Originally Posted by
Big Pistons Forever
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.
I have no doubt too that, after it having been on the shelf for a number of years and never having issued that part, the supply chain deemed it no longer required and disposed of it.