As you can imagine, the FSC number is not enough to identify a specific supply item. After additional identification is added, a National Stock Number (NSN) is created Figure 5-2 shows each element of an NSN in proper sequential order.

An NSN is made up of nine digits. This includes the National Codification Bureau (NCB) code and the National Item Identification Number (NIIN). These numbers identify supply items used by DoD. They are used to identify items independently, and most supply catalogs you use are arranged in NIIN order.

Flume 5-2:-National Stock Number.

NAVY ITEM CONTROL NUMBERS

Items of material not included in the Federal Catalog System, but stocked or monitored in the Navy Supply System, are identified by Navy Item Control Numbers (NICNs). NICNs are 13-character item identification numbers assigned by Navy inventory managers for permanent or temporary control of selected non-NSN items.

LOCAL ITEM CONTROL NUMBERS

Local item control numbers may be assigned to consumable items that are stocked locally, such as special developers and camera accessories, that are not otherwise identified fig 5-3 . Local item control numbers consist of 13 characters. The first four numbers correspond to the FSC of similar NSN items; the fifth and sixth (NCB code area) are "LL" and the remaining seven are all numeric numbers.

Item control numbers assigned locally are authorized for local use only; for example, shipboard stock records, bin tags, issue documents, and so on. They are not used in requisitions because these item control numbers are meaningless to the supply source. IDENTIFICATION

By now, you can see that the key to getting material from "supply" is to break the code. Once you have the NSN for an item, ordering it is easy. There are a number of methods you can use to obtain the NSN of an item. One easy method is to ensure that all your supplies are identified by their numbers. You should label the bins, place identification tags on the items, and include the NSNs on your inventory list. Then, when you start to run short, you have the NSNs at hand. Most supply petty officers use this basic method to maintain careful records of their stock items. There are times when you need a new item and not a replacement. When a new

Figure 5-3.-Item control numbers assigned locally.

order is required, you must research the item to find the source.

Your local storekeepers are available to assist you. They know the system, and this can be of tremendous help to you. However, they do not know your equipment and supplies, so you will probably have to locate the specific item you want in the catalogs.

A word of warning. The supply system is highly automated. Most foul-ups occur because the requisition is not completed properly. If you were off one digit in the stock number or use the wrong NSN, you may receive an aircraft engine instead of a typewriter.

In this case, your unit has spent its money wastefully, and a stock item is withdrawn from the supply system that may be needed by another ship or station. You also experience an unnecessary delay because the material must be reordered.

Even when replenishing supplies, you should check the current stock numbers. Normally, when a supply item becomes obsolete, the supply system automatically tills your order with the current item that replaced it. However, there are occasions when the current item is different from the original or uncertainty exists as to what you really want. Then your requisition is returned, and you have wasted time.

A number of catalogs and lists are available for you to use. When ordering replacement supplies or equipping an activity, you should use one or more of the following catalogs: the Management List-Navy, the Afloat Shopping Guide, the allowance list of your activity, the DoD Consolidated Federal Supply Catalog, the Photographic Equipment List, the Navy Stock List, and the GSA Catalog.

When you are ordering repair parts, the Manufacturers' Manuals, the Illustrated Parts Breakdown, and the Consolidated Master Cross-Reference List (C-MCRL), or (CRL), permit you to trace the part number provided by the manufacturer and locate the corresponding NSN.

For ordering publications and keeping the technical and administrative Ii brary up to date, you should use the Navy Stock List of Publications and Forms. The information that follows describes the content of the various publications and how they can be of use to you.

MANAGEMENT LIST-NAVY

The Management List-Navy (ML-N) is helpful when you are preparing requisitions. It lists stock items in NIIN sequence with stock numbers, units of issue, unit prices, shelf-life codes, and other pertinent information on the items that the Navy orders. It contains a record of deleted and superseded items with appropriate phrases to indicate disposition action and what items have replaced deleted items is a sample page of the ML-N.