Reform the DOD's excess equipment disposal process

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Bases and Infrastructure

Reform the DOD's excess equipment disposal process to avoid waste and paying for items already acquired

The DOD could further reassess its disposal process to determine whether additional changes are needed to ensure excess equipment is going to the most appropriate use. Reforming the disposal process would allow federal civilian agencies to utilize unused resources that are currently available, instead of purchasing new items, while a fuller accounting of excess items could avoid future waste in acquisitions. This process has been started, but not fully codified, leaving the risk of civilian federal agencies spending additional funds on procurement instead of utilizing excess Pentagon items. A recent report from the Project on Government Oversight showing that the Pentagon would be paying at least $156 million over 6 years to dispose of Humvees instead of selling or donating them.

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“If we are going to effectively tackle the long-term national security threat posed by our national debt, then we need to seriously examine how our defense dollars are being spent. Waste and inefficiency within the Pentagon not only contributes to our nation’s debt and deficit, it also diminishes the effectiveness of our nation’s armed forces."

Dan Caldwell, USMC (ret.)
Concerned Veterans for America

“I'm concerned that our increasing fractious political process, particularly with respect to federal spending, is threatening our ability to properly defend our nation both in the short term and especially in the long term."

Dan Coats
Director of National Intelligence

“This guide is a much-needed first step toward encouraging politicians to consider all available options for substantive Pentagon reform. Our troops deserve better than broken bureaucracy, and politicians shouldn't fool themselves into thinking that throwing money at the problem is the solution."

Capt. Dan Grazier, USMC (ret.)
Project on Government Oversight

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Bases and Infrastructure