CAMP KINSER, OKINAWA, Japan -- Old pieces of furniture are being replaced at a barracks, their destination, the Defense Reutilization Marketing Office Okinawa.
DRMO Okinawa saves the Department of Defense millions of dollars each year reutilizing to service members, marketing and disposing of excess military items.
In fiscal year 2009, approximately $19 million worth of property was reutilized from DRMO here on Okinawa, said Tracy Kyle, a logistics branch chief with DRMO.
One way DRMO saves money is by giving service members the opportunity to gain serviceable items free of charge instead of disposing the goods.
The items go through a 42-day screening cycle when service members with a government identification card may come in and make a request for withdraw from DRMO inventory, said Bob Cunningham a DRMO disposal service representative.
Excess property not reutilization, transferred, or donated may be sold to the public. The property, no longer needed by the Government is only sold if it is appropriate and safe for sale to the general public.
Items needing demilitarization, the act of removing the offensive/defensive capability, will not be referred to sales, like a medium tactical vehicle replacement or humvee up-armor, said Kyle.
DRMO also has serviceable commercial vehicles listed on their inventory, said Cunningham.
“Uncle Sam already spent the money on the vehicle; I just took advantage of it,” said Gunnery Sgt. Hugh Weise, the vehicle procurement non-commissioned officer-in-charge with Garrison Mobile Equipment, who gained a passenger van from DRMO for transporting VIPs and administrative purposes. “It’s a good service.”
The DRMO mission is to provide the DoD best value services and deliver a great performance to customers for the reuse, transfer, donation, sale or disposal of excess/surplus property.
“We have anything you can imagine,” said Cunningham. “The list of property is extensive and changes daily.”
The inventory items available range from office furniture and gym equipment to vehicles and vehicle parts, television sets and computers and more.
In order to request items from DRMO, service members must have a valid identification card, a DoD address activity code and command approval.
Items can only be withdrawn from DRMO for official use.
“These items are not withdrawn for personal use.” said Kyle.
The items are for units to use, whether refurbishing a break room or adding to an exercise area, he added.
The items at DRMO are in good condition and easy to acquire, said Weise.
If interested in DRMO contact Bob Cunningham at 637-2947 or visit the DRMO Web site at www.drms.dla.mil.