Proper disposal of issued gear key to safety

11.29.2008

Story by Spc. Eric Glassey 

13th Public Affairs Detachment

By Eric Glassey
13th Public Affairs Detachment

Uniforms are a sense of pride for all military services. Service members wear them with honor to show their loyalty and service to their country. However, uniforms become unserviceable, at which point they must be disposed of properly.

Proper procedure is for a service member to use the supply channel to get a replacement for uniforms. This replacement policy is not limited to uniforms; any military-issued personal equipment can be replaced through supply.

"If it is beyond serviceability, such as being stained beyond cleaning, torn or worn out, it needs to be given to the supply sergeant for replacement," said Maj. Terry Livingston, property officer, Central Issue Facility, Multi-National Corps – Iraq. "That goes for all equipment, such as a Soldier's vest, boots, helmet, gloves and all that stuff."

Uniforms are considered a controlled item, and accountability must be maintained for them.

"A lot of service members are throwing away uniforms," said Master Sgt. Willoughby Mercer, sheriff, 2145th Garrison Command. "It is very easy to put them in a bag and give them to your supply sergeant. You get a one-for-one swap. The system does work."

"What we are finding is that when people get ready to leave Iraq, they just dump their uniforms they don't need into the trash," Livingston said.

Throwing uniforms away is more than just a breach of policy; it endangers operational security.

"It jeopardizes operational security because of the potential of the enemy getting hold of the uniforms and disguising themselves," Mercer said. "It plays on OPSEC because of possible infiltration and sabotage by the enemy."

Each service member should protect his own assets and do the right thing to ensure everyone's safety.

"It comes down to protecting one's area of operation," Mercer said. "Using proper procedure to dispose of uniforms can help prevent the enemy from disguising themselves in order to cause harm to coalition forces or civilians."

Uniforms are not the only thing that can jeopardize operational security. Thumb drives and identification cards are also highly controlled.

"One of the biggest problems we have is the pockets," Mercer said. "We have to do personal inventory on all the pockets. A lot of thumb drives and ID cards are being left in the uniforms when they are turned in to the laundry. If you throw away a uniform which has a thumb drive in it, you just intensified the potential of an operational security breach."

Translators, linguists, civilian contractors and U.S. Armed Forces personnel must, at all times, keep track of and properly dispose of all controlled items that might be of use in the enemy's hands, thus endangering their lives and others' as well.

• Date Taken: 11.29.2008
• Date Posted: 11.29.2008 03:52
• Story ID: 26933