Lesson 4/Learning Event 4
misappropriated, or converted to the person's exclusive use, with or without
receipt. It includes taking all reasonable and prudent actions to properly
use, care for, and safeguard property.
Personal responsibility always
accompanies the physical possession of property.
Command responsibility and supervisory responsibility depend on the location
of the property within the chain of command. This responsibility is a part
of a job or position and is incurred by assuming that command or supervisory
position. It can be delegated.
Responsible Officer. A responsible officer is a person who has been tasked
by formal assignment or designation with the direct responsibility for
specifically identified government property.
The responsible officer will
be designated in writing, and will be directly responsible for the care,
use, and safekeeping of the property specifically entrusted to their
custody. Designation as an accountable officer carries with it designation
as a responsible officer unless some other person has been specifically
designated as the responsible officer by regulation or other competent
authority.
Direct responsibility imposed through designation as an
accountable officer may be delegated. Such delegation can only be made by
the accountable officer and must be in writing.
No further delegation is
authorized.
Property issued by an accountable officer on a hand receipt (called the
primary hand receipt) carries with it the delegation of the direct
responsibility and designates the recipient as the responsible officer for
the listed property. Further hand receipting (subhand receipting) does not
transfer direct responsibility nor relieve the primary hand-receipt
signatory of their duties as the responsible officer.
Any employee of the US Army, civilian or military, may be designated as a
responsible officer.
Responsibilities by Rank in Battalion.
Each person within the battalion,
from the commander to the individual mechanic, has specific responsibilities
within the organization for control and use of tools. For the organization
to work smoothly, each person must meet their responsibilities.
The commander sets unit tool control policy, establishes a toolroom with
adequate security for unit tools, and assigns responsibility by use of hand
receipts. Individual use
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