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DIRECTION
FOR THE INITIAL ISSUE AND SALES OF THE OPERATIONAL DRESS UNIFORM (ODU)
AND REGULATIONS FOR ITS PROPER WEAR
ALCOAST 184/03
R 251313Z APR 03
ALCOAST 184/03
COMDTNOTE 1020
SUBJ: DIRECTION FOR THE INITIAL ISSUE AND SALES OF THE OPERATIONAL DRESS UNIFORM (ODU) AND REGULATIONS FOR ITS PROPER WEAR
A. UNIFORM REGULATIONS, COMDTINST M1020.6 (SERIES)
1. THIS ALCOAST ANNOUNCES THE PROCESS FOR THE ISSUE OF THE ODU, ITS MANNER OF WEAR, AND THE PRIORITY IN WHICH IT WILL BE ISSUED TO ALL COAST GUARD UNITS.
2. AREA AND DISTRICT COMMANDERS, COMMANDERS OF MAINTENANCE AND LOGISTICS COMMANDS, COMMANDING OFFICERS OF HEADQUARTERS UNITS AND INTEGRATED SUPPORT COMMANDS, AND ASSISTANT COMMANDANTS FOR DIRECTORATES, CHIEF COUNSEL, AND SPECIAL STAFF OFFICES AT HEADQUARTERS SHALL ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS NOTE.
3. DIRECTIVES AFFECTED. CONTENTS OF THIS MSG WILL BE INCORPORATED IN REFERENCE (A) WHEN REISSUED. CONTENTS OF THIS MSG WILL BE POSTED IN ELECTRONIC FORMAT ON THE WEBSITES OF THE UNIFORM DISTRIBUTION CENTER:
HTTP://WWW.USCG.MIL/HQ/G-W/G-WP/UDC/INDEX.HTM AND THE MASTER CHIEF PETTY OFFICER OF THE COAST GUARD: HTTP://CGWEB.COMDT.USCG.MIL/G-CMCPO/1UNIFORM/UNIFORM.HTM.
4. ISSUE OF THE ODU.
A. THE ISSUE OF THE NEW ODU IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT 28 JULY 2003 AND SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY 30 SEPTEMBER 2004. THE ODU WILL BE INITIALLY ISSUED AS A UNISEX UNIFORM BUT A VERSION WITH WOMEN'S SPECIFIC SIZING IS BEING DEVELOPED AND WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE FUTURE. THE ODU WILL BE ISSUED IN PRIORITY ORDER. THE CATEGORIES OF PRIORITY RANGE FROM ONE (1) TO FIVE (5) IN DESCENDING ORDER, AND CAN BE FOUND, ALONG WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THE MANNER OF WEAR, POSTED AT THE WEBSITES LISTED IN PARAGRAPH 3 ABOVE. ALL UNIT CATEGORIES ARE NOT PART OF THE MSG TO REDUCE THE LENGTH OF THE ALCOAST. UNITS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ASSIGNED A CATEGORY FOR THE PRIORITY OF ODU ISSUE SHOULD NOTIFY THE UNIFORM PROGRAM MANAGER, MR. ROBERT GITSCHIER, VIA EMAIL AT: RGITSCHIER (AT) COMDT.USCG.MIL. CHANGES IN ODU ISSUE PRIORITY WILL NOT BE MADE EXCEPT IN CASES OF EXTRAORDINARY NEED. REQUESTS FOR ODU PRIORITY CHANGE SHALL BE SUBMITTED IN CG MEMO FORM ROUTED VIA THE CHAIN OF COMMAND TO COMMANDANT (G-WPM-1) FOR DETERMINATION.
