How to Fill Out and Attach DD Form 1577: Condemned Materiel Tag

DD Form 1577 is the red-bordered Department of Defense tag used to mark materiel as unserviceable and condemned. To use it correctly, an authorized inspector fills in the item’s identifying data, the condition code, the reason for condemnation, and a signature, then attaches one tag to the item and a second to its shipping container so the condemned status travels with the property all the way to DLA Disposition Services.

Pick the Right Tag Before You Start

The red borders and red lettering on DD Form 1577 tell anyone in the supply chain: do not issue, do not repair, do not return to stock. The tag may also carry a one-by-five-inch red stripe on the back for additional visibility.¹

Three related forms exist, and using the wrong one either scraps a repairable asset or reissues a condemned one:

DD Form 1577 — the red condemned hanging tag.
DD Form 1577-1 — an adhesive label version of the same red condemned designation, used when a hanging tag is impractical.
DD Form 1577-2 — the green-bordered tag for unserviceable but reparable materiel that can be restored through repair, overhaul, or reconditioning.²
DD Form 1577-3 — the adhesive label equivalent of the green reparable tag.

When the Red Tag Applies

DD Form 1577 covers materiel assigned one of two Supply Condition Codes:

Condition Code H (Condemned). The item is unserviceable and does not meet repair criteria. This includes materiel condemned by a technical compliance order, items contaminated by radioactive material, Type I shelf-life materiel past its expiration date, and Type II shelf-life materiel that has expired and cannot be extended.³
Condition Code P (Reclamation). The item itself is beyond economical repair based on physical inspection, teardown, or engineering decision, but it holds serviceable components or assemblies worth reclaiming.³

One boundary is worth keeping straight. Supply Condition Code S (Scrap) covers materiel with no value except its raw material content, is not identified by NSN, and is assigned only at the point of turn-in to a DLA Disposition Services field office, not while the item is still on the unit’s inventory.³ Do not tag excess or obsolete materiel as condemned unless it truly fails to meet repair criteria.

Filling Out DD Form 1577 Field by Field

Every entry on the tag ties the condemned item to DoD logistics and financial records, so the data must be accurate. Air Force Technical Order 00-20-3 sets the entries as follows:

NSN, part number, and item description. The thirteen-digit National Stock Number uniquely identifies the item in the federal supply system. Add the part number and a plain-language description.⁴
Serial number or lot number. Required only for items tracked that way. Enter the number exactly as it appears on the data plate, including any letters or special characters.²
Quantity and unit of issue. Use the standard unit (each, dozen, pound).
Condition code. Enter H for condemned or P for reclamation.
Inspection activity. The name or code of the organization that inspected and condemned the item.
Inspector’s name or stamp and date. Without an authorized signature or stamp and the inspection date, the form is incomplete and the item cannot move through the disposal pipeline.²
Contractor purchase order number. Fill in only when the item is still under warranty and the contract number is available.
Reason or authority. Reference the specific publication, directive, or technical compliance order authorizing condemnation. For any condemned item with an extended value over $1,000, spell out the basis, such as repair costs exceeding 75 percent of replacement cost or expired shelf life. This entry is mandatory for all condemned items regardless of value and should never be left blank.²
Remarks. Use this block for additional context. For classified components, apply a stamp reading “This item is classified and shall be handled IAW AFI 31-401.” COMSEC-controlled items using the TSEC nomenclature system require a separate stamp referencing the AFKAG-1 series. Note any special destruction requirements tied to the item’s DEMIL code here so downstream handlers know what they are dealing with.²

Where To Get the Form

The Executive Services Directorate at Washington Headquarters Services lists DD Form 1577 in its DD forms directory but directs users to the Army’s forms management branch for copies, since the form is managed by the Department of the Army.⁵ Most units generate the tag through their branch-specific electronic forms system or logistics software rather than ordering pre-printed stock, and computer-generated adhesive-backed labels may be used alongside the standard tag.¹

Attaching the Tag

MIL-STD-129P requires one tag or label on the item itself and a second on the identification side of the shipping container. If several items or unit packs share a container, each one needs its own tag or label.¹ Air Force guidance adds that a condemned tag must go on the outside of the container so handlers can identify the item’s status without opening it.²

Wire ties are the standard attachment method for metallic components. For items that wire could scratch or damage, use heavy-duty twine or a weather-resistant adhesive-backed label instead. Position the tag so the red border stays visible from multiple angles in a storage setting, letting movers spot the condemned status without handling the item closely.

DEMIL Considerations Before Turn-In

Some condemned items carry a demilitarization (DEMIL) code in the Federal Logistics Information System that dictates how thoroughly the item must be destroyed before it can leave DoD control. The code identifies the required degree of physical destruction, flags items needing specialized procedures, and separates items that need trade security controls from those that do not.⁶ Common codes include:

Code G — ammunition and explosives on the U.S. Munitions List or Commerce Control List; full demilitarization required.
Code P — security-classified U.S. Munitions List items; full demilitarization required.
Code D — U.S. Munitions List or Commerce Control List military items; destroy to prevent restoration to a usable condition.
Code B — U.S. Munitions List items requiring mutilation to the point of scrap worldwide.
Code A — items subject to Export Administration Regulations but assessed as low risk; no demilitarization or mutilation required, though an export license from the Department of Commerce may be needed.

When a condemned item carries a higher DEMIL code, capture those requirements in the remarks block of DD Form 1577 so nothing about the destruction path is left to guesswork.

What Happens After the Tag Is On

Tagged items get segregated from serviceable stock and moved to a holding area for turn-in to DLA Disposition Services, which handles excess DoD personal property, foreign excess personal property, scrap, hazardous waste, and items requiring demilitarization.⁷ The originating unit prepares turn-in documentation under DoD Manual 4160.21 and coordinates with the local DLA Disposition Services field office for scheduling. At the field office, staff review the condition code and confirm any demilitarization requirements before accepting the property, after which the unit receives a transfer document that clears the asset from its active property records.

Why Accuracy on the Tag Matters

DD Form 1577 is an official government document, and its data feeds directly into DoD property accountability records. Wrong condition codes, missing reasons for condemnation, or tagging serviceable materiel as condemned all create discrepancies that can trigger audits or investigations into misrepresented government property.

For military personnel, Article 107 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice provides that anyone subject to the code who signs a false official document with intent to deceive, or makes any false official statement knowing it to be false, faces punishment as a court-martial may direct.⁸ That reach includes intentionally condemning repairable equipment or fabricating inspection results. Honest mistakes are treated differently, but if they reflect negligence in following established procedures, they can still result in financial liability for lost government property under DoD Instruction 5000.64.

1
Department of Defense. MIL-STD-129P w/Change 4 – Military Marking for Shipment and Storage
2
Air Force Materiel Command. T.O. 00-20-3 – Maintenance Processing of Reparable Property and the Repair Cycle Asset Control System
3
Defense Logistics Agency. Condition Codes
4
Defense Logistics Agency. National Stock Numbers
5
Washington Headquarters Services. DD1577
6
Defense Logistics Agency. DEMIL Codes
7
Defense Logistics Agency. Excess DOD Property Disposal
8
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 10 USC 907 Art 107 – False Official Statements; False Swearing