Defense Inventory: Analysis of Consumption of Inventory Exceeding Current Operating Requirements Since September 30, 2001;Report to the Congress

摘要

The Department of Defense (DOD) maintains a secondary inventory of spare and repair parts to support its war- and peace-time missions. The effective and efficient management of this inventory is critical to ensure that the warfighter is supplied with the right items at the right time, especially as the department and the services are called upon for new missions in locations such as Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Philippines, as well as protecting the homeland. DOD's inventory management comprises several major functions, including determining what is needed; buying needed items; and storing, maintaining, distributing, and disposing of inventory. DOD retains inventory that exceeds items requirements objectives for different reasons, including: (1) to satisfy projected demands for 2 fiscal years beyond the current operating requirements; (2) for economic reasons, because it would be less costly to retain rather than dispose of and repurchase the items; and (3) for specific contingencies.