The B1 windshield thread got me thinking off some of the ridiculous goings on in the supply system I have experienced
1) When I was the deck officer on a small ship the Buffer informed me that the ship to buoy shackle was cracked. I told him to go to the base supply depot and get a new one. He called me from the depot saying they would not give him one because they only had one and if they gave it to us they would have none. I went down to explain that this part only fit our ship so we were the only ones who would ever want it, but they were adamant that the rules required them to always have one in stock. In the end it was simpler to get the fleet maintenance facility to weld repair the old shackle over forcing the supply system to cough up the part.
2) Also as a junior officer many years ago I was the skipper of a 75 ft navy training vessel. We were doing a navigation course for 8 new officers and was in the days of old school gyro bearing position fixes plotted on a paper chart. I went to stores to get some supplies including a box of pencils. The reply from the Supply PO in a very aggrieved tone . I can't give you a whole box and besides I gave you TWO pencils last week !
3) As Captain of a minesweeper. In the early 1990's the Canadian Armed Forces transitioned from the excellent FN rifle in 7.62 to the C7 a Canadian knock off of the M16. The C 7 fires 5.56 rounds so when we were ordered to turn in our old rifles and ammo we gave back our 4 FN's and 1000 rounds of 7.62 Ops Stock and got 4 C7's an 971 rounds of 5.56. In fact the 1000 round box had been open and 29 rounds removed. When the crew reported this I called the Military Police to report a possible ammo theft. Well it turned out that the bin rats counted rifle ammo by cost not quantity and the 5.56 round was slightly more expensive so were were only eligible to be issued 971 rounds
4) As CO of a land based unit I knew there was always a budget burn near the end of the fiscal year, so I placed an advanced order for some new lap top computers. Sure enough on the last day of the fiscal year my Admin clerk told me there was a truck at the door and I needed to go sign some papers. So I go to the parking lot and there is flat bed truck with a large wooden crate. I asked where were our laptops, and the reply was, "Dunno, but that box is for you". Examining the paper work I realized that yes it was addressed to my unit but instead of lap tops the supply system had sent me the computer for a submarine fire control system
. My first thought was to sign for it and see what else showed up
, but I resisted the urge. However it finally took the Base Commanders staff to sort out that mess, and I never did get my laptops
