The General Support Division of the Stock Fund

As a result of serious difficulties with the Air Force Stock Fund, the Office of the Secretary of Defense formed a General Officer Steering Group (GOSG) in December 1988 to place new emphasis on stock fund management. In response, the GOSG directed the format of the stock fund ratio be changed from an obligations to demands ratio to an obligations to sales ratio. They also directed the redesign of the materiel acquisition control record (MACR) to provide real-time visibility over the stock fund program. Five years later, it is apparent that neither one of these initiatives has improved stock fund management at base level. Instead, workload has increased, the number of priority backorders has increased, customer frustration and dissatisfaction have increased, and mission support has decreased. This study will affirm that outcome and mark the key decision points.