Retained Issue of OCIE

Date Published: 28 Jan 21

MEMORANDUM FOR DISTRIBUTION

SUBJECT: Retained Issue of Organizational Clothing and Individual Equipment


1.      References:

a.      Common Table of Allowances 50-900, Clothing and Individual Equipment, dated 20 November 2008.

b.      Army Regulation (AR) 71-32, Force Development and Documentation, dated 20 March 2019.

c.      AR 700-84, Issue and Sale of Personal Clothing, dated 22 July 2014.

d.      AR 710-2, Supply Policy Below the National Level, dated 28 March 2008.

e.      Fielding Prioritization for Operation Enduring Freedom-Camouflage Pattern (OEF-CP) Organizational Clothing and Individual Equipment (OCIE) memorandum, 18 January 2018.

2.      Purpose: To provide new guidance on the retained issue policy for OCIE items. This update will identify individual items authorized for retention for all Soldiers (Enlisted and Officers) to begin at initial entry training (IET) and Army Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps (SROTC). The update will discuss policies for permanent change of station (PCS) and recovery of OCIE prior to expiration of time in service (ETS). This memorandum will not prohibit the recovery of OCIE when it is in the best interest of the Government to do so.

3.      Applicability: Active Army, Army Reserve, Army National Guard.

4.      Procedures: Detailed instructions are provided in the appendices for all applicable personnel to follow. Updates to appendices will be published and effective at the beginning of each calendar year. The calendar year was chosen because it allows the easiest transition for IET installations to implement changes.

a.      Starting 4th Quarter Fiscal Year 2020, U.S. Army Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM) Central Management Office (CMO) will execute a phased implementation plan to gradually transition initial issue of retained OCIE from the first unit of assignment to IET. TACOM CMO will incrementally increase the number of OCIE items issued at IET as retained issue until the entire Soldier OCIE retained issue menu is achieved. All lET Soldiers will receive the complete list of items on Appendix A Soldier OCIE retained issue no later than 1 October 2022. Subsequently, TACOM CMO will provide disposition instructions to the installation CIFs to account for the reduced requirement.

b.      Instructions for Appendix A: Soldier OCIE Retained Issue. The Maneuver Center of Excellence shall determine the list of OCIE required for all Soldiers to perform Warrior Task Training. Soldiers will retain these items from initial issue until the Soldier reaches ETS. Officers will return OCIE items when they leave the Army for the Individual Ready Reserve or resign their commission. SROTC cadets that leave the ROTC program prior to commissioning will turn in their OCIE to the ROTC department.

(1)     The Maneuver Center of Excellence, using the Soldier-as-a-System Integrated Product Team, will review and update this appendix as necessary each calendar year and submit changes to the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4 (ODCS, G-4), DALO-SPT for publication.

(2)     When a Soldier reaches ETS, or otherwise leaves the Army, commanders will direct a final layout inspection. The Soldier will turn-in recoverable items to the supporting CIF or through the OCIE direct ordering process. Appendix B lists items that are not recoverable.

c.      Instructions for Appendix B: ETS Retained Items. ODCS, G-4, DALO-SPT will review this appendix annually and update as necessary in coordination with U.S. Army Materiel Command G-4, TACOM CMO, National Guard Bureau G-4, and United States Army Reserve G-4. The ETS retained list consists of items that are deemed uneconomical for the government to recover and reutilize. These items will remain with the Soldier when they ETS. Disposal or disposition of the items are at the Soldier's discretion upon ETS.

d.      Instructions for Appendix C: Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) Retained Issue. ODCS G-4, DALO-SPT will, in coordination with U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command and each Center of Excellence, update this appendix annually. MOS items are specific OCIE items required to perform specific MOS functions. MOS retained issue items are issued during advanced individual training or appropriate time during one station unit training and will remain in Soldiers' possession as long as the Soldier holds the MOS.

e.      Instructions for Appendix D: SROTC Retained Issue. The U.S. Army Cadet Command will review this appendix annually and update as necessary in coordination with ODCS, G-4 DALO-SPT. Cadet Command is responsible for accountability of items issued to cadets and will recover the retained issue items from individuals unable to fulfill their contract or who leave the SROTC program prior to completion.

f.      Instructions for regional items. Regional items will not be retained.  Soldiers will acquire items used specifically for arctic, jungle, and desert environments from the supporting CIF or through OCIE direct ordering process and turn in these items while out processing for PCS or ETS. Recovered regional items are returned to the Regional Logistics Supply Center for cleaning, repair, and refurbishment. These items will be reissued to personnel entering the designated regions.

g.      During the transition of Universal Pattern Camouflage (UCP) to Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP), Outside Continental United States CIF's may collect OCP Pattern OCIE items from Soldiers with PCS Order to CONUS, with the following exception: OCP Extended Cold Weather Clothing System (ECWCS) layer Ill (Jacket, Fleece, Cold Weather) and layer VI (Jacket, Wet/Cold Weather and Trousers, Wet/ Cold Weather). Soldiers require a basic level of cold and wet weather protection at all times. OCP ECWCS Layers Ill and VI provide this protection; therefore, these items will not be recovered from Soldiers until ETS.

h.      Soldiers with UCP ECWCS are authorized to exchange the UCP ECWCS for OCP ECWCS when transferred to a unit that is currently fielded OCP pattern OCIE; the Soldier will then retain the OCP ECWCS until ETS.

5.      Current Soldier/Total Force transition. As Soldiers PCS and out process the CIF personnel will clean up the Soldiers record as much as possible by collecting legacy items, items that are not on Appendix A or C, and remove items from the record that are not recoverable (i.e. Flame Resistant Army Combat Uniforms from a deployment). The CIF will contact the GMO for disposition instruction for items not listed in Appendix A, B, or C.

6.      The Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4, who is the proponent of AR 700-84 and AR 710-2 will incorporate the guidance in this memorandum into the next update.

7.      The ODCS, G-4 point of contact (POC) for this action is Mr. John Cisney, 703-695-1036, DSN: 312-695-1036, or john.b.cisney.civ@mail.mil. The GMO POC is Mr. Amit Saigal, (410) 436-3941, or amit.k.saigal.civ@mail.mil.


 Mr. John Cisney
OCIE Branch Manager, HQDA DCS G-4
HQDA DCS G-4
john.b.cisney.civ@mail.mil
703-695-1036

Categories: Army Message