custody signature. The original is maintained by the supply officer or the department head. When the supply officer maintains the original, the department head usually  signs  the  custody  card.  Most  imaging  units have the original custody cards maintained by the department head, and the originals are signed by the division  officer  assuming  subcustody. Duplicate copies of custody cards are usually maintained by the supply petty officer for subcustody purposes. When an item of equipment is issued to a crew member or subcustody, the crew member must sign  the  duplicate  copy  of  the  custody  card.  Equipment that  is  installed  permanently,  such  as  enlargers  and processors,  should  be  issued  on  subcustody  to  the  petty officer  in  charge  of  the  work  section  where  the equipment  is  located. The duplicate copy of the custody card is also used for inventory purposes. The card must be signed by the person conducting the inventory. The original custody card needs to be signed only once by the person having custody of the item. The original custody card should not  be  signed  each  time  an  inventory  is  conducted; however, the original custody card must be signed by the relieving authority after sighting the item. Inventory  of  Controlled (Custody)  Equipage All   items   of   controlled   equipage   must   be inventoried. The frequency of controlled-equipage inventory  is  at  the  discretion  of  each  individual command;   however,   inventories   of   controlled equipage are required when any of the following situations  occur: The ship, station, or unit is commissioned, inactivated, or reactivated. The  department  head  is  relieved  or  transferred. Upon change of command, at the discretion of the  relieving  commanding  officer. NOTE: Although not specifically required, an inventory   should   be   conducted   whenever   the imaging-facility  manager,  photo  officer,  or  supply  petty officer is relieved or transferred. A  Controlled-Equipage  Custody  Record  (4442), NAVSUP Form 306 or NAVSUP Form 460, should be used  to  conduct  the  controlled-equipage  inventory. Each  article  should  be  sighted  and  inspected  for serviceability by the person making the inventory. When  an  inventory  is  conducted,  articles  should  be identified   and   verified   by   serial   number   or plant-account  number. As  the  inventory  progresses,  the  person  conducting the inventory signs the custody record acknowledging custody or inventory, as appropriate, of all the items sighted. Equipage inventories must be completed within 30 days after it has begun. When taken jointly by the department head being relieved and the relieving department head, for example, the inventory must be completed  before  the  outgoing  department  head detaches  from  the  activity. Once the equipage inventory is completed, the department   head   must   submit   a   letter   to   the commanding officer with a copy to the supply officer. Whenever possible, the letter should be a joint report from both the relieved and relieving department head with  both  signatures.  The  report  should  include  the following   information: The  department  equipage  inventory  has  been completed. All requests for surveys that are submitted for shortages  and  unserviceable  items  found during  the  inventory. Any  shortages  or  unserviceable  items  found  during the inventory must be identified in a Report of Survey (DD   Form   200)   or   Missing,   Lost,   Stolen,   or Recovered  Government  Property  (OPNAV  Report 5500-1),  as  appropriate. MISSING, LOST, STOLEN, OR RECOVERED   GOVERNMENT PROPERTY The   Navy   recognizes   the   importance   of maintaining  statistics  to  determine  where,  when,  and how Navy property became missing, lost, or stolen. Based  on  this  premise,  Missing,  Lost,  Stolen,  or Recovered (MLSR) Government Property Reports must be submitted to proper authorities within the Department of the Navy. The ultimate goal of the MLSR program is to improve the physical security of the Navy program. The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) is responsible for the policy of MLSR, and the Director,   Naval   Criminal   Investigative   Service (NAVCRIMINVSERV),  is  responsible  for  the management  of  the  program.  Commands  must  report all  MLSR  incidents  and  describe  the  circumstances accurately to ensure the success of the MLSR program. 5-26