Skip to main content

Property Disposal: Controls Needed to Preclude DOD Release of Unsafe Surplus M151 Jeeps

NSIAD-91-10 Published: Jan 02, 1991. Publicly Released: Feb 05, 1991.
Jump To:
Skip to Highlights

Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Defense Logistics Agency's (DLA) procedures for safeguarding surplus Army M151 jeeps sent to disposal offices, focusing on whether DLA complied with the Department of Defense's (DOD) policy on the mutilation of M151 jeeps to prevent civilian use.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should direct management attention to solving the problems in the accountability system for property in transit from units to disposal offices.
Closed – Implemented
DOD is redesigning a DOD-wide in-transit control/visibility system. It plans to implement the system in late 1992. In the meantime, DOD is attempting to ensure that manual procedures currently in place are followed.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should require DLA and its Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service to ensure that internal control procedures established to safeguard disposal items are followed.
Closed – Implemented
The Office of the Secretary of Defense stated that it will continue to work with DLA to ensure compliance with current policy and procedures to prevent recurrences.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should include in the next annual DOD Financial Integrity Act report to the President and Congress the need for an improved accountability system for property in transit from units to disposal offices as well as the need to follow controls during the disposal process and what corrective actions are being taken.
Closed – Implemented
DOD agreed that corrective actions were necessary and stated that actions were being taken. However, DOD did not believe that the magnitude of the problem warranted separate reporting. In addition, DOD stated the Army had reported that issue in its annual report of internal control weaknesses.

Full Report

Office of Public Affairs

Topics

Federal agency accounting systemsFederal property managementInternal controlsInventory controlLarcenyMilitary inventoriesMilitary land vehiclesMotor vehicle safetyProperty disposalSurplus federal property