Conducting inventories: right tool, wrong brand?

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 15:02:40 -0400

When conducting inventories, if you’re going through a toolkit, and the item is the correct one (like 3 inch type 1 screwdriver), but it’s made by the wrong company (Stanley as opposed to Armstrong), do you consider that a shortage, call it good, or is it commanders discretion? Looking for the right answer that doesn’t end up with a FLIPL in 12 months without also unnecessarily charging Soldiers.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 13 at 2021 3:21 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 15:21:12 -0400

I would note it on your inventory and track it every month. If it something that is basically the same you can request to edit the property book. This does happen when the Army switches the supplier. It could have been ordered but the replacement could have came from a new supplier but was never amended in the property book. If you don't make a note of it and them something comes up then you may have a flipl. Flipls for something that small can pretty much be wrote off and that's why no one is trying to fix it.

Response by SSgt Dan Montague made Apr 13 at 2021 4:27 PM

SSgt Dan Montague — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 16:27:10 -0400

I have never ran across an issue concerning tool manufacturer. We never annotated the brand on our SL3 inventories. Now if the section that you inventory has a contract with a dealer like Stanley or Snap on, and all gear is listed by brand on the inventory, then I see it as a discrepancy that may need to get fixed later on.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 13 at 2021 6:56 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 18:56:22 -0400

As far as I know your supply can go in and update that in GCSSA. I'm not a supply guru by any means, this is just something I've gleaned from listening to the Commanders and supply Sergeants over the years during inventory. Apparently when the Army switched to GCSSA a few years ago there were massive issues with certain property items transferring correctly so the system allows the commander to make certain switches. I would get with your S4 NCOIC, as opposed to your company supply SGT, and they can get into the nitty gritty of how to do it.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 13 at 2021 7:22 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 19:22:29 -0400

As everything else in the military it all depends on circumstances, and possible outcomes. Is the inventory out of date, was the tool properly replaced. Being in Aviation our tool control is very stringent due to a misplaced or even broken tool possibly having catastrophic outcomes. Now if i drop anything other than a 10mm while working in my garage I'm not spending hours looking for it.

Response by SFC Frederick Dalton made Sep 29 at 2023 9:39 PM

SFC Frederick Dalton — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 21:39:22 -0400

I had a company commander get so silly on a change of command inventory that he measured the screwdrivers in the TK-101 and 105 kits, and wanted statements of charges when they were 1/4” off. It didn’t matter to him that the proper NSN’s were factory engraved on the handles.