While Soldiers on Active Duty receive a Clothing Allowance, most Soldiers in the National Guard do not. Clothing allowances are held exclusively for Enlisted Soldiers and are basically broken down into 3 basic groups:
- Initial Clothing Allowance: this is the allowance you receive upon enlisting. Typically this is an “in kind” issue or a combination of “in kind” issue and cash payment.
- Cash Clothing Replacement: This money is cashed out to Soldiers every year and is meant to assist Soldiers in replacing their uniforms due to “wear and tear”.
- Extra Clothing Allowances: This money is meant for special circumstances (for example, an enlisted Soldier requiring civilian clothing to perform an assignment duties). This is typically paid on top of an Initial and Cash Clothing Replacement payout.
Now, Officers can receive an initial uniform allowance once an Officer has first reported for Active Duty. I know that I did… Once you receive your commission you will receive an allowance at BOLC. Typically after completing 14 days of Active Duty.
For all other Enlisted Soldiers, well, in the National Guard you typically won’t receive one…at least you won’t receive a check from the Army. You will receive an Initial Issue where the Army will pick up the tab (and if you ever looked at your Clothing Inventory print out, it’s a hefty bill!) After your initial issue the way it typically works is that each unit is afforded a budget allowance in which your Supply Sergeant will ensure that each Soldier has the uniforms and other equipment as they need. So, if you have some tears in your ACUs (and you will because they are garbage) you can take them to your Supply Sergeant, DX them and should have a new set within a few drills. Now, each unit is different but this is how it is supposed to work… I am by now means a subject matter expert on this topic, but this has always been my experience.
How about you? What has your experience been with receiving a clothing allowance as a NG Soldier?
If you have any questions about this subject, feel free to contact us. Thank you.
Chuck Holmes
Former Army Major (resigned)
Publisher, Part-Time-Commander.com
Email: mrchuckholmes@gmail.com
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I used to work in an office next door to a dry cleaners. On certain days of the week, I would see men (and women, too) picking up military uniforms from the dry cleaning establishment next door. I know that was not a military dry cleaners. Who picks up the tab for that? Is dry cleaning one’s uniform a requirement? I can tell you that these were not all dress uniforms. I saw some camouflage going in or out on more than one occasion.
Before we got the ACU uniform, we had our BDUs dry cleaned and pressed. Soldiers paid for that.
In the Wyoming Guard this is how it works most of the time, but there are times that soldiers have to pick up the tab for some items. If they take their uniforms to a taylor, particularly their dress uniforms, for alternations or to have patches sewn on, they have to foot the bill for that. In this case, soldiers should remember to save receipts and itemize these expenses when they file their taxes.
Good point. You can itemize your clothing expenses under the “uniform” section on your 1040 tax return.