B. THE STANDARD COAST GUARD ISSUE VERSION OF THE ODU WILL INITIALLY ONLY BE ISSUED AND SOLD BY THE COAST GUARD UNIFORM DISTRIBUTION CENTER (UDC), WHICH WILL SERVE AS THE CENTRAL STOCKING POINT FOR THE ODU. THE ODU MAY BECOME AVAILABLE THROUGH COAST GUARD EXCHANGE SYSTEM STORES IN THE NEAR FUTURE, BUT NO DEFINITIVE TIME LINE FOR AVAILABILITY HAS BEEN DETERMINED. DUE TO THE INITIALLY LIMITED QUANTITIES AVAILABLE, ODU SALES TO COAST GUARD AUXILIARY PERSONNEL WILL BE DELAYED UNTIL SUFFICIENT STOCK IS ON HAND. IN THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO, ODU SALES TO AUXILIARY PERSONNEL WOULD BEGIN AFTER THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 2004, WHEN THE INITIAL DISTRIBUTION TO ACTIVE DUTY AND RESERVE MEMBERS IS COMPLETE. UNITS ARE REMINDED THAT UNIFORMS SIMILAR TO THE ODU IN GENERAL APPEARANCE THAT ARE SOLD VIA COMMERCIAL SOURCES AS SUBSTITUTE ODU ORGANIZATIONAL CLOTHING ARE NOT AUTHORIZED FOR PURCHASE OR USE EXCEPT BY TACLET, LEDET, AND MSST UNITS. TACLET, LEDET, AND MSST UNITS MAY NO LONGER PURCHASE SUBSTITUTE ODU CLOTHING ITEMS BUT MAY CONTINUE TO WEAR PREVIOUSLY PURCHASED ITEMS UNTIL 01 JANUARY 2004. TACLET, LEDET, OR MSST UNITS WITH IMMEDIATE NEEDS FOR ODU TYPE UNIFORMS SHOULD CONTACT THE UNIFORM PROGRAM MANAGER, MR. ROBERT GITSCHIER, VIA EMAIL AT: RGITSCHIER (AT) COMDT.USCG.MIL TO REQUEST AUTHORIZATION ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
C. TO ASSIST WITH PLACING ORDERS, AN ODU ORDER FORM, SIZING GUIDE AND PRICE LIST WILL BE PUBLISHED ON THE UNIFORM DISTRIBUTION CENTER WEBSITE AT: HTTP://WWW.USCG.MIL/HQ/G-W/G-WP/UDC/INDEX.HTM. MEMBERS ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO USE THE SIZING GUIDE BECAUSE THE ODU FIT IS QUITE DIFFERENT FROM THE WORKING BLUE UTILITY UNIFORM. ENLISTED PERSONNEL WILL RECEIVE THEIR ODUS AS A FREE ISSUE. OFFICERS, INCLUDING CHIEF WARRANT OFFICERS, MUST EITHER SEND PAYMENT FOR THEIR ODU ORDER OR REQUEST THAT THE ITEMS BE CHARGED TO THEIR PAY WHEN THE UNIT ORDER IS SENT FOR PROCESSING. THE STANDARD ODU INITIAL ENLISTED ISSUE WILL CONSIST OF FOUR (4) TOPS, FOUR (4) TROUSERS, FOUR (4) DARK CG BLUE T-SHIRTS, ONE (1) BLACK BELT WITH BLACK TIP, ONE (1) TYPE II BLACK BUCKLE (ORDER ONLY NSN 8315-00- 300-0327), 4 SETS OF INDIVIDUALS SURNAME AND U. S. COAST GUARD NAMETAPES, AND FOUR (4) SETS OF TROUSER BLOUSING BANDS.
(1) UNITS WILL PLACE ORDERS USING THE ODU ORDER FORM TO PREVENT CONFUSION AND AID ORDER PROCESSING. EACH UNIT WILL ASSIGN ONE POINT OF CONTACT (POC) TO COORDINATE UNIT NEEDS AND WORK WITH UDC DURING THE ISSUE. THE POC WILL PROVIDE THE NAME OF EACH PERSON WITH MORE THAN 120 DAYS REMAINING AT THE UNIT AND THE SIZES THEY NEED FOR ODU TROUSERS, TOP AND T-SHIRT, AS SHOWN ON THE ORDER FORM. IT IS CRITICAL THAT UNIT POCS PROVIDE A RELIABLE WORKDAY PHONE NUMBER, OR OTHER MEANS OF COMMUNICATION IF DEPLOYED, TO ALLOW COORDINATION OF ORDERS WITH THE UDC. TO AVOID ERRORS AND REDUCE POTENTIAL PROCESSING PROBLEMS, ORDERS SHOULD BE FILLED OUT USING THE ELECTRONIC FORM FROM THE UDC WEBSITE. WHEN NECESSARY, PAPER COPIES OF THE ODU ORDER FORMS MAY BE PRINTED OUT TO BE COMPLETED BY HAND. MANUALLY COMPLETED PAPER FORMS MUST BE NEATLY AND CLEARLY PRINTED. ALL ORDERS MUST BE SENT TO THE UDC BY MAIL AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS: ODU ORDERS, USCG UNIFORM DISTRIBUTION CENTER, 414 MADISON AVE, WOODBINE, NJ 08270, (609) 861-5632, ATTN: MR. LOCUSON.
(2) THE UDC WILL PROCESS UNIT ORDERS IN THE ORDER THEY ARE RECEIVED. UNIT ODU ORDERS WILL BE SHIPPED AS A WHOLE BUT WILL BE PACKED AND LABELED FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL AT THE UNIT. THE UNIT POC WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR VERIFYING THE RECEIPT OF THE ORDER WITH UDC. THE UNIT POC SHALL COORDINATE ANY EXCHANGE OF ODU ITEMS THAT DO NOT FIT PROPERLY. TO ASSIST WITH THE UNIFORM TRANSITION, INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPER WEAR OF THE ODU WILL BE ENCLOSED WITH EACH UNIT ORDER SHIPPED FROM THE UDC IN BOTH WRITTEN AND COMPACT DISK FORM. UNITS MAY REPRODUCE THIS INFORMATION FOR FURTHER DISTRIBUTION AS DESIRED. FURTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT PROPER ODU WEAR SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO CWO S. A. HARRELL (609) 898-6742 OR VIA EMAIL AT: SHARRELL(AT)UDCCAPEMAY.USCG.MIL. THE UNIFORM PROGRAM CAN PROVIDE COMMAND AND SUPERVISORY CADRE WITH ODU TRAINING FOR LARGE COMMANDS OR MULTIPLE UNITS WITHIN A GEOGRAPHIC AREA IF NECESSARY. TAD EXPENSES FOR SUCH TRAINING MUST BE FUNDED BY THE HOSTING COMMANDS. FORWARD REQUESTS FOR ODU TRAINING TO THE UNIFORM PROGRAM MANAGER, MR. ROBERT GITSCHIER, VIA EMAIL AT: RGITSCHIER(AT) COMDT.USCG.MIL FOR COORDINATION.
D. ENLISTED PERSONNEL WITH LESS THAN ONE YEAR REMAINING IN THE COAST GUARD WILL NOT RECEIVE A FREE ISSUE OF THE ODU BUT MAY PURCHASE THE ODU AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE IF DESIRED. ENLISTED PERSONNEL WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE ODU DUE TO HAVING LESS THAN ONE YEAR OF SERVICE REMAINING, WHO SUBSEQUENTLY EXTEND OR REENLIST, WILL BE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE THEIR INITIAL ODU ISSUE UPON PROVIDING PROOF OF THEIR EXTENSION OR REENLISTMENT. THE UNIT POC WILL COORDINATE PLACING ODU ORDERS FOR SUCH INDIVIDUALS.
E. PERSONNEL PREPARING TO EXECUTE PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION (PCS) ORDERS, THOSE IN TAD STATUS WHO WILL NOT REMAIN AT THEIR CURRENT LOCATION FOR AT LEAST 120 DAYS, AND THOSE ALREADY IN TRANSIT ON PCS OR TAD ORDERS WILL PLACE THEIR ODU ORDER UPON REPORTING TO THEIR PERMANENT DUTY STATION.
F. THE FOLLOWING IS A GENERAL DESCRIPTION AND THE DIRECTION FOR THE WEAR OF THE ODU.
(1) THE ODU IS BASED ON THE DESIGN OF THE ARMY BATTLE DRESS UNIFORM (BDU) WITH MODIFICATIONS TO BETTER SUIT SHIPBOARD, SMALL BOAT, AND GENERAL COAST GUARD USES. THE ODU IS COAST GUARD BLUE (ESSENTIALLY THE SAME COLOR AS THE WORKING BLUE UTILITY UNIFORM). IT IS MADE OF 50 PERCENT COTTON AND 50 PERCENT NYLON FABRIC IN A RIPSTOP WEAVE.
(2) THE ODU REPLACES THE WORKING BLUE UTILITY UNIFORM AND THE UNDRESS BLUE UNIFORM FOR ALL PURPOSES. THE USE OF THE UNDRESS BLUE UNIFORM WILL BE COMPLETELY ELIMINATED ONE YEAR AFTER THE ISSUE OF THE ODU IS COMPLETED. THE WORKING BLUE UTILITY UNIFORM WILL BECOME OBSOLETE AND NO LONGER AUTHORIZED FOR WEAR TWO YEARS AFTER THE ISSUE OF THE ODU IS COMPLETED.
