Army Needs To Improve Its Management and Inventory Control of Small Arms

Because of their cost, vital role in defense missions, and sensitivity to theft, military small arms require careful management and control. In response to a congressional request, GAO investigated certain aspects of Department of Defense (DOD) procurement, management, and disposition of small arms including the M2 machine gun. The M2 machine gun has been used by all U.S. military components since the end of World War I. The Army, which owns more than 75 percent of all M2 guns in DOD inventories, is designated the single procuring agent for all of DOD. Further, the Army is responsible for maintaining a central registry of the serial numbers of all DOD small arms.