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While US military logisticians constantly work to ensure vital supplies reach the intended end user, sometimes they are required to retrograde, or to get rid of, excess equipment. Some planners call this operation a “war on excess.”

Where does all this extra material come from? Is it the byproduct of poor logistics planning? And how does one gage the volume and scope of such a war on excess?

First of all, it’s important to understand and realize that several factors play an important role in the accumulation of excess military equipment – some of it planned and some of it consequential. The downsizing, or right-sizing of a unit’s mission may require less equipment to perform the mission.

A shift in mission focus from one area to another may play a role. And certainly, mission accomplishment may also lead to excess equipment that has served it’s useful purpose.

So why not just ship the equipment back to it’s point of origin? Well, several considerations come into play when determining the appropriate disposition of equipment that has been classified as excess. One of the main considerations is whether it is cost-effective to ship the equipment back to it’s point of origin.

If, for example, a piece of equipment has reached, or is closely approaching, the end of it’s useful life-cycle it may not be cost-effective to retrograde the equipment simply to junk it once it reaches it’s destination. For pieces of equipment that fall into the “close to end of useful life-cycle” category, the excess equipment may be scrapped on location or sold locally in accordance with military regulations.

Another consideration that leads to the build up of excess equipment is a change in unit mission. In this situation, logisticians may deem it cost-effective for the departing unit to leave their equipment in place and have the newly arriving unit it replaces “fall-in” on the equipment left by the departing unit.

However, the new unit’s mission may make at least a portion of the equipment left behind superfluous and not required to carry out its mission. Again, the end result is an accumulation of excess equipment.

A change in a unit’s authorized table of distribution and allowances (TDA) can instantly cause a huge amount of excess equipment. This typically occurs when a unit is restructured to perform a different mission than it was previously required to accomplish.

If more equipment is needed for the new mission, based upon an enhanced TDA, then logisticians work to fill the equipment void. If the TDA requires less equipment for the unit to meet its objectives, then you’ve got another case of excess military equipment.

The closure of military base camps and accountability inventories associated with such events typically turns up huge quantities of military excess. Base camp closures typically represent mission completion or downsizing and the need for the logistician to determine what will be done with excess equipment that is no longer needed.

Developing such plans presents a particular challenge to logisticians who, on the one hand are asked to dispose of excess equipment and, on the other, to find a suitable use and cost-effective disposition of equipment to other users who have a bona fide need for the excess.

It’s a juggling challenge that can only be met by understanding the causes of military equipment excess, and also understanding the needs of the organization as a whole. This ensures that only the best disposition plans are developed and implemented.

In today’s complicated world, we face an almost constant onslaught of pollution - from the air we breathe, the water we drink, the homes we live in, and the vehicles we drive.

There are almost as many types of air pollution as there are potential solutions. No matter what type of air purification system you’re looking for, you should know that there is not one product on the market today that can solve every problem.

The best approach to figuring out what type of air purification solution is going to be best for you, is to first understand the different types of pollution.

For example, these are the five major types of air pollution:

1. Odor Causing Pollution. Odor comes from many different places - food, animals, human bodies, cigarettes, cigars and pipe smoke, sports shoes, clothing and equipment, etc. Although not necessarily dangerous, if you’ve ever walked into your teenage son’s room after he’s come back from a football game and taken a deep breath - you know it can be very unpleasant!

Recommended Solution: Currently, the best solutions on the market for this type of pollution are odor sponges, ozone and oxidation.

2. Particulate Causing Pollution. Particulates are those little floating things you see when the sun comes shining in through your windows, and include dust, dust mites, dust mite feces, pet dander, skin flakes (what dust mites eat), pollen, smoke particles and allergens.

Recommended Solution: Currently the best solutions on the market for this type of pollution are infiltration and negative ions.

3. Microbial Causing Pollution. Microbials are microscopic bacteria, fungi, mycotoxins created by a fungus, mildew, mold spores and viruses. They can be as small as .001 microns. Microbials love to live in warm, damp places, or under your carpet, in your walls and in heating and air conditioning ducts.

Recommended Solution: Currently the best solutions on the market for this type of pollution are those that produce oxidation, which kills microbials.

4. Chemical Fumes and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). This type of pollution comes from chemicals like benzene and formaldehyde, the chemical fumes that are constantly seeping from carpets, upholstery, furniture, draperies, household cleaning products, beauty products such as nail polish, removers, etc. They also come from cigarette, cigar and pipe smoke, building construction, etc. Many of these chemicals have been identified as carcinogens.

Recommended Solution: Currently the best solution on the market for this type of pollution are products that produce catalytic oxidation.

5. Radon Gas Pollution: Radon is a completely odorless, tasteless and colorless gas, and is the heaviest of all known gasses. It is caused by the radioactive breakdown of uranium inside the earth. When radon is cooled below freezing, it turns a brilliant phosphorescent shade of yellow, which turns orange-red as it gets colder. Radon is also the second leading cause of lung cancer. Smoking exacerbates the affects of radon. Radon is found all around us, in our homes, our yards and the world around us.

Recommended Solution: The best solution to this form of pollution is to first of all test your home (a simple test is available at most hardware stores) and then to seal all cracks and openings in your home’s foundation. If the problem merits it, you may need to have a certified contractor install a ventilation system inside your home.

With this basic understanding about pollution you are now ready to make that all important decision about which system is going to be best for you. The choice is yours!