How Do I Dispose of My Old ODUs?

Uniform items that are no longer serviceable, not authorized for wear, or no longer necessary should be destroyed or disposed of properly.

Obsolete, worn, damaged, or unwanted uniform items must be disposed of properly to ensure they do not become available to the general public.  Any markings or identification sewn onto the uniform that identifies it as belonging to an individual or as a Coast Guard uniform must be removed before disposal. The uniform item must be rendered unserviceable (by burning, tearing, cutting, etc.) before disposal. Uniform items may not be merely thrown in the trash without taking such precautions first. 

In addition, uniform items may not be donated to relief agencies (Goodwill, the Salvation Army, etc.), sold to retail or consignment stores for further resale to the public, or provided to any organization, for any purposes, regardless of whether the intent is noble, unless it meets the criteria below:

• Donating or selling of distinct individual uniform type clothing (i.e. SDBs, Combination cap, Garrison cap) to the public is not allowed.
• Donating or selling of generic items (i.e. T-shirts, belt/buckle, boots) is authorized as long as there are no names, military markings, including buttons, patches, logos, etc., on the clothing that would identify it as belonging to an individual or as a Coast Guard uniform item.

Refer to the Auxiliary Manual, COMDTINST 16790.1 (series), Chapter 10, Section B, para B.5, and Uniform Regulations, COMDTINST M1020.6 (series), Chapter 1, paras 1.B.3 and 1.B.4 for additional information.