Military surplus
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(June 2024) |
Military surplusare goods, usuallymatériel,that are sold or otherwise disposed of when held in excess or are no longer needed by themilitary.Entrepreneursoften buy these goods and resell them atsurplus stores.Usually the goods sold by the military areclothing,equipment,andtoolsof a nature that is generally useful to the civilian population, as well asembroidered 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.[1]Some military surplus dealers also sell military surplusfirearms,[2]spare parts, andammunitionalongside surplus uniforms and equipment.
Demand for such items comes from variouscollectors,outdoorsmen,adventurers,hunters,survivalists,and players ofairsoftandpaintball,as well as others seeking high quality, sturdy, military issue garb.Reenactment groupsusually sought after historically-accurate restrike uniforms and equipment for displays, filmwork etc.
The goods may be used, or not. Some merchants of surplus goods also sell goods that are privately manufactured in military standards. Most items that are sold in military surplus stores in the United States are deemed "military grade". This designation refers to meeting a relevantUnited States Military Standard.For example, uniforms meet Army Regulation 670-1.
History
[edit] | The examples and perspective in this sectiondeal primarily with the United States and do not represent aworldwide viewof the subject.(March 2018) |
The history of army surplus in the United States dates back to theAmerican Civil War.[3][better source needed]This was the first large American war that required propermilitary uniformsfor many troops.[citation needed]In earlier wars, most troops were basically amilitiawearing whatever they had with them. This required mass-produced wears and arms for both sides. After the war, to recoup some money, they sold the supplies in stores. Thus the military surplus store was born.
In the 1870s, Francis Bannerman VI operated "Bannerman's surplus".[4]His surplus company was one of the largest ever to operate. He builtBannerman's Castle,a massive storage facility onPollepel Islandin theHudson River,to store his goods.
See also
[edit]
- Surplus store
- Diminishing manufacturing sources and material shortages
- Performance-based logistics
- Spare part
- Military Surplus Act (Kahn–Wadsworth Act)
- Surplus Property Act
- Radical Dance Faction,band previously known as "Military Surplus"
References
[edit]- ^"The World's Biggest Clearance Sale."Popular Mechanics,February 1955, pp. 89-93.
- ^"How To Buy Military Surplus Guns".ArmsList.Retrieved21 December2023.
- ^"Short History of surplus".Kaufman Surplus.
- ^"Firearms and Sporting Goods".Archived fromthe originalon 2019-03-06.
 | Thismilitary-related article is astub.You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |