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Defense Inventory: Management of Surplus Usable Aircraft Parts Can Be Improved

NSIAD-98-7 Published: Oct 02, 1997. Publicly Released: Oct 02, 1997.
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Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed selected aspects of the Department of Defense's (DOD) disposal process, focusing on whether: (1) DOD destroyed, during the disposal process, usable aircraft parts that did not have military technology and flight safety implications; and (2) the military services recalled aircraft parts from the disposal process to preclude unnecessary purchases or repairs.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense To prevent the destruction of usable aircraft parts, the Secretary of Defense should provide guidance on selecting appropriate demilitarization codes that includes the specific details necessary to make appropriate decisions. The guidance could take the form of the draft demilitarization code assignment worksheet being used by the Air Force.
Closed – Implemented
DOD agreed that a code assignment sheet may be useful in assigning demilitarization codes. The Air Force officially implemented a code assignment checklist in July 1998, but the checklist has not been implemented DOD-wide. The Defense Logistics Agency has proposed a DOD-wide code assignment worksheet but the services have not accepted it. DLA plans to publish policy (DOD 4160.21-M-1) making use of worksheets optional. The manual is being updated, but the update was delayed until November 2002.
Department of Defense To prevent the destruction of usable aircraft parts, the Secretary of Defense should exclude commercial-type parts and nonsignificant military unique parts that do not have military technology and flight safety implications from policies and practices intended to prevent an inadvertent sale of parts with these implications. The Secretary should work closely with the private sector to identify and list commercial-type aircraft parts and nonsignificant military unique parts the private sector needs and require the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Offices (DRMOs) to check this list before destroying the parts.
Closed – Not Implemented
Although DOD partially agreed with the recommendation, it did not indicate that additional actions would be taken. DOD noted that challenge programs are available if parts are miscoded. DOD also noted that it previously attempted to obtain private-sector input but the response was minimal. Follow-up revealed that DOD plans no further action.
Department of Defense To prevent the destruction of usable aircraft parts, the Secretary of Defense should require the Army to complete its validation of the demilitarization codes assigned to Cobra helicopter parts so commercial-type parts and nonsignificant military unique parts can be sold.
Closed – Implemented
Validation of codes for Cobra parts was completed in June 2001.
Department of Defense To prevent the destruction of usable aircraft parts, the Secretary of Defense should establish milestones for correcting computer interface problems that preclude the military services from having visibility of parts located in DRMOs and from following regulations that require parts to be returned to the supply system when needed to prevent unnecessary procurements or repairs. In the interim, the Secretary should institute alternative ways to obtain this information on a routine basis. For example, aircraft parts available at DRMOs can be identified by telephone calls, the Internet, or physical inspection.
Closed – Implemented
DOD stated that the visibility of disposal assets is available DOD-wide via the Internet. As more commercial practices are implemented, online visibility and access via the Web may negate the need for correcting the computer interface problems addressed in the recommendation. DOD stated that impediments that would preclude the military services from having visibility of parts located at the disposal offices have been removed through DOD actions.

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Topics

Aircraft componentsDefense conversionMilitary technologyInventory control systemsMilitary cost controlMilitary inventoriesMilitary materielProperty disposalSurplus federal propertyU.S. Army