GAO: Stolen U.S. military gear sold on eBay, Craigslist (2024)

FAQs

Is it illegal to sell military issued gear? ›

Military surplus stores are not permitted to sell meals ready to eat provided through the nation's Department of Defense. Because of unlawful selling practices of MREs, the Department of Defense prints the following on cases of them: "U.S. Government Property, Commercial Resale is Unlawful."

For safety, the sale of military items is restricted. While military surplus items and body armor that follows our policy can be sold, explosives and military ordnance aren't allowed on eBay.

Yes, it is legal as long as the item is lawfully released by the Military force in question and lawful to possess based on local and national laws ( if sold in another country other than the US ). Surplus gear sold at places like Army/Navy stores have to be certified as surplus.

Yes, you can buy/sell US army uniforms, its completely legal to do so.

A soldier isn't supposed to bring any equipment that's not government-issued. (He's also supposed to bring all of the government-issued equipment he gets.) People do buy their own gear anyway, often after checking with higher-ups to make sure it's OK.

If this property cannot be donated to a state or public agency, or nonprofit organization, the general public can buy it. You can purchase surplus government property through GSA Auctions^SM. The site offers the general public the chance to bid electronically on federal assets.

There are no extra body armor regulations in California besides the federal laws. Adults can buy and use bulletproof vests and other body armor, except adults with felony convictions. Body armor can be bought face to face or online.

PGS Gold & Coin buys collectibles from all branches of the military including U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. PGS military buyers pay cash for military items and collectibles – Call Today!

Selling back leave

You may sell back a maximum of 60 days of leave over the course of your military career. Military leave is sold back at your base pay rate and does not include any special pay or allowances.

A member of the armed forces (or other person under the authority of the armed forces in a theater of operations) may not (except in accordance with such regulations) take from a theater of operations as a souvenir an object formerly in the possession of the enemy.

How do I get rid of military gear? ›

Unlike the flag, there isn't really any improper way to dispose of old military uniforms. It's not uncommon to simply throw the uniform away in the trash bin, as it's not recognized as being improper. In addition, you can simply burn the uniform.

The property becomes a war trophy, and capable of legal retention by an individual Soldier as a souvenir, only as authorized by higher authority. Pillage, that is, the unauthorized taking of private or personal property for personal gain or use, is expressly prohibited *1. War Trophy Policy.

Dispose. The easiest way to get rid of any uniforms is to dispose of them, and there are a handful of ways to do this. The first is to simply throw them in the trash. It is cautioned that if you decide to trash the uniforms, you should remove any insignia and names on them.

Unless as otherwise authorized by law, the use of Military Service marks, including reproduction on merchandise, is expressly prohibited without written permission from a Military Service Trademark Licensing Program Office.

A person not on active duty who served honorably in time of war in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Space Force may bear the title, and, when authorized by regulations prescribed by the President, wear the uniform, of the highest grade held by him during that war.

Soldiers and their family members are required to have their commander's approval to store a firearm in their on-post quarters or in the arms room. "You can go ahead and have it temporarily registered at the gate," Dombrowski said. "All you have to do is pull up to the gate and declare that you have a firearm with you.

Any issued gear that would fall under the category of “clothing" is generally yours to keep. That would include uniforms, cold weather underwear, boots, and eye protection. The only clothing items you don't get to keep are cold weather over garments. General rule is, if it touches bare skin, they don't want it back.

Military uniforms will not be worn in public or in the public areas of hotels or commercial establishments unless on official business or specifically authorized by COMUSNAVCENT/COMFIFTHFLT, U.S. Embassy, or other CENTCOM designated authority.

Why is military surplus so affordable? Military units across the world buy a lot of equipment. When they buy in such large quantities, they often pay a discounted price. Often, the military overbuys, just in case, or even purchases items that are no longer needed due to changes in world events.

Since 1996, the Army has transferred more than 700,000 surplus firearms to the Civilian Marksmanship Program, a federally chartered corporation that sells those firearms and promotes marksmanship and gun safety. We reviewed how surplus firearms are transferred to the program and sold.

Can you buy stuff from the military? ›

Who can shop at the commissary? The commissary, like most of the services on base, is reserved for certain people as a benefit of serving. You must have your ID card with you to buy your items. Sometimes, employees will ask to see your ID at the door and require you sign in adults without an ID as a guest.

New York State is the only state restricting citizens' constitutional right to purchase body armor. According to the overreaching New York State Penal Law Section 270.21, "Unlawful purchase of body armor is a class A misdemeanor for a first offense and a class E felony for any subsequent offense."

Being able to protect your family is more than having a gun because modern bullets pass through walls and kill people every year. If you live in an area that could face potential high crime rates, body armor for your home makes a lot of sense.

Body armor is a safety product. It is legal in all 50 states for law abiding civilians to purchase body armor. You have the right to protect yourself and your family from harm. As a citizen of the United States you have the legal right to purchase and wear body armor for personal or professional use.

What makes WWII memorabilia valuable? Extra-popular items include flags (especially from captured German and Japanese personnel), uniforms, helmets, and weapons. American flight jackets also are sought-after. The condition of the memorabilia always matters, of course, as does the story.

Selling a collection of militaria & war memorabilia on consignment with Centurion Auctions is the best choice one can make when selling a lifelong military collection, wartime memorabilia, militaria collectibles or estate militaria collections.

