What did you do with your uniforms when separated and your reserve commitment was up?

2015-10-14T14:27:22-04:00

I see uniforms in many different places. I have seen them in garage sales, Goodwill stores, Thrift stores, school kids wearing them, some homeless wearing them. I choose to keep mind. Since there has been so many changes over the years, I figured I might donate them to a museum.

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Oct 14 at 2015 2:34 PM

2015-10-14T14:34:38-04:00

They are still hanging up in my closet.

Response by PVT Robert Gresham made Oct 14 at 2015 2:35 PM

2015-10-14T14:35:11-04:00

SMSgt David A Asbury My uniform still hangs proudly in my closet, although it COULD do with some "updating", as I never put my final awards on my dress uniform.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Oct 14 at 2015 2:40 PM

2015-10-14T14:40:10-04:00

My blues are in my closet still in the most recent dryclean bag (13~ years ago). Lost my service uniforms in a move somehow. Not even sure how.

Response by SSG Todd Halverson made Oct 14 at 2015 2:44 PM

2015-10-14T14:44:02-04:00

I kept my dress uniform hanging in the back of my closet. My regular uniforms, in many variations, I have kept a few sets for hunting, paintball and other outdoor activity. Some I have passed down to my son and the rest were donated to a homeless shelter / organization specializing in helping Veterans.

Response by TSgt Kenneth Ellis made Oct 14 at 2015 2:44 PM

2015-10-14T14:44:07-04:00

I still have them in a box in my garage. I found my dads navy uniform circa 1953. Jut the tops and gave the to the Army and Navy store. Since mine have my name and rank on them. I did not want to make them available to a terrorist or stolen valor wanta bee.

Response by SGT Jerrold Pesz made Oct 14 at 2015 2:44 PM

2015-10-14T14:44:48-04:00

I still have some of the woodland camo stuff. Works great in the woods. Most of it wore out over the years and some things I did donate to various vets groups minus the patches and name tapes.

Response by 1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 14 at 2015 2:47 PM

2015-10-14T14:47:29-04:00

SMSgt David A Asbury , My dress and service uniforms are hanging in my closet as are my utilities from Desert Storm, complete with oil drop stains and a set from Iraq. the rest are neatly folded in my foot locker in storage.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Oct 14 at 2015 2:51 PM

2015-10-14T14:51:29-04:00

SMSgt David A Asbury I kept one copy of every uniform I had from 1974 to 2008 until we were evicted and lost them all in 2014.
I still have a BDU parka, my full dress West Point shako [headgear], a pair of black boots and pair of desert boots and some brown t-shirts.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Oct 14 at 2015 3:26 PM

2015-10-14T15:26:31-04:00

I burned them.

Response by Sgt Spencer Sikder made Oct 14 at 2015 3:32 PM

2015-10-14T15:32:47-04:00

Kept them all in my seabag in my Dad's attic. When he decided to move, he told me, after he threw them out, that I needed to help him move. It wasn't like he was upset with me, it was just another one of those spontaneous reactions he exhibited while we grew up. When I got there I asked about my stuff and he sheepishly looked down on the ground and apologized. Said he didn't think I wanted them since they were in his attic this whole time. Ce la vie!

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 14 at 2015 4:26 PM

2015-10-14T16:26:54-04:00

Hi, SMSgt Asbury.

I had them all cleaned and pressed, and I polished my boots. Then, all of it got stored in my closet.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Oct 14 at 2015 4:29 PM

2015-10-14T16:29:33-04:00

I contacted my active friends and sent them everything serviceable. Young troopers need all the help they can get.

Response by LTC Kevin B. made Oct 14 at 2015 4:41 PM

2015-10-14T16:41:22-04:00

I folded them all up and put them away. The only exceptions are my Dress Mess and Class A uniforms. They are both hanging in my closet, but I've only worn the Class A uniform once since retiring 4+ years ago.

Response by SGT Dave Tracy made Oct 14 at 2015 10:35 PM

2015-10-14T22:35:15-04:00

I'm not at that point yet, but I have discussed with others what to do with my uniforms once I am out in 2017. I will keep my dress uniform(s) and maybe 1 acu set, everything else I will give to guys in my unit if they need anything. Any uniforms I don't give away, I'll probably burn-not out of a sense of celebration or insult, but because I don't want my uniforms used by civilians, and throwing them in the trash seems so disrespectful.

Response by SrA Matthew Knight made Oct 15 at 2015 2:14 AM

2015-10-15T02:14:31-04:00

I am still in but when I do separate my blues and a couple of my ABUs will go into storage to be passed down. A couple of other sets of ABUs will become work/hunting clothes most likely.

Response by SMSgt Lawrence McCarter made Aug 9 at 2017 1:59 AM

2017-08-09T01:59:35-04:00

My blues are hanging in a closet at home, the last time I wore them was the day when I retired from the USAF. They do still fit properly as My size hasn't changed in over 40 years.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 11 at 2019 12:19 PM

2019-04-11T12:19:09-04:00

Still in, but my dad kept them in the closet in case I'd want them one day. Though I did play with his combo cover growing up. I'm probably a bit weird, but I'm thankful he kept them and passed them down (though he was a dentist, and had 1 class A, 2 khaki class B's, and 1 green ODU; not a ton).
My granddad did Army ROTC, but was drafted. All his stuff was issued, so I only had his cover he was able to keep.
So, keeping with that, all my stuff with probably go to my kids. 3 generations of military uniforms covers a bit of history.

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 5 at 2020 7:52 PM

2020-02-05T19:52:04-05:00

I kept my blues, but will not waste them in cremation. The rest went to thrift store, minus some cammies and deuce (782) gear.