[1SR-L] OPERATIONAL DRESS UNIFORM (ODU) CARE AND WEAR POLICY -008/07

[Announcement List for First Southern District]

TO:  	ALAUXDIST1SR
FM:  	CDR E.D. Young
SUBJ:	OPERATIONAL DRESS UNIFORM (ODU) CARE AND WEAR POLICY -008/07

1.  FYI:

R 311402Z AUG 07 ZUI ASN-A00243000005 ZYB 
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-12// 

TO ALCOAST 
BT 
UNCLAS //N01020// 
ALCOAST 427/07 
COMDTNOTE 1020

SUBJ: OPERATIONAL DRESS UNIFORM (ODU) CARE AND WEAR POLICY 
A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 261515Z APR 07/ALCOAST 223/07 
B. UNIFORM REGULATIONS, COMDTINST M1020.6 (SERIES) 

1. REF A IS CANCELLED.
2. THIS ALCOAST CLARIFIES THE PROPER WEAR OF THE ODU.  THE ODU IS A GENERAL
PURPOSE EVERYDAY UNIFORM INTENDED FOR WEAR IN ANY SITUATION THAT DOES NOT
REQUIRE A DRESS UNIFORM. IN ADDITION, SINCE THIS UNIFORM MAY BE WORN IN MANY
OPERATIONAL SITUATIONS, AND IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN SAFETY AND CONSISTENCY IN
APPEARANCE, METAL DEVICES OR ATTACHMENTS WILL NO LONGER BE AUTHORIZED.
3. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, THE FOLLOWING SHALL APPLY TO THE ODU:
 A. WHEN WASHING, ENSURE THAT ALL VELCRO CLOSURES ARE FASTENED TO MINIMIZE
COLLECTION OF LINT AND FOREIGN MATTER.

 B. THE ODU SHALL BE IRONED WITHOUT MILITARY CREASES. IN ADDITION, COLLARS,
LAPELS, SLEEVES, AND POCKETS ON BOTH THE ODU TOP AND TROUSERS SHALL LAY
FLAT.  GREAT CARE MUST BE TAKEN WHEN IRONING THE ODU. EXCESSIVE HEAT,
STARCHING, AND REPEATED SHARP CREASING CAN RESULT IN WHITENING AND/OR FINISH
DAMAGE. IRON THE UNIFORM INSIDE OUT TO MINIMIZE GLOSS OR SHINE.

 C. THE ODU UNIFORM WILL BE WORN WITH WELL-BLACKENED 8 OR 10 INCH SAFETY
BOOTS. WHEN WORN IN AN OFFICE BOOTS SHALL BE SHINED. EXCESS LACES SHALL BE
TUCKED AWAY SO THEY CAN NOT BE SEEN.

 D. THE ODU TROUSERS MAY BE TUCKED INTO THE BOOTS OR BLOUSED.  WHEN BLOUSED,
PLACE BLOUSING BANDS BETWEEN THE SECOND AND THIRD BOOT EYELET.  IF TUCKED
INTO BOOTS, THE TROUSERS LEG SHOULD BE SHAPED TO PRESENT A BLOUSED
APPEARANCE.

 E. THE ODU TROUSERS CARGO POCKETS MAY BE USED, BUT ITEMS STOWED SHALL NOT
TAKE AWAY FROM A SMART MILITARY APPEARANCE.

 F. THE ODU T-SHIRT SHALL BE IN GOOD CONDITION WITH NO TEARS OR STAINS.  DUE
TO HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES, MORE RESEARCH IS REQUIRED BEFORE A WICKABLE
T-SHIRT IS AUTHORIZED FOR WEAR WITH THE ODU.

 G. ALL ACCESSORIES SHALL BE IN GOOD REPAIR AND WORN AS FOLLOWS:

      1. AFTER 15 JULY 2007, ALL ACCESSORIES WORN ON THE ODU SHALL BE
EMBROIDERED, INCLUDING COLLAR RANK AND SPECIALTY INSIGNIA.  ALL COLLAR RANK
INSIGNIAS, WITH EXCEPTION OF O3 AND O6 SHALL BE PLACED ON THE IMAGINARY LINE
BISECTING THE ANGLE OF THE COLLAR WITH THE BASE OF THE INSIGNIA (NOT THE
EMBROIDERED PATCH) APPROX 1 1/8 INCH FROM COLLAR POINT. DUE TO THEIR
HORIZONTAL FORMAT, EMBROIDERED O3 AND O6 RANK INSIGNIA SHALL BE PLACED 1 1/2
INCHES FROM THE POINT.

