Tactical Acquisition Of Key Equipment

I am seeking knowledge of general guidelines, policy, and procedures concerning operations involving the tactical acquisition of unsecured equipment.

Training Vignette: An individual received a mission for transportation of goods. Said individual was required to install 2 pieces of load securing equipment to restrain goods. The shipping container was shut and sealed. The disposition of the container was relocation to a clients drop facility. The individual was unable to retrieve his equipment therefore was no longer in possession of it. A few days later that individual while at a different drop location came upon open, empty containers that happen to contain similar load securing devices. Said individual acquired, reappropriated, and secured the unsecured equipment for future use.

Disclaimer: I neither admit or deny any involvement in any clandestine operations. Merely stating that I may/may not have knowledge of an individual that may/may not have successfully comlpletex the scenario in the aforementioned vignette.

In short, should said individual cease and desist all future clandestine operations or continue mission?

Hypothetically speaking, if an individual did/did not secure unsecured securing equipment in the interest of securing his/her self a safe method of carrying out future goods transporting operations, said individual should bear no responsibility for the re-appropriation of said safety securement apparatuses.

Furthermore, since said individual cannot confirm the origin of said equipment, he/she will be unable to determine if recently acquired equiptment was/was not left behind for the benefit of future missions.

That is all....

Said individual is in the clear in my opinion. I sacrifice load locks/straps on occasion. Swift gives me new ones upon request. I was at the Church and Dwight Plant in Evanston Wy. They have a Trailer Sweep Out area with a dumpster. Must have been a Dozen or more of perfectly good load locks in the dumpster. Had no room on my Tractor for more. Someone cashed in I'm sure!

If said equipment is on board a non-deployed trailer you are assigned to acquire, and it is discovered by you, the operator, you are free to begin your tactical acquisition operation.

Also, if similar equipment is unassigned and laying on the ground in the vicinity of other non-deployed rolling stock, you can be self-authorized to commandeer the non-deployed equipment and add it to your inventory of Ready To Use supplies.

I have not budgeted any monetary resources for such load stabilizing equipment, yet I have been able to add three load locks and four straps to my RTU cache. I have also been forced to bid a sad farewell to a few of my straps, already imprisoned behind sealed trailer doors.

Translation: Yeah, go for it!

There is only one thief, everybody else is just trying to get their stuff back.

Nobody loves your gear more than... everybody else.

Maybe unrelated, maybe not!

My thoughts exactly. Thank you all for responses. Just wanted to gauge the general consensus on acquiring equipment that is left laying around. The time I spent in the Army I was a Crew Thief (Crew Chief) on a Blackhawk helicopter. Besides hand receipted items, if it wasn't tied down and/or locked up, it was free game. ICS cords, load straps, locking rings, cargo nets, POL, shop towels, etc.., was acquired and reappropriated daily. Usually had to spend 30 mins a day "getting my stuff back"

My thoughts exactly. Thank you all for responses. Just wanted to gauge the general consensus on acquiring equipment that is left laying around. The time I spent in the Army I was a Crew Thief (Crew Chief) on a Blackhawk helicopter. Besides hand receipted items, if it wasn't tied down and/or locked up, it was free game. ICS cords, load straps, locking rings, cargo nets, POL, shop towels, etc.., was acquired and reappropriated daily. Usually had to spend 30 mins a day "getting my stuff back"

If you see a twenty dollar bill scudding by on a windy day, it is certainly worth a try to locate its rightful owner. But, if that seems impossible (no one around you, or you go into the driver lounge and ask if anyone lost 20 bucks, etc.) then you may as well enjoy your good luck, or drop it in a Salvation Army pot, etc.

The load locks left in a trailer, and the trailer is unused/empty in a trailer yard, help yourself. Most terminals have a stack of load locks leaning against the shop wall. Need one? Take one. No questions asked.

Uhhh..if I have to give up load locks to a drop trailer, and I see some in an empty, yeah, I'm yoinking them..

Funny that this came up. I don't like carrying extra load locks. I can store 4 of them on the back of my cab. If I am dropping a trailer, and have more than 4 load locks, I leave the extras in the trailer, keeping the ones in best condition.

Today, I left two load locks in a Stevens Transport trailer at Purdue.

When I take round baby chickens to Mexico, I usually lose two load locks because the whole trailer goes across the border, sealed. On my way to pick up my next load, if there weren't extra load locks in the trailer I picked up, I buy replacements at a truck shop and submit them as expenses on the load with the dropped trailer.

Fair Game: equipment lying about, or near trash areas, leaning against buildings outside, in empty trailers unattached to tractor, at terminals, etc.

Not Fair Game: Items in trailers attached to a truck, items in, on or near another truck, items in a secure area at shops or terminals, new items on store shelves.

Questionable Game: Where ownership of said items need to be determined, lest karma be bestowed upon you. For example, you are monitoring your unload in door 4, another trailer is being unloaded in door 3, there is a pair of load locks leaning against the wall in-between your two doors. Merely asking the forklift operator if those locks belong to door 3 is permitted. If affirmative, leave them alone. If not, absconding may be permitted, depending on the nature of his answer.