The Best-Kept Military Secret
          
               Just as GSA auctions surplus property for civilian
          government agencies, the Department of Defense sells
          surplus Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps property. 
          From the Defense Department you might buy needed
          bearings, chemicals, chains, cables, alarm systems,
          aircraft parts, hand tools, air conditioners, cleaning
          supplies, computer equipment, prefabricated structures,
          textiles, electric wire, and woodworking gear.
               The Defense Department has a reputation for selling
          merchandise at extremely low prices -- beat-up cars for
          $200 or less, for example.  Occasionally the military
          screws up and purchases items in the wrong size or the
          wrong color.  This brand-new merchandise may be auctioned
          off for a fraction of the going rate.
               For information,write to the Department of Defense,
          Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service, P. O. Box
          1370, Battle Creek MI 49016-1370.  Another good place to
          being is with the Surplus Property Bidders Application. 
          To get an application call or write the National Sales
          Office, P. O. Box 5275 DDRC, 2163 Airways Blvd., Memphis
          TN 38114-5210; or telephone 901 775-4974.
               You'll learn how to get on the national auction
          mailing list and receive auction catalogs, generally for
          larger sealed-bid auctions.
               The next step is to contact the regional sales
          offices:
                    * 926 Taylor Station Rd.
                    Blacklick OH 43215-9615
                    614  238-2281
          
                    * 2163 Airways Blvd.
                    Memphis TN 38114-5052
                    901  775-6858
          
                    * Defense Depot Ogden
                    Bldg. 2A-1
                    500 W. 12th St.
                    Ogden UT 84407-5001
                    801  399-6662
          
                    * Bldg. 12
                    Camp H.M. Smith, HI 96861-5010
                    808  474-0491
          
          
               These regional offices hold public auctions and so
          do more than 100 local marketing offices around the U.S.
          often at military bases.  The regional office nearest you
          can provide addresses and phone numbers of local offices.
               In a typical Defense Department auction, previews
          are held for a full day, three days before the actual
          sale.  If you place a winning bid, you generally have
          five days to pay in full with cash or a cashier's check. 
          The Defense Department will accept money wired directly
          from your bank.
               In addition to auctions of surplus property, the
          Defense Department will frequently sell merchandise from
          a contractor's leftover inventory.  For information,
          write to the Commander, Defense Contract Administration
          Services Region, at any of the following addresses:
               * 495 Summer St.
               Boston MA 02210-2184
          
               * 201 Varick St.
               New York NY 10014-4811
          
               * 2800 South 20th St.
               Philadelphia PA 19101-7478
          
               * 805 Walker St.
               Marietta GA 30060-2789
          
               * Federal Office Bldg.
               1240 E. Ninth St.
               Cleveland OH 44199-2036
          
               * O'Hare International Airport
               P. O. Box 55475
               Chicago IL 60666-0475
          
               * 1136 Washington Ave.
               St. Louis MO 63101-1194
          
               * 1200 Main St.
               Dallas TX 75202-4399
          
               * 11099 South La Cienega Blvd.
               Los Angeles CA 90045-6197