MILAN, Tenn. - Beverly Atkins, an employee at Milan Army Ammunition Plant, likes nothing better than to give away government property. Of course, while most DoD employees would face severe punishment for disseminating government-owned items, Atkins possesses the full authority to dispose of government property as she sees fit.
Atkins is the industrial property specialist for the government staff at MLAAP, and she decides whether obsolete and unneeded government property should be auctioned, sold, or donated.
Out of these three options, Atkins prefers the third.
"I love this part of my job," Atkins explains, referring to the donation of excess equipment. "I enjoy finding the chance to match our excess equipment with another organization's need."
For her most recent donation, Atkins used the General Services Administration's Computers for Learning program. According to ComputersForLearning.gov, this program "encourages agencies...to transfer computers and related peripheral equipment excess to their needs directly to schools and some educational nonprofit organizations."
According to the CFL website, "The CFL program's ambitious goal is to make modern computer technology an integral part of every classroom so that every child has the opportunity to be educated to his or her full potential."
Through the CFL program, Atkins facilitated the donation of 14 computer systems, complete with CPU, monitor, mouse, keyboard, and power and connection cables, to the Bradford Special School District in Bradford, Tenn. After the transaction, Atkins reflected on the shared benefits of the donation process.
"I know some of our local schools have limited resources," Atkins stated. "Our excess equipment can be a blessing to the students at low-income schools."
Dan Black, superintendent of Bradford Schools, approved the transaction and, along with Ronnie Jones, transportation director for the district, personally received and delivered the machines for the school system.
Atkins explained to the men how glad she was to see them receive the computers.
"Besides," she confessed, "that's 14 items I can mark off my inventory!"
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