ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY
Before we discuss the various sales outlets, there are a few terms you need to be familiar with because they relate to the ship's store operation. For now, we will discuss the terms accountability and responsibility. These two terms are closely related; however, they have noticeable differences. The term accountability is an obligation imposed on an officer to give an account for property, funds, and returns in his or her custody. In the ship's store operation, the ship's store officer is obligated by law, lawful order, and regulation to give an account of all property or funds and their intended use in the ship's store;

Figure 2-1.- Purpose of the ship's store.

therefore, he or she has accountability for the ship's store operation. The term responsibility is an obligation placed on an individual to exercise custody, care, and protection in keeping property, records, or funds entrusted to him or her or under his or her supervision. This obligation is placed on an individual by law, lawful order, regulation, or custom of service. In the ship's store operation, the sales outlet operator is obligated to exercise custody, care, and protection in keeping all property, records, or funds in his or her sales outlet and, therefore, he or she is responsible to the ship's store officer who is accountable for that sales outlet. The ship's store officer will hold you responsible for performing your duties in the sales outlet properly. This is why it is very important that you fully understand your responsibilities because if you fail to carry out these responsi-bilities properly you may be punished under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).