Making a freedom bird flight manifest from Binh Hoa in '72 meant first satisfying the 'pecker checkers' at the "Pee House of the August Moon" that the urine sample was (1.) Yours, and (2.) substance-free. Then you had a last 'contraband' search of your belongings before being quarantined for your flight. I got my personally-owned Colt .45, my camos & my nomex out by sewing them up inside other clothes...a field jacket being especially helpful in this regard (Yep, a field jacket could be useful there...up north during winter in the mountains I even had occasion to wear it on some missions). I'd had to turn in my dress greens at Fort Lewis before processing out, so consequently I was, technically, out-of-uniform in khakis when I DEROS'ed in early Spring. After the bus ride from Travis AFB to some DEROS processing center, we were advised that everyone not in dress greens would be required to go to Ft. Ord for a 'few hours' for a reissue of "appropriate uniforms" before we could continue home...on threat of the Air Police at San Francisco Internat'l picking you up at the airport. A major & I exchanged glances at this announcement and said "F--- that!" and used our stealth skills to commandeer a taxi & provide mutual covering recon for each other at San Fran. Internat'l Airport to board flights to our respective homes....one last "war story" before seeing the folks!