TO 1-1-700 - Robins Air Force Base

TO 1-1-700
CHAPTER 5
PACKAGING (STORAGE AND SHIPPING)
5.1 GENERAL.
This chapter is intended for use by depot and field level maintenance
personnel as a guide for proper corrosion prevention
and control of Ground Communications, Electronics, and
Meteorological Equipment (C-E-M) during storage and shipment.
5.1.1 Packaging. Packaging is used to prevent physical/
mechanical damage or harm to items during storage, issue, or
transfer and to provide protection from corrosion causing elements.
All items (serviceable, repairable, etc.) placed in storage
or shipped to another activity (including depot) should be
preserved in order to prevent deterioration from corrosion,
mildew, mold, and decay as well as to protect from attack by
microorganisms, vermin, or rodents. The type of preservation
required for stored and/or shipped equipment and parts
depends on the packaging process, material, containers and
condition of the items before being packaged.
5.1.2 Military Specifications, Standards, and Manuals.
All activities involved with corrosion prevention and control
of C-E-M equipment during storage and shipment shall use
this technical manual in conjunction with TOs 1-1-8, 1-1-689-
series, 1-1-691, AFPAM (I) 24-237 and equipment system
specific maintenance manuals as a guide for corrosion prevention
and control. Numerous military specifications, standards,
and manuals are mentioned throughout this chapter and should
be referred to as directed.
5.2 LEVELS OF PROTECTION.
Specifying the level of protection provides the level of military
preservation and packing that a given item requires to
ensure that it is not degraded during shipment and storage.
Specific levels of protection are as follows:
5.2.1 Military Level of Preservation. This is the required
preservation designed to protect an item during shipment, handling,
indeterminate storage, and distribution to consignees
worldwide.
5.2.2 Military Level of Packing. There are two levels of
packing:
5.2.2.1 Level “A” is protection required to meet the most
severe worldwide shipment, handling, and storage conditions.
A Level “A” pack, in tandem with the applied preservation,
must be capable of protecting material from the effects of
direct exposure to extremes of climate, terrain, and operational
and transportation environments. Examples of situations
which indicate a need for use of a Level “A” pack are: storage
of War Reserve Material (WRM), mobilization, strategic and
theater deployment and employment, open storage, and ship
deck loading. Examples of containers used for Level “A”
packing requirements include, but are not limited to, overseas
type wood boxes, and reusable plastic and metal containers.
5.2.2.2 Level “B” is protection required to meet moderate
worldwide shipment, handling, and storage conditions. A
Level “B” pack, in tandem with the applied preservation, must
be capable of protecting material not directly exposed to
extremes of climate, terrain, and operational and transportation
environments. Examples of situations which indicate a need
for use of a Level “B” pack are: shipment of security assistance
materials/Foreign Military Sales (FMS) materials and
fully containerized overseas shipments. Examples of containers
used for Level “B” packing requirements include, but are
not limited to: domestic wood crates, weather resistant fiberboard
containers, fast pack containers, weather-resistant fiber
drums, and weather-resistant paper and multi-wall shipping
sacks.
5.3 CLEANING.
Cleaning is the first step in preventing corrosion. The success
of preservation and packing operations depends upon the
items being clean.
5.3.1 Contaminated Surfaces. A preservative film will not
protect an item if the surfaces are dirty or are covered with
corrosion-producing contaminants. When surfaces of items are
dirty or are covered with substances that are not part of the
items, they are contaminated.
5.3.2 Post Wash Protection. The fact that items have been
cleaned and dried does not ensure that they will remain free
from future contamination. Cleaning may increase the possibility
of damage to an item by removing a protective film and
leaving its surfaces exposed to the direct attack of destructive
forces. Applying protection as soon as possible after cleaning
will help prevent the attack.
5.4 CLEANING COMPOUNDS.
Cleaning compounds work by dissolving soluble soils, emulsifying
oily soils, and suspending solid soils. There are several
types of cleaning compounds, each of which cleans a surface
using one or more of these mechanisms.
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