![USCG Operational Dress Uniform](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/USCG_Operational_Dress_Uniform.gif)
The Operational Dress Uniform (ODU) is the normal work uniform of the
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mult ...
, the
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, the
, and the
U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHSCC). It is also one of the uniforms worn by the
New York Naval Militia
The New York Naval Militia is the naval militia of the state of New York, and is under the authority of the Governor of New York as Commander-In-Chief of the state's military forces. With the New York Guard, the New York Army National Guard and Ne ...
.
History
2000s
The
Coast Guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a maritime security organization of a particular country. The term embraces wide range of responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to ...
introduced the new "Operational Dress Uniform" (ODU) uniform in 2004 to replace the "Working Blue" and "Undress Blue" uniforms (winter and summer variants). Resembling law enforcement SWAT fatigues, the first generation of ODU differed substantially from the then-current
Battle Dress Uniform
The Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) is a camouflaged combat uniform that was used by the United States Armed Forces as their standard combat uniform from the early 1980s to the mid-2000s. Since then, it has been replaced or supplanted in every br ...
in that the blouse lacked lower pockets and was intended to be worn tucked into the trousers. The blouse sleeves were allowed to be worn rolled up or down according to personal preference. The trousers featured large cargo packets with buttoned closures and were worn bloused above the boots (or straight legged if worn with boat shoes). A dark blue Coast Guard unit ballcap was worn with this uniform.
A 2006 issue of the ''Reservist'' magazine was devoted to a detailed and easy-to-understand graphical description of all the authorized uniforms.
![United States Coast Guard recruits, Cape May (October 2010)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/United_States_Coast_Guard_recruits%2C_Cape_May_%28October_2010%29.png)
In 2008, a new generation of the ODU was introduced and gradually replaced the tucked version through 2012. This second generation featured an untucked shirt blouse, and was therefore unofficially known as the "Untucked ODU." The blouse featured a Coast Guard insignia embroidered in black on the right breast pocket and the trouser cargo pocket flaps.
In 2008, ODUs were adopted by the
, replacing the U.S. Navy working khakis.
From the 1980s until the late 2000s, Coast Guard units engaged in combat operations or otherwise deployed overseas generally wore the
U.S. Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...
Combat Utility Uniform (the Navy version of the
Battle Dress Uniform
The Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) is a camouflaged combat uniform that was used by the United States Armed Forces as their standard combat uniform from the early 1980s to the mid-2000s. Since then, it has been replaced or supplanted in every br ...
). When the Navy replaced the CUU with the
Navy Working Uniform
The Navy Working Uniform (NWU) is a series of military uniforms that are currently used by the United States Navy (and some elements of the U.S. Coast Guard) for wear by its members. The NWU is a "working" uniform, which means that it is made to ...
Type II and Type III, circa 2009, the Coast Guard followed suit.
2010s
![US Public Health Service Operation United Assistance 2014](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/US_Public_Health_Service_Operation_United_Assistance_2014.jpg)
In 2015, the ODU uniform was adopted as the daily work uniform of the
United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps
The United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHSCC), also referred to as the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service, is the federal uniformed service of the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) and one of the ...
, replacing the
Battle Dress Uniform
The Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) is a camouflaged combat uniform that was used by the United States Armed Forces as their standard combat uniform from the early 1980s to the mid-2000s. Since then, it has been replaced or supplanted in every br ...
.
In August 2016, the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
announced it was eliminating the
Navy Working Uniform
The Navy Working Uniform (NWU) is a series of military uniforms that are currently used by the United States Navy (and some elements of the U.S. Coast Guard) for wear by its members. The NWU is a "working" uniform, which means that it is made to ...
Type I in favor of the Type III as its standard working uniform ashore. The Type I has earlier been found to not be suitable for shipboard use and the Navy began developing a standard uniform for sea duty. The ODU has been viewed as one potential model.
In September 2017, Coast Guard Uniform Board 47 announced several changes to the ODU. Notably, the Coast Guard insignia would no longer be embroidered on the trouser pocket flaps and that "U.S. COAST GUARD" would no longer be stenciled on the left breast of the T-shirt. Additionally, wear of the
boonie hat
A boonie hat or booney hat is a type of wide-brim sun hat commonly used by military forces in hot tropical climates. Its design is similar to a bucket hat but with a stiffer brim.
The Australian giggle hat has a thinner brim. Often a fabric ta ...
was more widely permitted.
In November 2019, Uniform Board 48 announced authorization to develop the Next Generation Coast Guard Utility Uniform ("CGU") to replace the current ODU. The CGU will be patterned on the
Navy Working Uniform
The Navy Working Uniform (NWU) is a series of military uniforms that are currently used by the United States Navy (and some elements of the U.S. Coast Guard) for wear by its members. The NWU is a "working" uniform, which means that it is made to ...
Type III but will be solid blue in color. The
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard
Master or masters may refer to:
Ranks or titles
* Ascended master, a term used in the Theosophical religious tradition to refer to spiritually enlightened beings who in past incarnations were ordinary humans
*Grandmaster (chess), National Master ...
and other senior enlisted members have been photographed wear testing a prototype. The approved version, announced in late 2019, has been dubbed the "Coast Guard Working Uniform" or "CGWU."
2020s
In November 2021, the Coast Guard announced that the new CGWU will begin distribution in 2023, and the ODU would be phased out by 2025.
See also
*
Uniforms of the United States Coast Guard
*
Uniforms of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary The uniforms of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary serve to distinguish Auxiliarists from members of other civilian military auxiliaries and of other armed services.
Each auxiliary uniform is identical to a Coast Guard officer's military uni ...
Notes
{{Reflist
United States Coast Guard uniforms
Military equipment introduced in the 2000s