Packaging: Managing COSIS MOP 50 Items

BLUF: Managing MOP 50 items correctly protects them from harm and increases readiness.


Screen Capture of Video by Greg Wilson
 

This is the second article in the series on Care of Supplies in Storage (COSIS) Priority Groups (CPGs). CPG 1 or Method of Preservation (MOP) 50 items—such as engines, transmissions and rotor blades—are typically high-value and packed and preserved as prescribed in MIL-STD-2073, Standard Practice for Military Packaging (Oct 96).
 
MOP 50 items, which are highly vulnerable to moisture, are easily identifiable by the long-life reusable containers (LLRCs) they are packed in. These LLRCs are heat-sealed in a water-vapor-proof enclosure with activated desiccant. To maintain the item’s protection, the container’s seal must remain undamaged, and the humidity indicator needs to stay within the humidity acceptance tolerance. When those tolerances are no longer acceptable, the person conducting the inspection replaces the desiccant.
   
Here’s how to successfully manage MOP 50 items:

1. Run an Inventory Location Report in AESIP to locate your unit’s MOP 50 items.
    
2. Inspect the MOP 50 humidity indicators in the LLRC to ensure they’re within their tolerances. The LLRC can contain either pink and purple reversable indicators or orange and brown irreversible indicators.

 

3. Inspect the LLRC for:
   • Broken, missing or loose handles.
   • Rust or corrosion.
   • Cracks or dents.
   • Broken latches and missing or loose hardware on the flange.
   • A missing or damaged gasket.
   • A missing or damaged automatic purge valve or pressure valve.
   • Solid wood components that have International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures Number 15 (ISPM 15) compliance markings.

Always store MOP 50 items by their Item Type Storage Code (ITSC). These codes are found in DODM 4100.39, Federal Logistics Information System (FLIS) Procedures Manual Volume 10, Multiple Application References/Instructions/Tables and Grids (Mar 17). The codes are also referenced as Type of Storage (TOS) in accordance with AR-708-1, Logistics Management Data and Cataloguing Procedures for Army Supplies and Equipment (Nov 16) and Table 3-17 of DA PAM 708-2, Cataloguing and Supply Management Data Procedures for the Army Enterprise Master (Mar 20).
 
When the humidity indicators are visible on the LLRC, make inspections easier by orienting items so that the indicators are easily seen. Also, leave at least three (3) feet between items, when possible, to allow space to walk around the larger LLRCs.
   
How often should you perform COSIS inspections on CPG 1 items? Inspect humidity indicators on LLRCs in any type of storage environment at least once a month and look for changing humidity levels. Try to inspect items in the early afternoon to get the best reading.
 
Replace desiccant whenever the humidity level has exceeded the indicator’s tolerance. Normally, the amount of desiccant is described in the instructions posted on the container but, as a rule, replace the old desiccant with the same amount of new desiccant or try to fill the desiccant port with as much as it will hold.
For further guidance on LLRC, COSIS and desiccant, watch these videos:
   
Finally, when selecting a MOP 50 item to issue or ship, always use first-in-first-out (FIFO), check that the humidity indicator is in good tolerance and make sure all the hardware is present, even for “F” stock and empty LLRCs. Never issue or ship an LLRC with failing humidity indicators or broken or missing hardware.
 
Additional COSIS guidance on Army items is available in TM 38-8145-709, Care of Army Supplies in Storage (COSIS) for Army Materiel (Jan 20). Click HERE to download a copy.
 
For answers to any questions about COSIS, complete and submit the form on the ASC Packaging, Storage and Containerization Center (PSCC) website:
 
Or send PSCC an email: