21st TSC announces amnesty day for ammo turn-in
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany – Defense Department identification card holders can turn in abandoned or unauthorized ammunition and explosives without reprisal Tuesday during an amnesty day at Miesau Army Depot in Miesau, Germany. Turn-in hours are from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the depot’s Theater Logistics Support Center — Europe Ammunition Supply Point 9.
The 21st Theater Sustainment Command holds amnesty days quarterly to allow personnel to turn in unauthorized ammunition and other ordnance, the possession of which ordinarily could lead to disciplinary action.
Lt. Col. Wayne Marotto, spokesman for the 21st TSC, wrote in an e-mail to Stars and Stripes that “there are a variety of situations that may contribute to unauthorized ammunition,” such as soldier error and unit deactivations, but “there is not currently an increased problem with this issue.”
“The amnesty day simply serves as an opportunity for people to safely dispose of ammunition without getting in trouble,” Marotto wrote.
While the amnesty is targeted toward members of the 21st TSC, any Defense Department identification card holder who shows up will be accepted, according to Marotto.
Those turning in ordnance have to alert gate personnel at Ammunition Supply Point 9 of the presence of amnesty items. The turn-in is otherwise anonymous, according to officials.
“We don’t ask for any paperwork,” said Gary Reed, who works with the amnesty program at the depot. “They just come in, they’ll tell the guard that they have it, they’ll take it to the amnesty point, drop it off, they leave, and then we go and get it.”
The amnesty, Marotto said, is not meant to circumvent normal turn-in procedures for authorized ammunition. If you were to go to the rifle range today and had ammunition left over, he said “don’t come to amnesty. Go back through your supply guys and turn in that ammo the correct way.”
millhamm@estripes.osd.mil
Twitter: @mattmillham
