You Want Me to Account for ALL of the Property?

In 2014 I was deployed to a base “somewhere in the Middle East.” I was an intelligence officer, however, the needs of the Army said, “You’re going to head up the Logistics section.” I really had no clue what I was doing, thankfully my NCO (non-commissioned officer) was a subject matter expert in this area.

During this time, I ended up being named the primary hand receipt holder for pretty much “All of the property on the base.” It was about $30 million. Army regulations stipulate that financial losses for property loss are limited to several months of base pay (IIRC) for sub hand receipt holders. For myself, on the other hand, I could potentially have been responsible for ALL of the dollars, for whatever I don’t sign off to someone else.

So as I’m assigning sub-hand receipt holders, a facility with about 70 of my computers ($70,000) lost their only Army worker (it was mainly staffed by contractors). This posed a significant problem: I had no one to sub-hand receipt to, and I couldn’t realistically maintain situational awareness of this facility from my other duties. So I picked up the phone and called the person at another base who oversaw this area. “Ma’am, we have a problem, I need you to send someone up here to sign for this equipment as I can’t.” Major so and so: “You need to figure it out, LT.” Me: “Ma’am, the only option I have at present time, is per Army regulations, is taking physical custody of all these computers until such a time where a person qualified to sign for this equipment can be here.” There’s a long pause. While I was technically right, there were other less abrasive actions I could’ve taken, I just didn’t because I didn’t like the Major anyways.

So I get called into my Commander’s office and she’s just a tad upset. “LT, stand at attention.” So at this point I’m about to get chewed out. “Did you tell Maj so and so you were taking her computers?” Me: Yes, Ma’am. CDR: Why? Me: (I quote the regulation and the fact I don’t have $70,000 on hand). CDR: Why didn’t you ask me? Me: When I was made the primary hand receipt holder, I was told I need to follow the Command Supply Discipline Program and Army regulations, furthermore, you said yourself that you were delegating your command authority to me by appointing me as the PHRH. In doing so, as it pertains to property, I have sole discretion to act when there is not a sub-hand receipt holder available. CDR: Yes, you are correct, I will appoint someone to sign for this, please don’t threaten field grade officers. Me: Roger that.

Due to my actions I was the only person to leave my position ON TIME and had zero investigations for property loss leveled against me. We also transferred and/or cut over $15 million worth of equipment. I received an Army Commendation Medal for my job over there. The MAJ was involved with her own investigations and while I’m not privy to all of them, she never got promoted.

https://www.reddit.com/r/MaliciousCompliance/ comments/vvmc03/you_want_me_to_account_for_all_of_the_property/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf