US Navy Boot Shining Trick

*Update January 2020: I’m no longer active duty but am leaving this up for all of my A school folks looking for a quick shine. I can’t stress how important having a layer of polish on the boot prior to doing this in order to protect your leather is. If it gets wet it will look like trash & you’ll need to strip the boot and re-do it. This is great for inspections, not great for shipboard use. Also, I’m not going to respond to your FB messages so don’t inbox me plz. Epstein didn’t kill himself. *Update July 2017: I’ve disabled comments due to three years of ignorance and sexual harassment from internet trolls. Yes, my nails were in regulation. No, I am not in the Army- I’m in the Navy. There is no official guidance on how to shine your boots in the United States Navy. Naval Personnel uniform regulation 3603.9, states leather boots “will be blackened and buffed”. Shining is not required- it’s optional.