defense supply center on a combined basis for all
military services.
MATERIAL CATALOGING AND
CLASSIFICATION
LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Recognize the
different types of stock and control numbers.
Recall the purpose of cognizance symbols.
Recognize sources of identifying material
when
a
stock
number
is
not
available.
Recognize the uses of the following supply
publications: MCRL, ML-C, MRIL, ASG, and
GSA.
This will help you understand the information used
in material identification. There are ore than 4 million
supply items in the Department of Defense (DOD)
supply system. The Navy supply system alone stocks
more than 1 million items. Each item must be identified
to make buying, stocking, and issuing easier. To
accomplish this, each item must be listed in different
groups or categories.
FEDERAL CATALOG SYSTEM
The Federal Catalog System encompasses the
naming, description, and numbering of all items carried
under centralized inventory control by the Department
of Defense (DOD) and civil agencies of the Federal
Government as well as the publication of related
identification data. Only one identification may be used
for each item in all supply functions from purchase to
final disposal. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO) countries also use the Federal Catalog System.
The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) administers the
Federal Cataloging System under the direction of the
Assistant Secretary of Defense (Installation and
Logistics).
FEDERAL SUPPLY CLASSIFICATION
SYSTEM
The Federal Supply Classification (FSC) System
was designed to permit the classification of all items of
supply used by the Federal Government. Each item of
supply is classified in only one four-digit Federal
Supply Classification class. The first two digits denote
the group or major division of commodities within the
group. Currently, there are 76 groups assigned. Group
numbers start from 10 and end at 99. Table 7-3 is an
example list of federal supply groups and titles.
Table 7-3.—Example List of Federal Supply Groups
GROUP
TITLE
17
Aircraft launching, land-
ing, and ground handling
equipment
48
Valves
53
Hardware and abrasives
The number of classes within each group varies.
Each class covers a particular area of commodities
according to physical or performance characteristics.
The items in the class are usually requisitioned or
issued together. This is used as a basis for including
items in the same area of commodities. Examples of
how classes are used to divide types of material within a
stock group are shown in figure 7-18. The stock group
and
class
together
make
the
Federal
Supply
Classification (FSC).
GROUPS
CLASSES
Group 17
Aircraft launching,
landing, and ground
handling equipment
1710
Arresting gear and
barricade equipment
1720
Catapult launching
equipment
Group 48
Valves
4810
Valve solenoid
4820
Valve angle
Group 53
Hardware and
abrasives
5305
Screws
5306
Bolts
5307
Studs
5310
Nuts and washers
5320
Rivets
Figure 7-18.—Examples of supply classes within a stock
group.
The Navy uses groups 01 through 09 for forms and
publications that are not included in the Federal
Catalog System. The forms and publications are
numbered according to the following system:
01 Navy Department forms
02-08 Publications
09 District and fleet forms
7-30
