Ammunition And Explosives:

Improved Controls Are Needed to Reduce Thefts at Fort Bragg and Camp Pendleton

NSIAD-89-3, Nov 22, 1988

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Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO: (1) evaluated the effectiveness of Camp Pendleton's controls over ammunition and explosives (A&E) and combat gear; and (2) compared Camp Pendleton's A&E controls with those at Fort Bragg.

GAO found that, while Camp Pendleton recently strengthened A&E inventory controls in response to recent thefts: (1) its ordnance office did not maintain accurate A&E accounting records for its training exercises or reduce account balances when it approved requisitions; (2) it did not use its inspection results to enforce compliance with A&E policies and procedures; (3) it did not conduct routine or thorough inspections of training areas or personnel after exercises; (4) its ammunition supply point (ASP) did not always obtain legible signatures for the delegation-of-authority cards which personnel used to obtain A&E; and (5) it did not sufficiently emphasize A&E control procedures and responsibilities in its range safety officer certification course. GAO also found that Fort Bragg: (1) improved several A&E inventory control problems identified in 1986; (2) discouraged return of A&E through a time-consuming, easily circumvented, infrequently operated ammunition reconciliation process; (3) prolonged unit possession of A&E by operating a holding area for temporary A&E storage; (4) recovered some A&E through its amnesty program, which allowed personnel to turn in A&E without reprisal; (5) increased its number of compliance inspections, although its noncompliance rate remained constant; and (6) did not use the results of its quality assurance specialists and ammunition surveillance inspection reports to enforce compliance with A&E policies and procedures.

Status Legend:

More Info
  • Review Pending-GAO has not yet assessed implementation status.
  • Open-Actions to satisfy the intent of the recommendation have not been taken or are being planned, or actions that partially satisfy the intent of the recommendation have been taken.
  • Closed-implemented-Actions that satisfy the intent of the recommendation have been taken.
  • Closed-not implemented-While the intent of the recommendation has not been satisfied, time or circumstances have rendered the recommendation invalid.
    • Review Pending
    • Open
    • Closed - implemented
    • Closed - not implemented

    Recommendations for Executive Action

    Recommendation: To strengthen Fort Bragg's program for ensuring adequate controls over A&E, the Commanding General, Fort Bragg, should authorize the use of holding areas for A&E under unit control only when necessary for operational commitments and require that proper safeguards be applied to A&E when under such unit control.

    Agency Affected: Department of Defense: Department of the Army: Fort Bragg, NC

    Status: Review Pending

    Comments: When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

    Recommendation: To strengthen Fort Bragg's program for ensuring adequate controls over A&E, the Commanding General, Fort Bragg, should expand ASP hours of operation to enable immediate return of unused A&E to its control.

    Agency Affected: Department of Defense: Department of the Army: Fort Bragg, NC

    Status: Review Pending

    Comments: When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

    Recommendation: To strengthen Fort Bragg's program for ensuring adequate controls over A&E, the Secretary of the Army should eliminate the reconciliation of small-arms ammunition residue.

    Agency Affected: Department of Defense: Department of the Army

    Status: Review Pending

    Comments: When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

    Recommendation: To strengthen control over A&E, the Commanding Officer, Camp Pendleton, should improve the range safety officer training course so that it emphasizes A&E accountability and provides guidance for certifying A&E expenditures on training ranges.

    Agency Affected: Department of Defense: United States Marine Corps: Camp Pendleton, CA

    Status: Review Pending

    Comments: When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

    Recommendation: To strengthen control over A&E, the Commanding Officer, Camp Pendleton, should require that the delegation-of-authority cards be monitored more closely to ensure that legible signatures are obtained.

    Agency Affected: Department of Defense: United States Marine Corps: Camp Pendleton, CA

    Status: Review Pending

    Comments: When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

    Recommendation: To strengthen control over A&E, the Commanding Officer, Camp Pendleton, should require the Marine Corps Base Command's ordnance office to update its units' A&E account balances when their requisitions are approved.

    Agency Affected: Department of Defense: United States Marine Corps: Camp Pendleton, CA

    Status: Review Pending

    Comments: When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

    Recommendation: To strengthen control over A&E, the Commanding Officer, Camp Pendleton, should ensure that the base's procedures for controlling A&E are complied with.

    Agency Affected: Department of Defense: United States Marine Corps: Camp Pendleton, CA

    Status: Review Pending

    Comments: When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

    Recommendation: To strengthen control over A&E, the Commanding Officer, Camp Pendleton, should ensure that range inspections are more thorough and that Marines are regularly searched for A&E before they leave the ranges after training exercises.

    Agency Affected: Department of Defense: United States Marine Corps: Camp Pendleton, CA

    Status: Review Pending

    Comments: When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

    Recommendation: To strengthen Fort Bragg's program for ensuring adequate controls over A&E, the Commanding General, Fort Bragg, should monitor the results of the quality assurance specialists and ammunition surveillance inspections and enforce compliance among those units and commands found to deviate from prescribed A&E regulations and procedures.

    Agency Affected: Department of Defense: Department of the Army: Fort Bragg, NC

    Status: Review Pending

    Comments: When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.