[Milsurplus] Volunteer organization access to surplus

[Peter Gottlieb]

It used to be that members of MARS would have access to surplus equipment.  It 
is still written in their regulations.  The same holds for Civil Air Patrol.

However, despite these programs having been great recruitment incentives and 
spurring a tremendous amount of experimentation, it seems there is no more 
surplus being distributed and the programs are dead.  Tons of radio gear are 
being crushed every day, or sold to foreign countries at pennies on the taxpayer 
dollar, rather than allowing any of it into these programs.  I understand that 
valuable test and radio equipment is *loaned* rather than given, and must be 
accounted for on a yearly basis.

I have heard various explanations for this, from lobbyist pressure to accounting 
rules which assign full value to scrap items, but would like more information on 
what has happened and suggestions on how this might be corrected.

Are there any programs left which currently still receive DRMO equipment?

How is it accounted for, cost wise?

What have been people's experiences with the programs?

What thoughts do people have on the programs?

Any success stories, meaning new bands explored, experimentation done, increases 
in knowledge, etc. from the surplus programs?

Any problems, hassles, etc?

Ideas on what is going on, and how these programs might be resurrected?