The Direct Commissary Support System Should Be Expanded To Include More Army Commissaries in Europe

The Direct Commissary Support System was developed in 1971 to fill routine requisitions from Army and Air Force commissaries overseas. The system eliminates the need for maintaining large inventories in overseas depots by supplying nonperishable, brand-name, resale items directly from vendors and depots in the United States. It has streamlined the flow of these items to Europe and has resulted in cost savings and other benefits not available under the in-theater depot system. System benefits include reduced prices from volume procurement, reduced order-ship time for moving items from the United States to Europe, reduced local transportation costs, increased fill rates and timely deliveries; increased product selection, and fresher products.

Despite the System's benefits, GAO found that the Army was not taking full advantage of the direct support system since 17 Army commissaries in Europe were receiving support from an in-theater depot. The System's expansion during 1971 to 1978 demonstrated that Army and Air Force commissary officials were committed to the System. However, expansion ceased in 1978 because the Army believed that continued conversion would aggravate a perceived shortfall of in-theater subsistence items by reducing brand-name, resale subsistence levels below those needed to meet the Army's war reserve requirements. GAO found that the Army's wartime subsistence requirements were overstated because they reflected required troop strength levels rather than those currently in the force structure and those able to arrive in Europe when required. Also, all available in-theater subsistence assets were not identified nor appropriately applied against the requirements. Therefore, based on sales volume, warehouse space, container deliveries, and other conversion criteria, GAO believes that 4 of the 17 commissaries should be converted immediately to the System. The remaining commissaries could be converted either independently or through a satelliting arrangement.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

Director: No director on record Team: No team on record Phone: No phone on record