CARSON CITY, Calif. –
The Defense Contract Management Agency Plant Clearance Group successfully completed the disposal of surplus property resulting from the decommissioning of the KC-10 tanker and cargo aircraft.
The three-year initiative streamlined the tracking, documentation, and proper disposal of military assets, while ensuring full compliance with legal, environmental, and regulatory standards.
Developed from the DC-10 in the 1970s, the KC-10 served for over four decades, providing critical refueling and cargo capabilities in major U.S. military operations to include the Gulf War and Operation Iraqi Freedom. As new options joined operations, the Air Force began the process of retiring the KC-10. The first aircraft was officially decommissioned in 2024.
The Plant Clearance Group, consisting of three teams and six plant clearance officers, operated across a range of locations, — both domestic and international — during its three-year mission.
The group processed 62,472 l-line items, valued at $441,763,888 and ensured proper handling and transfer of military property. Through proactive efforts, the team successfully reutilized $43,039,432 worth of property for use by other government agencies, optimizing resources, reducing costs, and supporting operational needs.
The group’s work served a critical role in the contract closeout process, ensuring the proper disposal and transfer of assets, supporting sustainability, and maximizing the value of decommissioned military equipment.
Cristian Paco, a plant clearance officer for Government Contract Property Center, DCMA Germany, assisted in the decommissioning process at Prince Sultan Air Base, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia.
“As the assigned plant clearance officer, I was responsible for issuing the official disposition instructions covering 5,577-line items of U.S. government property, with a total acquisition value of approximately $8.85 million, to the prime contractor,” Paco said.
He ensured all property disposition actions were executed in compliance with applicable regulations.
“I determined that the items should be scrapped using the contractor’s approved scrap procedures. Additionally, I ensured that all items requiring demilitarization or mutilation were processed in accordance with the Defense Demilitarization Manual,” Paco said.