Usually the goods sold by the military are clothing, equipment, and tools of a nature that is generally useful to the civilian population, as well as embroidered patches, name tags, and other items that can be used for a faux military uniform. Occasionally, vehicles (jeeps, trucks, etc.) will be sold as well.

Cashing In Leave

37 U.S. Code § 501. Leave is valued at 1/30 of base pay per day cashed in. No other allowances, such as BAH or BAS, are included in the value of leave. 37 U.S. Code § 501(b)(1).

The maximum age to join the Army as an enlisted Soldier is 35, while Officers must accept their commission before age 31. However, the Army can lift some restrictions based on the need for certain roles to be filled. It's possible to receive an age waiver if you retire with 20 years of military service by age 55.

There is a process they will need to adhere to in order to get the time added to their retirement years. They are eligible to apply for up to two (2) years once they are hired with no penalty. After that point, they will be paying an additional interest charge per year on what they may owe to buy back their years.

What equipment is banned in war? ›

Mines, booby traps, and other devices: This includes anti-personnel mines, which are mines specially designed to target humans rather than tanks. Incendiary weapons: Weapons that cause fires aren't permitted for use on on civilian populations or in forested areas.

Traditionally, contraband is classified into two categories, absolute contraband and conditional contraband. The former category includes arms, munitions, and various materials, such as chemicals and certain types of machinery that may be used directly to wage war or be converted into instruments of war.

All movable public property captured or found on the battlefield becomes the property of the capturing state. … The victorious armed forces may only take possession of privately owned weapons and military documents if the latter are found or seized on the battlefield.

It will go back to it's company or battalion armory and reassigned to another soldier.

If you are discharged during Basic Training you don't keep anything except personal belongings. Depends on the service. The US Navy and Marine Corps, Coast Guard, you buy your own uniform. That's yours to keep, if you left with an honorable discharge that is (according to regulations).

In the real world, this is illegal for a military operation (under Article 39 of Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions) but not when it comes to espionage (where they'll kill you anyway if you get caught) unless you take off the uniform before you start firing, and other things.

That is, they are lawful unless they result in “killing or wounding the enemy through treachery” and that feigning civilian status, including wearing civilian clothing, would only constitute treachery if it was the “proximate cause of the killing, injury, or capture of the enemy.”

Many World War II weapons are available for civilian sales due to their limited firing capabilities. The Mosin Nagant, Short Magazine Lee Enfield, the Kar98, and the M1 Garand are the three main rifles of World War II and all are highly collectible.

The vast majority of U.S. states do not restrict the sale of assault weapons or high-capacity magazines, according to Giffords Law Center. Seven more states currently have restrictions in place that fall short of an assault weapons ban, including bans on high-capacity magazines in five states.

What is an illegal order in the military? ›

In international law, a criminal order or illegal order is a military order for the commission of a war crime or other violation of international criminal law.

Items utilized by the military and police enforcement have become popular for daily use. But this raises the question of whether civilians may wear combat gear. They certainly can. Civilians may utilize any tactical equipment or gear developed to military specifications for specific uses.

Soldiers are not authorized to wear distinctive uniforms or uniform items of the U.S. Army or of other U.S. Services with or on civilian clothes, except as authorized by this regulation.

A person not on active duty who served honorably in time of war in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Space Force may bear the title, and, when authorized by regulations prescribed by the President, wear the uniform, of the highest grade held by him during that war.

WEARING UNIFORM ARTICLES WITH CIVILIAN CLOTHES. Military personnel may wear military uniform articles with civilian clothing when the item cannot be identified as a navy uniform component.

The prospective buyer fills out the ATF form, and the FFL relays that information to the NICS. The NICS staff performs a background check on the buyer. That background check verifies the buyer does not have a criminal record or isn't otherwise ineligible to purchase or own a firearm.

50 BMG (fifty caliber) rifles are illegal in California. They are prohibited by Penal Code 30610 PC and Penal Code 30600 PC, California's law on assault weapons. In fact, “BMG” stands for Browning Machine Gun. It was originally developed by John Browning (in a .

In September 1986, "The Ten" allegedly were encouraged to punish Alvarado for what was viewed as dishonorable conduct. One night, "The Ten" chose to perform a "code red." A "code red" is how they refer to hazing a Marine and is strictly against Marine Corps policy.

So, can a person in the military simply refuse to follow an order if they don't like it? The answer is yes — if they consider the order itself to be illegal or unconstitutional. It's generally called a "duty to disobey," and is empowered by the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

What is article 92? Article 92 defines disobeying a direct order as three types of offenses - violations or failures to obey lawful general orders or regulations, failures to obey other lawful orders, and dereliction of duty. Article 92 charges are common in many prosecutions.

Why is body armor illegal? ›

The rationale for prohibiting many felons from possessing body armor or bulletproof vests is similar to that of prohibiting felons from possessing firearms. These laws aim to protect public and officer safety by keeping "weapons" away from those who've shown they're capable of committing a crime.

California. In California, lawmakers are in the process of passing Assembly Bill 92, which will restrict the purchase and use of body armor for certain professions. As of February 2023, civilians can purchase and use a bulletproof vest, unless he or she has been convicted of a felony.

It is within the competence of the armed forces to decide if and when their members are allowed to wear civilian clothes. Not all members of the armed forces wear a uniform. Even the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, who is often the head of State,21 usually wears civilian clothes.