ANNISTON ARMY DEPOT, Ala. -- Have you ever wondered what happens to the computer, toolbox, tools or other items removed from the shops and offices on Anniston Army Depot and replaced with new equipment?
This excess federal property is destined for DLA's Disposition Services and it may wind up at a police station across the country or be purchased by your neighbor.
Up until about 15 years ago, the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office, as DLA Disposition Services was known then, was a full-service site. Items brought to them for reutilization which were requisitioned by other agencies were auctioned to the public.
"Auctioneer was actually a position title here at that time," said Chris Pearson, a property disposal specialist for DLA Disposition Services in Anniston. "It was open to the public. But, 9/11 pretty much changed that."
Now, DLA Disposition Services Anniston is more of a collection point or a warehouse used to sort the useable from ones which must be demolished.
It's termed a cross-dock operation.
In the facility located on ANAD, items from contractors, tenants, the depot and military units throughout the Southeast are sorted.
There are military-specific items which cannot be reused and must be broken down into small, unrecognizable pieces. Some of those bits, if composed of a recyclable material, are then sold in bulk.
Items in good condition which are not military specific, can be resold.
"When we have good property with reuse potential, we send it to Warner-Robbins Air Force Base in Georgia, which is still a full-service site," said Pearson.
These items go into a database accessible by the Department of Defense; emergency responders, such as police and fire departments; and other government agencies.
If an item is needed elsewhere within the DoD, federal, state or local government systems, it is reutilized in that manner.
"DoD, police departments, federal agencies and forestry services often reutilize a lot of items," said Pearson. "The agency strives to reutilize the usable property to another agency than sell it to the public."
Items not requisitioned from Warner-Robbins within a 42-day window are placed for sale on online auction websites where the public can bid on the equipment.
Two websites handle much of the excess federal property - govliquidation.com and ironplanet.com.
"Scrap metal is a big seller for the contractors," said Pearson. "The good news is, even though these items are sold through a contractor, a portion of the money comes back to the U.S. Treasury."
Editor's Note: DLA Disposition Services Anniston is also responsible for demilitarizing equipment which cannot be sold to the public. That story will appear in the next issue of TRACKS.
Social Sharing