Oct. 10, 2008
Q: It was recently brought to my attention that once bicycles are confiscated on base and left unclaimed for about, “a month or so.” CFAY police “throw them away.” I recently found this out because I was interested in purchasing a bicycle and asked if there was a time in which they ever sell them. The person I spoke to said there is not a way to purchase the bicycle’s that they knew of. I asked, “Why doesn’t CFAY donate them to an orphanage? Auction them off for charity? Fix them up and give them to kids on base for Christmas? Or put a bicycle sharing program on base for people who don’t drive?” This is a program where all bikes are painted Blue with gold lettering “U.S. NAVY” on the side. People can pick up a bike from various locations on base, then park it in another location on base for others to use when they are done. What a shame that on a base in which we are trying to promote recycling we can not come up with a better way to get rid of these bicycles. Is there something that can be done rather then throw them away?

A: Congress and the Department of Defense strictly regulate the disposition of abandoned property onboard military installations. 10 U.S.C. 2575 and DOD 4160.21-M govern such disposition. Due to ethical and fiscal concerns, as a blanket rule abandoned property such as bicycles may not be given away. Currently, Commander Fleet Activities, Yokosuka is working on a program that will lawfully allow Morale, Welfare and Recreation to access these bicycles and use them for the benefit of our base personnel.