Conventional Ammunition Management

GAO evaluated Department of Defense (DOD) progress in centralizing the management of conventional ammunition and the military services' care and maintenance of conventional ammunition. DOD progress toward fully implementing the single manager concept for conventional ammunition has been at a virtual standstill for the past 3 years. GAO believes the concept is sound and, if fully implemented, ammunition management would be more efficient and economical, and logistics support would be improved in the event of war. In the opinion of GAO, the present proposal falls far short of assigning the single manager the responsibility and authority needed to effectively manage this area: there should be proper placement of the single manager; ownership and visibility over stocks assigned to the single manager; single manager control over budgeted funds and ammunition programs; and services retention of control over certain ammunition items including, in some cases, controlling the initial production facilities. The military services' inventories of conventional ammunition are very large and represent considerable investments. Proper storage, maintenance, and renovation are necessary to assure that the ammunition is in usable condition when needed. GAO, nearing the completion of a review of various aspect of the services' care and maintenance programs for conventional ammunition, found that serious problems exist in this area. GAO has serious doubts as to the accuracy of the Army's estimate of the amount of ammunition in storage that needs to be renovated. The Army also has inadequate maintenance capability to keep pace with the generation of unserviceable ammunition and too few and substandard storage facilities in Europe. The Navy generally has adequate storage facilities for its ammunition, but it is experiencing problems in the care and maintenance of its ammunition. The Navy's accountable records often do not accurately show the quantities or true condition of ammunition in storage. The Air Force has inadequate storage and maintenance capability in Europe. Much of its conventional ammunition is stored outside in open storage and its maintenance facilities are not adequately equipped to maintain and renovate deteriorated ammunition. The Air Force is programming new maintenance facilities which will allow for some inside storage of ammunition and a reduction in the need for maintenance actions.