Utah Computer Problems Blamed for Destruction of Military Ammo

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Federal auditors say computer troubles and bad accounting practices are leading to inefficiency in the storage of U.S. military ammunition, including ammo stored in Utah at the Tooele Army Depot.

The General Accounting Office says in a new report that depots across the country have incompatible computer systems and other problems that prevent ammo from being tracked and shared. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that in some cases, the accounting problems lead to ammunition being needlessly destroyed. That includes everything from .45-caliber bullets to missiles. The GAO says it's especially a problem at the Tooele Army Depot where staff must calculate storage space manually. The process can take an entire day and still provide only an approximation of available space.