Soldiers/Maintainers:
You can have a powerful impact on the supply system by turning in unserviceable equipment. Turning in broken or busted equipment helps prevent low stock availability.
A big part of ensuring that maintenance flows smoothly without aircraft downtime is to make sure that unserviceable but repairable parts and components aren’t stockpiled.
Stockpiling repairable equipment, like propulsion shafts, engine parts, stabilators or any other piece of equipment from a Black Hawk, Apache, Chinook or Lakota, does a disservice to others who may need them. Holding on to parts in case you’ll need them as replacements isn’t a good maintenance practice. Many parts have repair and overhaul programs. For example, here’s a personal scenario that applies. Let’s say your POV’s air conditioner compressor needs replacing and you take it to a local parts store for a core charge reimbursement. The compressor will be rebuilt and sent to a local parts store for re-sale. But that won’t happen if you stockpile it.
When parts aren’t turned in, it causes a critical shortage in the supply system. Without those unserviceable parts, critical or not, repaired parts can’t be put back on the shelf for issue. That means you’ll have to wait a long time to get the part you need, and your aircraft could stay deadlined longer.
So be smart and do your part by turning in every piece of unserviceable equipment. That’s the only way to make sure the parts you need are there when you need ‘em.