How to Properly Wear the Operational Dress Uniform (ODU) By LCDR C. Dixon TRACEN Petaluma

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How to Properly Wear the Operational Dress
Uniform (ODU)By LCDR C. DixonTRACEN Petaluma
U.S. Coast Guard February 2004
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• Purpose
• This information is intended for use by TRACEN
  personnel and serves as a quick reference for the
  ODU standards of wear.
• This material is in no way intended to replace
  Coast Guard policy. Personnel are to adhere to
  the latest official guidance as prescribed by
  appropriate authority.
• Where applicable, chapter, section, and paragraph
  has been cited from the Uniform Regulations,
  COMDTINST M1020.6 (series).

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Uniform of the Day The standard Coast Guard
uniform of the day, regardless of season or
location, is Service Dress Blue (bravo) or
Tropical Blue Long. COMDTINST M1020.6
(series) The District Commander or the TRACEN
Commanding Officer may prescribe alternatives as
necessary for specific work assignments or
inclement weather.
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Responsibility Commands and personnel in
leadership positions at every level are
responsible to promote and enforce high standards
for uniform appearance. COMDTINST M1020.6
(series) All uniform items shall be worn in
accordance with applicable directives.
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Footwear (3.C.9) 8 10 plain black, safety
boots
Boots shall be well blackened and in good
condition (2.A.1). Boots may be all leather or a
combination of synthetic and leather as shown
(3.C.9).
Safety boots must have a safety toe that
conforms with ANSI standards Z41-1999
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Socks (3.C.9) Black, undecorated plain or ribbed
knit
Socks can be knee length or mid calf but any
portion above the boot must be black in color.
With trousers properly fitted and bloused, socks
will not be visible.
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Trousers (3.C.6) Bloused atop boots with
blousing bands
Attach the band around the top of the boot.
Pull the trouser cuff over the band and roll the
cuff inward, underneath the band. Once the cuff
is in place, position the band just above the
second eyelet of the boot. Blousing bands and
socks should not be visible. Cord style (shown)
and Velcro? bands are authorized (dark colors).
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Belt / Buckle (3.C.7) Belt - Black webbing with
black metal tip Buckle - Black subdued,
open-framed
The ODU belt buckle are to be worn by both men
and women in the same manner as the mens
standard CG belt. The metal tip is run through
the belt loops beginning on the left side of the
zipper. Once fastened, the metal tip will extend
from 2 to 4 beyond the buckle.
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Belt / Buckle (continued)
The right side of the buckle (as viewed by
wearer) shall be aligned with the right side of
the shirt opening and the right side of the
zipper to form a straight line as shown (both men
and women).
Dotted lines indicate alignment of ODU top,
buckle, and trousers (gig line).
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T Shirts (3.B.13) Coast Guard blue, short
sleeve crew neck
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ODU Top Worn with sleeves neatly rolled up
accordion style or down. Top must be tucked into
the trousers
Cloth tapes are centered over the pockets as
shown with the width of the tape running the
width of the pocket flap. The members last name
goes over the right pocket and U.S. COAST GUARD
over the left. Velcro? tapes are optional.
Direct embroidery and plastic name tags are
prohibited (3.F.2).
Dotted lines indicate alignment of tapes with
pockets
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ODU Top (continued)
Cloth tapes will consist of background color
matching ODU material with white block letters
between ½ to ¾ high. Only members last name
is permitted. Tapes will be of the same size and
shall be sewn on with matching blue thread at six
(6) stitches per inch (3.F.2).
Dotted lines indicate alignment of tapes with
pockets
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ODU Top - Sleeves
Sleeves may be worn down with cuffs
buttoned (or) with sleeves neatly rolled.
When properly rolled, the cuff should be
approximately 2 above the elbow (mid-bicep) with
only the cuff visible (3.C.3). To properly
roll the sleeves takes some patience and a little
practice, but once mastered can be achieved
without difficulty. Depending on an individuals
size and sleeve length some sleeves may be rolled
with one fold while others will take two.

Cuff
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ODU Top Sleeves (continued)

• Fully extend and flatten the sleeve on a level
  surface.
• Starting at the cuff turn sleeve inside out to
  armpit as shown. Take care to flatten the sleeve
  to remove any irregular folds or creases.
• To form the fold, roll the sleeve in half again
  to form two equal segments the width of the
  cuff.(continued on next slide)

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ODU Top Sleeves (continued)

• Next, turn the cuff down over the fold(Pinching
  the outer edge of the sleeve to begin the fold
  will help to keep the fabric from slipping).
• Once in place, take care to flatten the sleeve to
  remove any irregular folds or creases. When
  properly done, only the cuff should be visible.
• To remove the roll, simply pull the lower edge of
  the cuff downward toward the wrist.

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ODU Top (continued)
Both Officer and Enlisted Metal collar devices
are standard while sew-on cloth devices are
optional. Both are to be centered on the collar
along an imaginary line bisecting the angle of
the collar point (3.D.1.d 3.D.2.a).
Dotted lines included to indicate alignment of
collar devices
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Qualification Insignia, Devices, Badges
(3.E.1)
Officer and Enlisted Only the current or most
recent embroidered qualification insignia is to
be worn on the ODU. It is sewn centered,
directly above the U.S. COAST GUARD tape. Thread
will match the insignia background color and
shall be a minimum of six stitches per inch.
Direct embroidery is not authorized.
Gray oval indicates location for embroidered
qualification insignia
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Insignia, Devices, Badges (continued)
Officer and Enlisted An embroidered miniature
device is authorized for incumbent COs/OINCs.
Metal is optional when safety is not an issue for
concern. The device is to be centered directly
above name tape (3.B.13).
Gray circle indicates location for embroidered
miniature device
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Insignia, Devices, Badges (continued)

• Small Badges (metal) authorized during
  following assignment when not a safety concern
  (men)
• Office of the Secretary of Defense (2)
• Office of the Secretary of Homeland
  Security (1)
• Office of the Secretary of Transportation (1)
• Joint Chiefs of Staff (2)
• Commandants Staff Identification (1)
• Previous Command Master Chief, Senior Chief and
  Chief will wear the applicable small badge (1).
  The incumbent Command Master Chief, Senior Chief
  and Chief will wear the applicable large badge
  (2) (3.E.3).

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2
Numbers in gray represent location for wear to
corresponding badge.
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Insignia, Devices, Badges (continued)

• Small Badges (metal) authorized during
  following assignment when not a safety concern
  (women)
• Office of the Secretary of Defense (2)
• Office of the Secretary of Homeland
  Security (1)
• Office of the Secretary of Transportation (1)
• Joint Chiefs of Staff (2)
• Commandants Staff Identification (1)
• Previous Command Master Chief, Senior Chief and
  Chief will wear the applicable small badge (3).
  The incumbent Command Master Chief, Senior Chief
  and Chief will wear the applicable large badge
  (1) (3.E.3).

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2
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Numbers in gray represent location for wear to
corresponding badge.
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References Uniform Regulations, COMDTINST
M1020.6 (series) http//www.uscg.mil/hq/g-w/g-wp/
udc/index.htm U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters
(G-WPM-1)