The Army National Guard spends Millions (at least) administering a program (Calibration/TMDE) which tests and calibrates special equipment which otherwise sits in storage. Calibration tests are recurring and range from every 6 months to once every two years. Damage to equipment occurs mainly when being transported to and from the calibration/test facility. Equipment is moved back and forth either by hand or insured parcel post to in-state or out of state labs.
I propose that the calibration on Army equipment (pressure gauges, torque wrenches, electronic measuring devices, etc) be reduced to: 1) a determined amount of equipment that is actually regularly used for training and recurring missions, 2) equipment that would be required for immediate use in disaster response (Chemical-Biological-Radiological-Nuclear, etc detection equipment).
All other equipment should only be calibrated prior to a reserve unit being deployed with this equipment.
This would reduce costs:
-charged by one part of the government to another (US Army Anniston Alabama labs charge individual states for their services)
-assocated multiple recurring shipping costs (often insured value over $10,000)
-reduction of required full time work force performing "busy-work" testing equipment that is not used
