How to Dispose of United States Army Uniforms

Each individual unit of the United States Army has its own methods of disposing of uniforms. Supply officers distribute uniforms to soldiers as they enter the Army and the reserves. After an individual serves his full term, he is allowed to keep his uniform and dispose of it by selling it or destroying it through shredding or burning. If you have Army uniforms and are uncertain about how to dispose of them, doing it your own way could result in breaking military rules and laws.

Things You'll Need

• Washer
• Dryer
• Seam ripper

Instructions

Sell

1. Check with your unit's commanding officer for permission to sell the uniform. While most issued uniforms have to be donated or disposed, some units will allow you to sell a United States Army uniform.

2. Clean the uniform and remove all patches, name tags and labels from the uniform using a seam ripper before selling. Washing and laundering the uniforms with a simple washer and dryer will increase the value.

3. Take your United States Army uniform to a store which specializes in purchasing used uniforms like Army-Navy supply shops, on-base stores and pawn shops.

Destroy

1. Check with your unit officers about how to properly dispose your uniform. If your uniform is in poor condition or is unwearable, most units will have proper ways of burning or shred the retired Army uniforms.

2. Find out if you should return the Army uniforms to the unit location for disposal or if you can shred or burn the uniforms yourself.

3. Remove all the patches, labels and name tags using a seam ripper before shredding or burning the uniform. Depending on the unit's regulation, burning or shredding logos and the American flag could be against military law.

References

• Army Tool Bag: Army Direct Program
• U.S. Army Public Health Command: Just the Facts