The military of a country which may also be known as their armed forces is a highly organized and heavily armed organization. They are often owned by countries and almost every nation of the world has one.
No private organization can own a military except the UN. A consortium of several nations may also come together to form a military as in the case of the National Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Military formations are officially maintained and authorized by sovereign states. They are meant to protect the state from external threats and forces. They may consist of several arms such as the navy, air force, army, National Guard, etc.
Each arm of the military is trained specifically to defend their country against specific external threats on land, water, and air. There are other forms of armed organizations like paramilitary forces or irregular militaries. These may share attributes with a regular military but there are significant differences. You can read about the core functions of the military here.
A military lawyer job is similar to a civilian lawyer in their day-to-day duties. Representing clientele under jurisdiction of military courts and law is the primary difference. Military lawyers handle a wide variety of legal issues including international law, operations law, environmental law, as well as military and civilian personnel issues.
A country’s military is often a large and powerful organization and may function as a social substructure. They typically have dedicated infrastructures like housing, utilities, schools, hospitals, transportation, and logistics. They are also properly financed and employed for a wide range of purposes.
They are often prepared and ready for warfare but beyond that, they may also be employed in other functions within a state. Military formations are also known to be disciplined and have a great work ethic.
Instruments Used in The Military
To perform their duties, armed forces are typically trained in war and even out of war. They also have and use a variety of sophisticated instruments, gadgets, and ammunitions. These kinds of instruments can include:
# Flight instruments
# Navigation instruments
# Training aids
# Laboratory supplies and equipment
# Surveying and mapping devices
# Photographic equipment.
There are hundreds of these pieces of equipment that can be used by the military. Oftentimes these instruments are purchased under strict guidelines. Each of these instruments typically will also be assigned a National Stock Number (NSN).
An NSN is an official label that is applied to an item bought, stocked, used and distributed by a military. The NSN may also be referred to as a NATO Stock Number. It helps to describe an item when it is assigned to it. These can include information like the name of the item, its part number, price, and other characteristics.
NSNs are critical to a military’s supply chain. It is useful for acquisition, logistics, storing, managing and even disposal. They are useful for identifying as well as managing practically every item in the military from light bulbs to automobile and aircraft parts. They help to make standardization possible and to easily manage inventory.
NSN is recognized by many governments and militaries throughout the world. It came about because military services were finding it difficult to locate supplies during World War II. This resulted in sometimes a depletion of a
particular item or a surplus for another.
Today, it is used as a standardized numbering system to identify military equipment to be supplied from manufacturers and suppliers. It helps to discourage using various naming conventions or languages when describing items. These of course helps to reduce inconsistencies and make buying and storage easy.
How NSNs Are Assigned
All NSNs are assigned by request from the Military Services, international partners and certain civil as well as federal agencies. In the United States, these requests are handled by the logistics Information Services which is located in Michigan. They are the only organization that is authorized to do so.
Before assigning military instruments NSN to items, a careful review process known as cataloging is carried out. This is a process where every item is named and allocated a Federal Supply Class. The items are also described thereby identifying all its characteristics as well as its performance data. When this is done, the items are each allocated an NSN.
Typically, NSN requests are initiated when new weapons are being developed or a non-stock item is ordered repeatedly. When it is a case of developing new weapons, an upfront review is carried out. This is called a provisioning process.
The provisioning process helps to identify all possible parts and spares to a weapon to ensure adequate support throughout its life cycle. After this process, the request is sent to the Logistics Information Services for NSN assignment.
During the assignment of an NSN, different logistical data is used in describing each item. This data is updated throughout the item’s life span. These will include data such as shipping data, shelf life, storage, price changes, part numbers and any other important changes.
Who Can Request for or Use AN NSN?
Neither manufacturers nor suppliers can request an NSN. It is typically done when there is a need for an item by a Military Service, government agency, or a NATO country. The request is forwarded by one of these organizations for cataloging before it finally reaches the Logistics Information Services.
However, if a particular item is ordered repeatedly, An NSN may be automatically assigned when the orders exceed a certain quantity. Therefore, contractors, manufacturers and suppliers can get NSN assigned in this way.
Importance of NSNs
# It helps to reduce downtime by enabling quick and easy procurement.
# It identifies the shelf life of an item before it is supplied.
# It helps to properly account for inventory and identify duplicate supplies.
# It protects proprietary information. In this way, access is limited to only those who need the information.
# It helps to maximize the use of spares as it identifies items that can be used as substitutes.
# It boosts cycle times for item design and manufacture as well as repair.
# Importantly, it helps to manage the life cycle of items to be supplied beginning from their requisition, acquisition, maintenance, and disposal.
You can read further on National Stock Numbers here https://glossary.guide/what-is-a-national-stock-number-nsn-1087/.
Conclusion
The military is an important organization for most nations. They are trained to secure and protect the country from external threats through its various arms and on different battlegrounds. To be effective, they use a wide range of instruments and devices.
These equipment are procured, managed and maintained under strict guidelines as it is a matter of national security. One of the ways they are managed is by assigning NSNs to each item. This helps to easily identify and manage item supply to avoid a shortage, surplus, or mismanagement. It also protects proprietary information and helps to maximize resources.
