All military property issued by the United States to the National Guard remains the property of the United States.

The Secretary of the Army shall prescribe regulations for accounting for property issued by the United States to the Army National Guard and for the fixing of responsibility for that property. The Secretary of the Air Force shall prescribe regulations for accounting for property issued by the United States to the Air National Guard and for the fixing of responsibility for that property. So far as practicable, regulations prescribed under this section shall be uniform among the components of each service.

Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned under subsection (b), liability for the value of property issued by the United States to the National Guard that is lost, damaged, or destroyed may be charged (1) to a member of the Army National Guard or the Air National Guard when in similar circumstances a member of the Army or Air Force serving on active duty would be so charged, or (2) to a State, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, or the Virgin Islands when the property is lost, damaged, or destroyed incident to duty directed pursuant to the laws of, and in support of the authorities of, such jurisdiction. Liability charged to a member of the Army National Guard or the Air National Guard shall be paid out of pay due to the member for duties performed as a member of the National Guard, unless the Secretary concerned shall for good cause remit or cancel that liability. Liability charged to a State, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, or the Virgin Islands shall be paid from its funds or from any other non-Federal funds.

If property surveyed under this section is found to be unserviceable or unsuitable, the Secretary concerned or his designated representative shall direct its disposition by sale or otherwise. The proceeds of the following under this subsection shall be deposited in the Treasury under section 4(b)(22) of the Permanent Appropriation Repeal Act, 1934:

(1) A sale.

(2) A stoppage against a member of the National Guard.

(3) A collection from a person, or from a State, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, or the Virgin Islands, to reimburse the United States for the loss or destruction of, or damage to, the property.

If a State, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, or the Virgin Islands, whichever is concerned, neglects or refuses to pay for the loss or destruction of, or damage to, property charged against it under subsection (c), the Secretary concerned may bar it from receiving any part of appropriations for the Army National Guard or the Air National Guard, as the case may be, until the payment is made.

In designating an officer to conduct inspections and make findings for purposes of paragraph (1), the Secretary concerned shall designate—

(1) Instead of the procedure prescribed by subsections (b), (c), and (d), property issued to the National Guard that becomes unserviceable through fair wear and tear in service may, under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary concerned, be sold or otherwise disposed of after an inspection, and a finding of unserviceability because of that wear and tear, by a commissioned officer designated by the Secretary. The State, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, or the Virgin Islands, whichever is concerned, is relieved of accountability for that property.

In designating an officer to conduct inspections and make findings for purposes of paragraph (1), the Secretary concerned shall designate—

(A) in the case of the Army National Guard, a commissioned officer of the Regular Army or a commissioned officer of the Army National Guard who is also a commissioned officer of the Army National Guard of the United States; and

(B) in the case of the Air National Guard, a commissioned officer of the Regular Air Force or a commissioned officer of the Air National Guard who is also a commissioned officer of the Air National Guard of the United States.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 615; Pub. L. 85–861, § 33(c)(3), Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1567; Pub. L. 96–328, § 1(a), (b)(1), Aug. 8, 1980, 94 Stat. 1027; Pub. L. 96–513, title V, § 515(8), Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2937; Pub. L. 97–258, § 3(h)(2), Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1065; Pub. L. 100–456, div. A, title XII, § 1234(b)(1), Sept. 29, 1988, 102 Stat. 2059; Pub. L. 103–160, div. A, title V, § 524(e), Nov. 30, 1993, 107 Stat. 1657; Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title X, § 1057(b)(3), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3441.)