Fixing Your Service Dress Uniform
You need to maintain all your Uniform parts, especially your Dress Shirts, Dress Trousers, and Boots.
Dress Shirts
Click the link below for Navy League Cadet Badge placements.
Note: We do not use Rank badges on Dress shirts anymore.
For those Cadets with Other Awards, here are there placements:
- Navy League Award of Commendation Ribbon is to be worn centered above the right pocket of the Cadet uniform.
- Navy League Award of Excellence Medal as awarded by the National Board of Directors shall be worn centered above the right pocket of the Cadet uniform.
- Bravo Zulu Pin if awarded may be worn, centered above the right pocket (above name tag if worn).
Dress Trousers
REMEMBER: NEVER, EVER. EVER, EVER CUT YOUR TROUSERS!!Fold up the excess length inside your trousers and hem them so the next Cadet can adjust them.
We can always re-hem but we cannot fix cut trousers.
Iron Your Service Dress Uniform
We cannot find any proper videos on ironing Navy League Cadet Uniforms so maybe you want to show the world how in your own How To video.Service Dress Shirts
• Make sure your epaulets (ranks) and lanyard have been removed before ironing.• Always use the steam setting and make sure you have plenty of water in your iron.
• Make sure your pocket flaps are straightened out.
• Always iron your shirt inside out. This way the faint white lines left by the iron are not visible on the outside when you are wearing it.
• No creases in sleeves. Use the fake arm method (a rolled up towel).
• Always hang up your shirt on a clothes hanger immediately after ironing and make sure the top button is done up so it doesn't slide of the hanger.
Service Dress Trousers (Black)
These are the most common Dress Trousers for Cadets.• Always use the steam setting and make sure you have plenty of water in your iron.
• Always use an ironing cloth between your pants and the iron so you do not get shiny marks on your pants (aka burn spots).
• Black pants always have a single crease in front and back of the leg.
Be careful not to make train tracks in your pants.
Service Dress Trousers (Blue)
These are not used much any more but if you get a pair, this is how to iron them as they are different than th Black Trousers.• Always use the steam setting and make sure you have plenty of water in your iron.
• Always iron your blie trousers inside out. This way the faint white lines left by the iron are not visible on the outside when you are wearing it.
• Blue pants never have any creases in front and back of the leg.
Polish Your Boots
Yes, this was done by an Air Cadet (we'll forgive her as she hasn't learnt that Navy is better) but she does a good job demonstrating polishing and ladder lacing.Click on the You Tube icon below to watch
Clean Your White Top
Click on the You Tube icon below to watchYou can also use the Magic Eraser instead of wet wipes.
How to Tie a Cap Tally
REMEMBER: NEVER, EVER. EVER, EVER CUT YOUR CAP TALLEY!!Always tuck them in behind so they do not show. That way you can re-tie if required.
Click on the You Tube icon below to watch
Clean Your Lanyard
Click on the You Tube icon below to watchWhen drying, hang the lanyard on a hook and hang a weight on the other end.
This way it dries straight.
Clean Your White Belt and Buckle
REMEMBER: NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER CUT YOUR BELT!!Always tuck the excess in behind so it does not show.
You can use the Magic Eraser or wet wipes on your belt.
You can use Brasso on your buckle.
Clean Your White Gators
There doesn't seem to be any videos on cleaning gators.You do not want to wash them like normal clothes because they have the brass buckles which is bad for clothes washers.
The best way to wash them is to soak them in a bucket of bleach water.
It is about 60 mL of bleach to 4 L of water (or 1/4 cup of bleach to 1 gallon of water for imperial users).
Make sure to dry the brass buckles immediately after taking them out of the bleach water to dry.