Overview

Clothing allowances may be issued to help members pay for their uniforms. Standard allowances for all Services include the Initial Clothing allowance, Clothing Replacement allowance, and Civilian Clothing allowance. In addition to those, certain branches provide a Special Initial Clothing allowance and a Supplemental Clothing allowance.

Visit Defense Finance and Account Service (DFAS) for all Clothing Monetary Allowances pay tables. 

Standard Initial Clothing Allowance

Both officers and enlisted members of the U.S. Armed Forces are entitled to an initial clothing allowance.

This allowance is provided to enlisted members upon initial enlistment or upon special qualification.

Officers are entitled to this allowance upon initial commissioning and the following occurrences:

• Upon first reporting for active duty (other than for training) for a period of more than 90 days.
• Upon completing at least 14 days of active duty or active duty for training as a member of a Reserve Component.
• Upon completing 14 periods of inactive-duty training as a member of the Ready Reserve (Each period must be of at least 2 hours duration).
• Upon reporting for the first period of active duty required of a member of the Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program.

NOTE: Upon transfer to another Reserve Component that requires a different uniform, a Reserve officer may receive another initial uniform allowance. Regular officers may not receive this allowance when transferring to another Military Service.