(3) THE ODU MAY BE WORN IN THE OFFICE SETTING AT LOCAL UNITS, DISTRICT OFFICES, MLCS, AREA OFFICES, AND COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS WHILE PERFORMING ROUTINE DUTIES. IN SITUATIONS REQUIRING A GREATER LEVEL OF FORMALITY, SUCH AS HOSTING IMPORTANT GUESTS OR DIGNITARIES, CEREMONIAL FUNCTIONS, MEETINGS WITH SENIOR CG LEADERSHIP, ETC.,TROPICAL BLUE LONG, SERVICE DRESS, OR WINTER DRESS UNIFORMS SHALL BE WORN AS APPROPRIATE.
(4) THE ODU MAY BE WORN WHILE COMMUTING FROM A PLACE OF RESIDENCE TO THE WORKPLACE. ODUS WORN DURING COMMUTING MUST BE CLEAN, NEAT, AND FREE FROM STAINS, TEARS, ETC. WHILE COMMUTING IN THE ODU, STOPS OF VERY SHORT DURATION, SUCH AS FOR GASOLINE, ATM USE, AND OTHER SIMILAR NECESSITIES, ARE AUTHORIZED. WHILE ON WORK DETAILS AWAY FROM THE LOCAL UNIT, SHORT STOPS FOR NECESSARY MEALS AND CG WORK RELATED MATTERS ARE AUTHORIZED. THE ODU IS NOT A LIBERTY UNIFORM.
5. THE ODU PRIORITY ISSUE LIST IS DIVIDED INTO FIVE CATEGORIES BY UNIT IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER. UNITS LISTED IN PRIORITY CATEGORY NO. ONE (1), AS LISTED IN PARAGRAPH 6 BELOW, MAY START PLACING THEIR ODU ORDERS UPON THE RECEIPT OF THIS ALCOAST. A FOLLOW-ON ALCOAST WILL PROVIDE THE DIRECTION FOR WHEN THE REMAINING PRIORITY CATEGORIES SHOULD BEGIN SUBMITTING THEIR UNIT ODU ORDERS. THE PRIORITY OF UNITS OR PERSONNEL NOT COVERED IN THE LIST BELOW WILL BE ADDRESSED ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS AS DIRECTED IN PARAGRAPH 1.
6. ODU ISSUE PRIORITY CATEGORY 1.
ACADEMY AIDS TO NAVIGATION TEAMS
AUXILIARY OPERATED STATIONS (CG ACTIVE DUTY PERSONNEL ONLY)
BASES, ISCS, SUPPORT CENTERS, AND ACTIVITIES/GROUPS
BUOY TENDERS, HARBOR TUGS, ICEBREAKING TUGS
CAPTAINS OF THE PORT
COAST GUARD FORCES (INCLUDES A RANGE OF UNITS SUCH AS MSOS, GROUPS, COTP)
CONSTRUCTION TENDERS, INLAND
FLEET TRAINING GROUPS
HIGH ENDURANCE CUTTERS (ALL)
HITRON-10
ICEBREAKERS (LARGE, ALL)
INTERSERVICE LIAISON PERSONNEL (WHERE BDU WEAR IS PRESCRIBED)
MARINE SAFETY OFFICES
MEDIUM ENDURANCE CUTTERS (ALL)
MSST UNITS
NATIONAL MOTOR LIFEBOAT SCHOOL
PATROL BOATS (ALL)
PORT SECURITY UNIT TRAINING DETACHMENT
PORT SECURITY UNITS/HDCUS AND NCWGRUS
RECRUITING OFFICES, (RECRUITERS ONLY, DUE TO CG IMAGE PROJECTION AND ACCESSION SUPPORT)
STATIONS (ALL)
STRIKE TEAMS
TACTICAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TEAMS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT DETACHMENTS
TRAINING CENTER, AVIATION TECHNICAL
TRAINING CENTER, AVIATION, MOBILE
TRAINING CENTER, CAPE MAY
TRAINING CENTER, PETALUMA
TRAINING CENTER, YORKTOWN TRAINING TEAM
TRAINING TEAMS/CENTERS (FREE STANDING SPECIAL PURPOSE UNITS NOT AT TRADITIONAL TRAINING CENTERS)
TRAINING CUTTERS (CGC EAGLE, CGC GENTIAN, CGC MORRO BAY)
WESTERN HEMISPHERE GROUP/SQUADRON
7. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.
8. MR.THOMAS F. FISHER, ACTING DIRECTOR OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT, SENDS.
BT
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