I’m taking a Platoon in a couple days and signing for a Stryker Plt’s worth of equipment. What advice, do’s and don’ts does everyone have?

Be aware of the -10 manual and any included equipment that goes with the vehicle. I was a brand new 2LT and signed for some equipment and new nothing about the included tools generally that you sign for when you sign for the major equipment. the -10 manual used to show all tools/equipment included.

Former Supply Sergeant and Property Book Team Chief here.
Touch everything.
Verify serial numbers.
Is BII on hand or on a valid requisition ?
If you are told it is "in maintenance" then ask for a copy of the paperwork.

Make sure there are no "secret" accounts they didn't tell you about. I was a Commo Site Chief and when I signed on I had a complete list and it checked just fine... on the Army side of things... THEN a couple months later here comes an Air Force guy saying he wanted to see the inventory I supposedly had from the Air Force!! (and to complicate things it was COMSEC circuit boards, too!). Needless to say that lead to a LOT of work and paperwork/investigation to even determine if what I had was Army or Air Force items. Heaven only knows when the stuff was "lost".

Seems the inventory checks were always done at different times, so when Army supply came by, those 3 items were shown as Army property... and then when the Air Force came by my predecessors showed those SAME 3 items as Air Force property... Until I came along and I just don't play those sorts of games! Report of Survey time! Took a good 6 months to get through the crap but they ended up being dropped from inventory and reported as lost COMSEC inventory - unknown disposition.

Keep your equipment locked up. If you need to provide some type of equipment to soldier make sure you trust that other leader by using a temporary hand receipt. Even for training purpose. Lastly, your Supply Sergeant is your best Buddy. We do like a good lunch. “Wink”. Good luck, big Sarge.

I know I am replying to a 3 yr old post, mostly for anyone else that is looking for advice in this thread.

First and foremost, scrub your property hand receipt from the Commander, familarize your self with NSN numbers, look for photos of the equipment online by NSN number, when it comes to layout, make sure the equipment is laid out according to the TM, make sure for any item missing, their is a shortage annex, and either a replacement on order, or a FLIPL, afterwards, get with your company XO and Supply Sergeant to reconcile any discrepancies, and then, and only then, do you sign the hand receipt. When that is accomplished, you can then sub hand receipt the equipment down to your Squad leaders, who will then sub hand receipt it down to the Users.

Ensure that there is a property maintenance plan for all the platoons equipment, to include service schedules, suspense dates on things like fire extinguishers and other items that have an expiration date.

In my experience, and this is by means not a fool proof plan, is that the PL holds the actual hand receipt, the PSG creates and is responsible for the maintenence schedule of the platoons equipment, the Squad leaders are signed for the squads equipment on a DA 2062, who then 2062 the equipment down to the end users. I believe that you can only 2062 equipment down twice, which is why the PSG does not sign for a lot of stuff. It also keeps one of the NCOER ratings (Accountability) distributed to all your NCO's. It works smoothly in units I have been in, and I myself, when I was a PSG, utilized this method with minimal property loss, or deadlines. ( by loss I mean things like a screw driver, or wrench)

And last, do occasionally check to make sure your 5988's are accurate, and reflect the status of your vehicles. There is nothing more embarrassing then getting ready to move to training, and getting stopped by quality assurance personell, and finding out that all your extinguishers are deadlined.

Make sure all items on inventory are present and shortage annexes complete for missing items. Then sub hand receipt out equipment to the squad leaders who most often use said equipment. Then do inventories periodically, especially after FTX.

So make sure you see each and every piece of equipment. Take pictures of all pieces equipment. Make sure you document any unit markins and take a picture of each and every ID plate showing a serial number. I did this down range when I signed for an account. It took us 4 days to find everything. Then I bought new locks and made sure I kept track if everything. My SNCO's tried to screw and sent a very expensive piece of equipment down range with out signing for it. I had to threaten to report stolen equipment to get the equipment returned from the Marine unit that borrowed it. So it seems like allot if work but 8 months later when when I turned over the equipment I knew were and what each piece of equipment was. I took my book of pictures and the equipment list and I had the new guy sign each photo page printed out and had him initial next to each item on the official List. It took less than a day to go through all 6 conrxes with all the equipment in. I then had him sign for the equipment. Gave him a copy of everything including the picture book with his signature by it, I kept a copy tools copied, and turned in the final copy to equipment management. As I was out processing for retirement they tried to hold up me from retiring because of the account and stuff missing from it. I solved the issue on my side by showing all the documentation I had for all the equipment. Not saying people do it but I have seen guys get pushed into signing for stuff that is in PMEL or Maintenance when it is actually missing. I took over an account at Lajes FLD that was neglected for 5 years from the first time I had owned the account and no annotation had been accomplished in those years. Annotation without a piece of documenting paper of location its not valid with proper supporting documentation. It will leave you on the hook for it and in aircraft that usually transmits 6 digits.... I did so many ROS (report of survey how we investigate mission, stolen, or damaged equipment in USAF) at Lajes the Base commander new me by name and She asked me to please space then out a little so she want explaining so many at every monthly HHQ staff meetings.

Don’t give any until they give to you and they are checked out by yourself

Do a physical touch inventory of every piece of equipment; double check serial numbers and *actual* condition; do the whole check before anything moves away from the pile.

This is from personal experience on the civilian side, but seems likely to work for you too.