Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service
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| Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service | |
|---|---|
| Agency name | Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service |
| Formed | 1946 |
| Jurisdiction | United States Department of Defense |
| Headquarters | Battle Creek, Michigan |
| Parent agency | Defense Logistics Agency |
Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service
The Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service was a component of the United States Department of Defense charged with managing surplus property, reutilization, and disposal. It operated within the Defense Logistics Agency framework and interacted with agencies such as the General Services Administration, Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, and state governments. The service supported operations related to Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, and peacetime drawdowns following events like the Cold War and the Vietnam War.
History
The organization traces origins to post-World War II demobilization programs influenced by legislation including the Surplus Property Act of 1944 and later statutes like the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949. During the Korean War and Vietnam War episodes, reutilization centers coordinated with commands such as United States European Command, United States Pacific Command, and the United States Central Command. Reforms in the 1990s followed recommendations from commissions including the Commission on Roles and Missions of the Armed Forces and policy shifts tied to the Goldwater–Nichols Act. The service adapted through the post-Cold War drawdown, cooperating with agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency and international partners under frameworks like North Atlantic Treaty Organization logistics arrangements.
Mission and Functions
Its stated mission encompassed reutilization, transfer, donation, sale, and disposal of excess military property in support of readiness for entities such as United States Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, and United States Space Force. Functions included property screening for installations like Fort Bragg, Naval Station Norfolk, and Andrews Air Force Base; managing sales to commercial entities including firms listed on exchanges like the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq; and administering donation programs benefiting organizations such as American Red Cross and United Way of America. It coordinated with legal frameworks like the Armed Services Procurement Act and worked with tribunals including the Government Accountability Office on audit matters.
Organizational Structure
As a component of the Defense Logistics Agency, the service reported through senior leadership connected to the Secretary of Defense and the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. Its network included regional reutilization and marketing offices at locations including Fort Campbell, Joint Base Lewis–McChord, and Ramstein Air Base, and it liaised with commands like United States Transportation Command and agencies including the Department of State for foreign excess materiel transfers. Internal units mirrored functions seen in entities such as the General Services Administration’s Federal Acquisition Service and worked alongside inspectors from the Environmental Protection Agency and auditors from the Office of Management and Budget.
Operations and Programs
Operations included public sales, sealed bidding, negotiated sales, and online auctions marketed to industrial firms such as manufacturers on the Fortune 500 and small businesses registered with the Small Business Administration. Programs comprised reutilization screening, foreign military sales coordination with the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, and donation initiatives modeled after partnerships with The Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity. The service supported contingency logistics during crises including responses linked to Hurricane Katrina and humanitarian missions coordinated with United Nations agencies. It also managed information systems comparable to procurement platforms used by the Department of Veterans Affairs and tracked inventories with standards akin to those of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Disposal and Environmental Compliance
Disposal operations were governed by statutes and regulations developed in dialogue with the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy, and state environmental agencies. Compliance efforts addressed hazardous materials, asbestos removal, and demilitarization of munitions in coordination with units like the Army Materiel Command and facilities such as the Los Alamos National Laboratory when demilitarization required specialized oversight. Programs conformed to principles in laws such as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and engaged remediation contractors similar to firms that partner with the United States Corps of Engineers for environmental cleanup.
Controversies and Oversight
The service faced scrutiny from oversight bodies including the Government Accountability Office, Congressional Budget Office, and congressional committees such as the House Committee on Oversight and Reform and the Senate Armed Services Committee over inventory control, property losses, and sale procedures. High-profile issues intersected with investigations similar to probes involving Pentagon procurement scandals and audits by the Inspector General of the Department of Defense. Reforms responded to recommendations from panels including the Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan and led to process changes paralleling those implemented across Department of Homeland Security procurement systems.