      2. QUALIFICATION INSIGNIA SHALL BE CENTERED DIRECTLY ABOVE THE U.S.
COAST GUARD NAMETAPE ON THE WEARERS LEFT HAND POCKET.  ONLY ONE EMBROIDERED
QUALIFICATION INSIGNIA IS AUTHORIZED.  EMBROIDERED INSIGNIA SHALL BE THE
SAME SIZE AS THE METAL INSIGNIA, CENTERED ON A TAPE THE FULL WIDTH OF THE
POCKET. THE TAPE SHALL NOT EXCEED THE WIDTH OF THE POCKET. TEMPORARY
QUALIFICATION INSIGNIAS SHALL NOT BE WORN ON THE ODU.

      3. INCUMBENT COS AND OICS ARE AUTHORIZED TO WEAR THE EMBROIDERED
COMMAND ASHORE OR AFLOAT DEVICES CENTERED DIRECTLY ABOVE THE MEMBERS
NAMETAPE.  EMBROIDERED COMMAND DEVICES SHALL BE THE SAME SIZE AS THE METAL
DEVICES, CENTERED ON A TAPE THE SAME WIDTH AS THE POCKET.

      4. SINCE THESE POSITIONS ARE INTEGRAL TO THE COMMAND CADRE, INCUMBENT
GOLD AND SILVER BADGE COMMAND CHIEFS ARE AUTHORIZED TO WEAR THEIR RESPECTIVE
BADGES (EMBROIDERED ONLY) ON THE ODU.  BADGES SHALL BE WORN CENTERED ON THE
WEARERS LEFT POCKET, HOWEVER WOMEN MAY WEAR THE BADGE ABOVE THE NAME TAPE OF
THE RIGHT POCKET.

 H. THE BUCKLE AND BELT TIP OF THE STANDARD 1 1/4 INCH BLACK ODU BELT MUST
NOT BE CHIPPED OR DISCOLORED.  THE BITTER END SHALL EXTEND 2-4 INCHES PAST
THE BELT BUCKLE ON THE WEARERS LEFT.

 I. THE BASIC RIGGERS BELT (NSN: 8415-01-526-5551), ALSO KNOWN AS THE BATTLE
DRESS UNIFORM (BDU) BELT, CAN BE PURCHASED THRU THE UDC AND MAY BE WORN AS
AN OPTIONAL ITEM ON THE ODU.  THIS BELT IS A 1 3/4 INCH BLACK NYLON BELT.
WHEN WORN, THE BITTER END SHALL STOP BEHIND, BUT NOT PAST, THE FIRST BELT
LOOP ON THE WEARERS LEFT. (THIS WILL REQUIRE THE BELT BE PASSED THROUGH THE
BELT LOOPS FROM THE RIGHT, THE OPPOSITE OF OTHER MENS BELTS). THE BASIC
RIGGERS BELT COMES IN ONE LENGTH AND NEEDS TO BE CUT TO SIZE.  TO DETERMINE
THE CORRECT BELT LENGTH, LACE THE BELT THROUGH BELT LOOPS, PASS IT BEHIND
THE BELT BAR, THEN FEED IT BACK THROUGH AND OVER THE BELT BAR. FINALLY, PULL
TO SECURE. NEXT, MARK THE BELT SO THAT IT STOPS BEHIND, BUT NOT PAST, THE
FIRST BELT LOOP ON THE WEARERS LEFT. MAKE A STRAIGHT CUT ALONG THIS MARK.
SINGE THE BITTER END TO AVOID UNRAVELING.  THE "BLACK HAWK" RIGGERS BELT IS
NOT AUTHORIZED FOR GENERAL WEAR, BUT MAY BE WORN AS ORGANIZATIONAL EQUIPMENT
DURING TACTICAL MISSIONS.

 J. THE STANDARD OR UNIT BALL CAP SHALL BE WELL-FORMED AND IN GOOD CONDITION
WITH NO SOILING, FADING OR TEARS,  NOR WILL IT CONTAIN ANY DEVICES OR PINS
BEYOND THE METAL COLLAR INSIGNIA OR METAL CG SHIELD AS APPROPRIATE FOR RANK.
NO ADDITIONAL WRITING ON EITHER THE FRONT OR REAR OF THE CAP IS AUTHORIZED.

