anyone. When customers go to www.navy-nex.com, they can click on the uniforms link. The site is on a Department of Defense computer system, so only authorized users can access the uniform section. Active duty sailors and Marines, reservists, retirees, academy students and their dependents have to log on before shopping. The site is encrypted for secure credit card shopping. "It’s just as high tech as the JC Penney or L.L. Bean sites," Harper said.

Currently, the site has about 75 percent of the Navy’s uniform selection available. Harper expects to have the full line of items on the Web within the next two months.

"I think this will help out a lot," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Marvin Burrage, a sailor at Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily’s public works department. While shopping Friday, he noticed a shortage of ribbons and medals at the base’s uniform shop. "I have to get my uniform ready for the Sea Bee Ball."

Burrage said he’s noticed that ribbons and medals are often sold out around uniform inspection time. "I try to buy them from the store way ahead of time. But shopping online will be nice."

For other sailors, the convenience of Web shopping will make it easier to find specialty items. "I take extra wide boots," said Petty Officer 1st Class Wayne Manning, another Sigonella sailor. He did notice his size on the shelf, "but they usually aren’t here."

The Web site is more than just an online catalog. It also has links to uniform regulations and a section to check your order status.

According to Harper, whether sailors choose to buy off the shelf or off the Web, the price will be the same. "There is no shipping charge unless they want to pay extra for express shipment."

Back to February's stories
Page Two news roundup
Stories from January, 2001
Stories from December, 2000
Stories from November, 2000
Stories from October, 2000
Stories from August and September, 2000
Stories from June and July, 2000
Home