"Hrumpf...I must say, this seems highly improper. In my day..."

I approve of this uniform code. Tali takes notes. And phone numbers.

I wish my agency had such latitude in their dress code.

Haha, Chief Grump is so cute! And I like the idea of a striped cat that likes to wear stripe prints. :3

When heat rises.

Latitude in altitude and Halter-tude.

Very nice character designs. I imagine in general that tight clothing on a furry body would be uncomfortable. Especially long socks.

I love a Woman's AAS :)

The Master Chief is not amused...

He's doing more of a disapproving "you're really going to go out like that?" knowing it is more of an in-your-face to the rest of the station, during their feeling cocky phase. Coming from a social norm that expects them to be not only subordinate, but actively meek and retiring, the opportunity to function as a real independent military unit is heady stuff. He was largely unphased by some initial sorority house hijinks early on, but hoped they would have a bit more decorum in port.

I've never worked any bases where the dress code was that relaxed. Of course, the Northeastern U.S. isn't that warm...

The regs were written for heavy labor in hot climes and females were not yet part of the equation. So they creatively interpreted the regs to suit themselves. (but not so much as to got topless, which IS in the regs)

One would think that there is that one external document, not related to those regs, that states dress to be "modest" (with quite wide spectrum of "modesty")

The Regulations tend to be painfully specific and can be at a loss when something falls outside. In this case, the women come out of a regulatory jurisdiction which assumed ONLY nurses or clerks, so their formal uniforms are adapted from that. And as the regulations are written in regulationalese, EVERY detail is specified, so there need not be any mention of "modesty". Regulation dress would, by practical definition, be modest and anything not to regulation would be unauthorized, immodest or not. But, as they are now in a technically different jurisdiction which has no provision for women at all, they can creatively interpret the existing men's rules. While the regulations will eventually catch up with reality, any new uniform directives will still have a point by point requirement rather than allow for something so vague as "modesty" blur things. In the military, anything like your suggested modesty letter would both have to be an official addendum to the regulations as well contain as a tedious definition of that would mean.

I know that rather well, I'm russian tank officer (when was in mil. profession). But they fall back here to blur definition if specific part doesn't apply or fail <.<;

There is saying here that code are helper to make decision, not crutch

That depends on the particular military culture, some are of the "if it isn't mandatory, then its prohibited" absolutes, others may tend to the "whatever gets the job done" goal-oriented. Still others are of a more legalistic "cover your ass by doing it the official way" procedurists. In my time in the USAF, though the regs were written for idiots who needed to be told what buttons were or what end of the hammer was for, most of the troops recognized the practical, goal oriented end of the deal. However, there were always the unhappy types that needed to share, so demanded the "by the book" version of everything. The WAASS girls are simply exploiting a loophole for the time being, as an addendum to the regulations is, no doubt being formulated even as the first messages back to higher headquarters com in.

We always had fun with the regs when I was doing the "Have Gun, Will Travel" thing. In 7+ plus years keeping the Moluccans and Greenpeace out of the local nuke plant, I got pretty good at figuring out exactly how far I could stretch the rules before something would snap. The contract security company -- more so than the utility -- came up with some harebrained facial hair regs. We beat them every step of the way -- I tested a few myself -- and when we lost a battle, the Union would step in. Our stewards would ague the stupidity in hearing after hearing. I was the 2nd Shift 2nd Steward, but I wrote the most grievances. Since I could write a simple declarative sentence, most of the cases I generated grievances for were tossed out before the contractor could pursue them very far. Eventually, the utility weighed in with a specious safety concern, and added to their "Because I said so" mandate, we finally saw the regulations changed to read, "Only mustaches will be acceptable. Such mustaches must be kept neatly trimmed and professional in appearance."

I was chewed out for telling a utility-employed Assistant Shift Supervisor that I found his mustache amateur in appearance... a few days after I'd turned in my resignation.

Chiggers, ticks, leeches and spiders.

Just 4 good reasons to wear long pants in the tropics or even Florida.

And pointy, spiky bits, also a common risk in such climes. However, this is only on base, so manicured lawns and the occasional mosquito are the norms.

Well, I approve.

Having been in the military.. Navy... this is OOOH so true.. love it and thanks for a good laugh oh do air ships have yuthrie<sp> marines??

Do you mean Ythri (alien flying guys)? No, just a diesel-punkish world of cats in a tech base approximately 1930, but with some political/military mind set closer to 1914. Not Spontoons, but not far from it. Unoffical cross-overs possible. The airship service is, in peace time, more like the Coast Guard, search and rescue, navigation management, that kind of thing. But it also have a role for fleet scouting and courier duties in support of the surface navy and is under the navy for administrative purposes. For all that, they don't rate marines, and more practically, can't afford marines, dead weight. Doubly so on an Albatross class ship, where everything is geared for altitude and endurance.

Now that's an askance glance if I ever saw one! >.>

Some military Regulations are make almost purely on a small groups personal feelings on the subject. at least thats what it seems with some regulations i've seen. But keeping a Uniform standard is something that is of Importance to keeping the military's professional image.

But alas if its allowed by regulation and She looks quite appealing... then what can we really do.

You'd think in the tropics the Master Chief would at least wear shorts. The Brits did

But he can't stand the knee socks

*giggles* I can see that being a little silly looking on a Master Chief

More a matter of being fierce uncomfortable