New reforms target US military's missing weapons problem

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

New reforms target US military’s missing weapons problem

By KRISTIN M. HALL and JUSTIN PRITCHARD
December 21, 2021

The Department of Defense is overhauling how it keeps track of its guns and explosives, and Congress is requiring more accountability from the Pentagon -- responses to an Associated Press investigation that showed lost or stolen military weapons were reaching America’s streets.

The missing weaponry includes assault rifles, machine guns, handguns, armor-piercing grenades, artillery shells, mortars, grenade launchers and plastic explosives.

The Pentagon will now have to give lawmakers an annual report on weapons loss and security under the National Defense Authorization Act, which Congress approved this month and President Joe Biden is expected to sign. As AP’s AWOL Weapons investigation showed, military officials weren’t advising Congress even as guns and explosives continued to disappear.

To meet those reporting requirements, the military is modernizing how it accounts for its millions of firearms and mountains of explosives.

-snip-

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/business-gun-politics-congress-5f45d1be346a8e1e19c6e694aa245d2f

[bucolic_frolic]

1. These are just the new right to bear ARMS

[Frustratedlady]

2. This is scary as hell, particularly when you take into account Trump's following on 1/6

of so many military personnel. The more we hear about them, the scarier it becomes.

And, Trump and his operation wouldn't have to pay for any of the weapons. el Cheapo!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

3. Weaponry is dead money and consumes more money just for security and upkeep. . . nt

[LittleGirl]

4. For a department with the largest budget

In The World, I don’t understand how they don’t have the latest greatest inventory software program? How can you lose weapons?

[Irish_Dem]

7. Corrupt defense contractors must be cranking out production to the point

of oversupply. The military doesn't even miss or care about the stolen weapons.

[LittleGirl]

9. How do we make them care? eom

[Irish_Dem]

10. I assume mayors and local police are complaining about military weapons on the street.

And that is why congress is acting.

This is the only way to make the military care about something, Congressional oversight.

[paleotn]

12. You'd be very surprised.

I've seen similar systems at vast, corporate giants that absolutely sucked. They were awful simply because it didn't impact the bottom line all that much, so it got limited attention and limited funding. When such things do impact the bottom line, the systems are top notch and amazingly good. It's a matter of priorities. DoD's priority is protecting the country and its interests, breaking things and killing people when necessary, not keeping track of stuff. But much of the stuff they do have is lethal so it SHOULD be a priority. It's not just DoD. Various systems throughout the most powerful government on earth are antiquated and terrible. Congress and various departments just don't want to spend the money. It's not a priority.

[ancianita]

5. What The ...

Looks like Lloyd Austin's also got a "missing honesty problem" to fix, which goes right along with the military's extremist problem.

And the Gen. Michael Flynn, Gen. Charles Flynn, and Lt. Gen. Walter Piatt problem.

Guess when Biden and Austin open up a can of worms this is what falls out.

[Irish_Dem]

11. We know the Flynn brothers could get their hands on weapons.

Mike Flynn has been in intelligence and special ops for a long time.
He knows how to work the back channel system.

[Irish_Dem]

6. Magats in the military could easily go rogue and do serious damage.

Sounds like it is easy to steal firearms and explosives.

[twodogsbarking]

8. Thou shalt not question thy god;

the military.