Defense Inventory: Inadequate Compliance With Controls for Excess Firearms and Other Sensitive Items
NSIAD-00-27
Published: Nov 29, 1999. Publicly Released: Dec 14, 1999.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Department of Defense's (DOD) procedures for the disposal and destruction of excess firearms, items with national security implications, and pharmaceuticals.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should direct the Secretaries of the Air Force, Army, and Navy and the Director, Defense Logistics Agency, to follow Department procedures for safeguarding excess firearms, items protected for national security reasons, and pharmaceuticals and require periodic reviews to ensure that the procedures are followed so that key duties in the areas of transport, destruction, and record keeping are separated, required destruction certifications are prepared, and serial numbers are recorded on shipping documents. |
Closed – Implemented
In November 1999, GAO reported that excess firearms and other sensitive items were not properly controlled because military service and Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) personnel did not always follow DOD's procedures for safeguarding the items during the disposal process. GAO recommended that DOD direct the services and DLA to follow its procedures. DOD concurred with the recommendation and, on February 29, 2000, issued a memorandum directing the services and DLA to make every effort to comply with the recommendation and follow pertinent regulations. As a result, controls for excess firearms and other sensitive items were emphasized, providing improved compliance.
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| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should improve the reporting accuracy of the Department's In-transit Accountability System by directing particular attention to training personnel and increased management oversight of inventory transaction procedures and to correcting computer system programming errors. |
Closed – Implemented
We recommended that DOD take action to address data accuracy problems contained in the In-transit Accountability System reports. In response, DOD established a task force under the Logistics Commander's Material Management Group. The group confirmed the findings and created transaction edits to prevent such erroneous transactions from being passed to the In-transit Accountability System.
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Topics
Computer programmingDrugsEquipment inventoriesMilitary technologyFirearmsInternal controlsLogisticsMilitary inventoriesProperty disposalSurplus federal property