BATTLE CREEK, Mich. –
Defense Logistics Agency Disposition Services has long served as the Defense Department’s clearinghouse for most used and excess equipment. When the armed services no longer need an item, they turn it over to DLA to demilitarize it or find it a new home and extend the impact of taxpayer dollars. The agency’s property disposal specialists first attempt to find other military units that could potentially use it. If the equipment no longer meets stringent military requirements and is not considered controlled property, other potential users get the opportunity to request it free of charge.
Ultimately, many items become available for donation. Some good examples of possible donation recipients include libraries and museums, service education activities, and veterans organizations. Items that qualified donation recipients do not request are either scrapped or sold in public auctions.
Naturally, DLA personnel have fielded thousands of queries over the decades from organizations interested in displaying a howitzer cannon, an inert rocket, or a fighter aircraft fuselage at their facility. So here’s a few quick reference points on trying to secure former military items for display.
- DLA is NOT the source for aircraft, ships, and inert weapons systems static displays.
- The U.S. Army’s Static Display Program is conducted by the Army Donations Program Office at Army TACOM. Eligible organizations may qualify to receive conditionally-issued, condemned or obsolete Army equipment for static display purposes.
- The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force administers three separate static display loan programs, including the Military Loan Program, the Community Static Display Program, and the Civilian Museum Loan Program. Loans are not made to individuals or to commercial, for-profit organizations and any aerospace vehicles placed on loan are strictly limited to non-flying, static display.
- The U.S. Navy History and Heritage Command provides information on the temporary loans of Navy historical property for display. For organizations really looking to make a splash, the service’s Navy Ship Donation Program manual is available online from Naval Sea Systems Command. NAVSEA also offers information on procedures for donation of non-historic obsolete combat, ordnance, or shipboard material.
- DLA’s surplus military equipment donation program offers only items that do not possess inherently offensive, or combat-related capabilities. Humvees? Yes. Armored Humvees? No. Transport and cargo vehicles? Yes. Armored troop carriers like MRAPs? No.
- Donation customers may screen Defense Department property in DLA’s RTD Web, however they must go through the GSA Personal Property Management System (PPMS) to request it. Donation customers do not pay for surplus personal property, but they are responsible for any associated packing, shipping and transportation costs. Donation customers have 21 days from the official date of allocation to pick up the property.