DoD MIL Specs and a Brief Analysis of MIL-STD-129 Standard

What is DoD MIL Specs?

MIL Specs (also known as MIL-STD) are a set of military standards used by the U.S. Department of Defense to help achieve standardization objectives. MIL Specs are generally mandated to ensure that defense items meet specific commonality requirements, total cost of ownership, consistency, compatibility with logistics systems, and similar defense-related objectives. In 1994, the US Govt. had reduced the use of DoD MIL Specs for some time in favor of commercial standards such as Q9000. However, after 1995, a significant growth has been observed in the use of DoD Mil Specs especially after the DoD MIL Specs standard was revised to be used by non-defense Government and technical organizations. Hence, now other non-military organizations can also use the detailed DoD MIL Specs starting from design to manufacturing, and quality control to maintenance stages both for military as well as non-military-related products.

Today the detailed DoD MIL Specs are available on many website as free downloadable versions. Usually on official government websites the DoD MIL Specs are freely downloadable only if public distribution is permitted. However, proprietary standards developed by non-government organizations are required to be purchased.

What is MIL-STD-129?

Of all the DoD MIL Specs standards, the MIL-STD-129 is one of the most fundamental military standards required for uniform military products marking for shipment and storage.  All military equipments and ammunitions supplied through shipments are mandated to be marked by a MIL-STD-129 standard compliant process. Separate instructions are specified for tagging, marking and labeling.

 The DoD updates the MIL Specs standards on a timely basis. For instance, certain discrepancy was lately observed in the MIL-STD-129 standard. The marking system was not proper as a result of which there was a problem for shipments at Consolidation and Containerization Points. Hence, an updated MIL-STD-129 with revision P was introduced on January 16, 2006. This subsequent standard suggested to access DoD MIL Specs preferably from a Govt. website where comparison and catalogue necessary to determine the updated MIL Specs are available.

As per the MIL-STD-129 standard, the requirement varies for different types of shipment containers.

Criteria for Unit Containers:

Shelf life markings are a must for deteriorative items as per the MIL-STD-129 standard. Apart from informing about the start of self life, the Markings give indication about the date an item that needs to be tested or disposed of. A National Stock Number (NSN) barcode is a must for unit containers. Other than that, part number, item description, date of preservation, quantity, contract number, unit of issue, and method of preservation code details are also mandated to be listed in plain textual format.  A Serial Number should be assigned by the manufacturer or the Government for identification or control and should be assigned in clear barcode format.

Criteria for Intermediate Containers:

The standard for Intermediate Containers is similar to the unit containers except the minor changes in serial number section. If the serial-numbered items are more than five, the rules of exterior containers are applicable for intermediate containers.

Criteria for Exterior Containers:

Even as the basic labeling format is same as the unit containers, per the DoD MIL Specs, there are certain exceptions.  One such exception is that the item description marking is not required here. And the CAGE Code, Contract Number and NSN are mandated to be in bar-coded format.