Summary: The Defense Department (DOD) has poorly managed its huge stockpile of ammunition--a legacy of the Cold War and Operation Desert Storm. Of an $80-billion inventory, an estimated $31 billion worth of conventional ammunition, explosives, and missiles were surplus. Much of this was old and unusable. For some types of ammunition, the military had more than 50 times its stated needs. The massive quantities of ammunition that were returned to the stockpile as a result of closed military bases in Europe and the end of the Persian Gulf War--combined with decreases in budgets, staff, and storage space--have severely taxed the military's ability to manage the ammunition inventory. Managers have difficulty (1) identifying ammunition beyond what is needed for the military's stated requirements, (2) sharing excess ammunition with military services that may need it, and (3) disposing of excess ammunition that it no longer makes sense to retain. In addition, ammunition inspections and tests have fallen so far behind that the military cannot guarantee the usability or readiness of the stockpile.