4. MANNER OF WEAR: THE ODU IS NOT A LIBERTY UNIFORM AND SHALL NOT BE WORN AS
A SUBSTITUTE FOR COVERALLS.  HOWEVER, IT CAN BE WORN DURING THE FOLLOWING
AUTHORIZED CIRCUMSTANCES:

 A. WHILE TRAVELING IN GOVERNMENT VEHICLES, VESSELS, AIRCRAFT, ON ORDERS IN
A COMMERCIAL CONVEYANCE, OR WHILE TRAVELING ON ORDERS IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY
(IF APPROVED BY THE U.S. EMBASSY).

 B. WHILE COMMUTING, TO INCLUDE MASS TRANSIT, DURING INFORMAL OFF BASE
LUNCHES, VISITS TO DOD FACILITIES OR FOR SHORT STOPS IN CONVENIENCE OR
RETAIL STORES.

 C. WHILE IN AN EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AT OTHER DOD AGENCIES (AS DIRECTED
BY THEIR COMMANDING OFFICER).

 D. THE ODU TOP IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE UNIFORM. IT SHALL ONLY BE REMOVED
TEMPORARILY, WHEN WORKING IN EXCESSIVELY HOT CONDITIONS AND OUT OF THE
PUBLIC EYE.

 E. THE ODU IS AUTHORIZED FOR OFFICE WEAR AT THE COMMANDING OFFICERS
DISCRETION.

5. THE ODU HOT WEATHER VERSION IS OPTIONAL AND OR ORGANIZATIONAL DEPENDING
ON COMMANDS DIRECTION. THE ODU HOT WEATHER UNIFORM MAY BE AUTHORIZED BY THE
AREA, DISTRICT, OR MLC COMMANDER WHEN EXTREME WORK ENVIRONMENTS REQUIRE IT.
THIS PRESCRIBING AUTHORITY CANNOT BE DELEGATED.  COMMANDS SHALL BE JUDICIOUS
WHEN EMPLOYING THIS OPTION.
THE HOT WEATHER UNIFORM IS NOT AUTHORIZED FOR ROUTINE WEAR IN THE OFFICE.
IT IS NOT AUTHORIZED FOR WEAR WHILE COMMUTING TO AND FROM WORK OR ANY OTHER
PUBLIC SETTING.  THE HOT WEATHER UNIFORM CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:

 A. ODU SHORTS. ODU TROUSERS HEMMED 1 - 4 INCHES ABOVE THE KNEE AND WORN
WITH EITHER THE STANDARD ODU OR OPTIONAL RIGGERS BELT.

 B. ODU T-SHIRT. A COAST GUARD BLUE CREW NECK T-SHIRT STENCILED WITH THE
WORDS "U. S. COAST GUARD" ACROSS THE FRONT LEFT CHEST IN WHITE 3/4-INCH TALL
BLOCK-STYLE LETTERS. ALL MUST BE STENCILED IDENTICALLY TO PROMOTE UNIT
IDENTITY AND PROFESSIONAL APPEARANCE.

 C. WHITE CREW LENGTH SOCKS.

 D. CURRENT 8"-10" SUPERBOOT OR LOW TOP SAFETY BOOT.

6. WHEN WEARING THE MATERNITY ODU, THE NAMETAPES, U.S. COAST GUARD TAPE
SHALL BE WORN CENTERED ON THEIR RESPECTIVE SIDE BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND
BUTTONS.  IF A QUALIFICATIONS INSIGNIA IS WORN, IT SHALL BE DIRECTLY ABOVE
THE U.S. COAST GUARD TAPE.  SLIGHT ADJUSTMENTS IN PLACEMENT ARE AUTHORIZED
TO PREVENT DISCOMFORT AND TO PRESENT AND ORDERLY AND BALANCED APPEARANCE.

7. WORK CONTINUES ON THE UNTUCKED VERSION OF THE ODU.  THIS VERSION, WHICH
WILL HAVE AN ENHANCED, WRINKLE RESISTANT, OIL AND FADE RESISTANT MATERIAL,
IS STILL BEING DEVELOPED. SOME PROTOTYPES HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED FOR INITIAL
TESTING.  A SERVICE WIDE AVAILABILITY DATE IS STILL TO BE DETERMINED.

8. ALL PROVISIONS OF THIS ALCOAST WILL BE INCORPORATED IN A FUTURE CHANGE TO
REF B.

9. FOR QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS ALCOAST, CONTACT CWO2 TARVIN GREENE AT (202)
475-5369.

10. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.

11. RELEASED BY CURTIS B. ODOM, ACTING DIRECTOR OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT.
BT
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