Last Updated: November 9, 2026 Reading Time: 7 min

DFAS has posted the FY2027 military clothing allowance tables, effective October 1, 2026. An Army soldier past three years of service now gets $627.70 a year to replace uniforms. A male Marine at the same point gets $869.16.

Basic pay is identical across the branches, so the gap catches people off guard. Each service sets its clothing rates from the cost of its own uniforms.

FY2027 Clothing Replacement Allowance by Branch

Here is every enlisted rate from the DFAS FY27 table, with last year's rate beside it. "Basic" applies during your first 3 years. "Standard" applies after 36 months of active duty.

Branch Basic FY2027 Standard FY2027 Standard FY2026 Change
Army (male) $439.39 $627.70 $613.19 +$14.51 (+2.4%)
Army (female) $439.39 $627.70 $610.00 +$17.70 (+2.9%)
Navy (male) $446.40 $637.20 $615.60 +$21.60 (+3.5%)
Navy (female) $450.00 $640.00 $619.20 +$20.80 (+3.4%)
Air Force (male) $425.39 $607.70 $591.60 +$16.10 (+2.7%)
Air Force (female) $446.88 $638.40 $610.20 +$28.20 (+4.6%)
Marine Corps (male) $609.00 $869.16 $842.76 +$26.40 (+3.1%)
Marine Corps (female) $626.40 $894.24 $847.32 +$46.92 (+5.5%)
Space Force (male) $460.76 $658.23 $656.28 +$1.95 (+0.3%)
Space Force (female) $493.60 $705.14 $700.22 +$4.92 (+0.7%)

Source: DFAS FY27 Clothing Replacement Allowances (effective October 1, 2026) and the FY2026 table (effective October 1, 2025). Change = FY2027 standard minus FY2026 standard. Annual amounts, enlisted members.

The Army rate is now the same for men and women. Last year the Army paid men $3.19 more on the standard rate.

Marine Corps rates are the highest in every column: a male Marine's standard allowance is $261.46 more a year than a male airman's. Space Force rates barely moved this year, up $1.95 for men and $4.92 for women.

When the Clothing Allowance Pays

The rules come from the DoD Financial Management Regulation, Volume 7A, Chapter 29. Here is the timeline for an enlisted member who enters active duty and stays.

  1. Initial issue. At the start of service you get your initial uniforms, mostly in kind. Army and Marine Corps members get the items themselves, with no cash credit.
  2. Months 6 to 12. The basic replacement allowance starts adding up on the first day of the month after you finish 6 months of active duty.
  3. Your 1-year anniversary month. At the end of that month you get your first payment, equal to half the basic rate for the fiscal year then in effect.
  4. Years 2 and 3. You get the full basic rate each year at the end of your anniversary month.
  5. After 36 months. The standard rate starts on the first day of the month after you complete 36 months of active duty. It then pays every year at the end of your anniversary month, at the rate in effect at that time.

Your payment date depends on the month you entered active duty. October 1 only sets which year's rate applies. Look for the deposit on your Leave and Earnings Statement in your anniversary month.

What your first payment looks like

The first payment is half the basic rate. At FY2027 rates that is about:

  • Army: $219.70
  • Navy: $223.20 (male), $225.00 (female)
  • Air Force: $212.70 (male), $223.44 (female)
  • Marine Corps: $304.50 (male), $313.20 (female)
  • Space Force: $230.38 (male), $246.80 (female)

If you separate before your anniversary month

The FMR says a member who is discharged before the end of the anniversary month gets a prorated clothing replacement allowance for that year.

FY2027 Initial Clothing Allowance by Branch

New enlisted members get a standard initial clothing allowance. Most of it is issued as uniforms. Only the cash portion lands in your pay, for items you buy yourself.

Branch Total value FY2027 Cash portion FY2027 Total value FY2026
Army (male) $2,221.22 $0 $2,144.47
Army (female) $2,568.23 $406.60 $2,475.17
Navy (male) $2,457.31 $157.98 $2,389.01
Navy (female) $2,624.47 $369.90 $2,552.94
Air Force (male) $2,355.29 $0 $2,322.58
Air Force (female) $2,834.59 $543.75 $2,734.09
Marine Corps (male) $2,862.60 $0 $2,743.18
Marine Corps (female) $2,929.27 $0 $2,778.85
Space Force (male) $2,561.48 $0 $2,551.18
Space Force (female) $3,018.70 $543.75 $3,017.33

Source: DFAS FY2027 Standard Initial Military Clothing Allowances (effective October 1, 2026); FY2026 totals from DoD FMR Vol. 7A, Table 29-1 (effective October 1, 2025).

The Navy has one more column. All Navy Chief Petty Officers, plus members of the Naval Academy Band and the U.S. Navy Band in Washington, get a special cash replacement allowance instead:

  • FY2027 special rate: $831.60 (male), $817.20 (female), up from $810.00 and $792.00.
  • Reserve Chief Petty Officers get 18% of the active special rate: $149.68 (male) and $147.10 (female), paid once a year in their anniversary month.

Other Reserve and Guard members on active duty for less than 6 months, or in drill status, generally get their uniform items issued in kind instead of a cash allowance.

Is the Clothing Allowance Taxed?

No. IRS Publication 3 lists uniform allowances among the military pay items excluded from gross income. The allowance does not show up as taxable wages on your W-2.

It also stays out of a military pay after taxes estimate, since it arrives once a year on top of your regular paychecks.

Calculate the Rest of Your Military Pay

Your basic pay is a much bigger number than the clothing allowance. Use the free military pay calculator to see 2026 basic pay for your grade and years of service, then the military take-home pay calculator to see what lands in your account after tax.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the Army clothing allowance in FY2027?

The Army's basic cash clothing replacement allowance is $439.39 and the standard rate is $627.70 for FY2027, the same for men and women. The rates took effect October 1, 2026.

When do I get my clothing allowance?

Once a year, at the end of your anniversary month (the month you entered active duty). Your first payment comes after your first full year and equals half the basic rate.

Why do Marines get a bigger clothing allowance?

Each service sets its rates from the cost of its own required uniforms. The Marine Corps rates are the highest in the FY2027 table: $869.16 standard for men and $894.24 for women.

What is the difference between the basic and standard clothing allowance?

The basic rate covers your first 3 years of active duty. The standard rate starts the month after you complete 36 months and is higher in every branch.

Do I get a clothing allowance if I get out before my anniversary month?

Yes, a prorated one. The DoD Financial Management Regulation says a member discharged before the end of the anniversary month receives a prorated clothing replacement allowance.

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