MIL-STD-2073.pdf

This is an informational guide for packaging and marking requirements applicable to Department of Defense federal contracts and solicitations. The guide is not officially adopted by DoD but serves as an instructional resource for familiarization purposes only, derived from current government packaging documents, pamphlets, and technical manuals.

The guide covers five basic methods of military preservation: Method 10 (physical protection), Method 20 (preservative coating only), Method 30 (waterproof protection), Method 40 (watervaporproof protection), and Method 50 (watervaporproof protection with desiccant). These methods form the foundation for packaging requirements specified in MIL-STD-2073-1E, which establishes military packaging standards for items requiring protection during shipment and storage. The guide details two military packing levels: Level A for severe worldwide shipment conditions using overseas-type wood boxes and reusable containers, and Level B for moderate conditions using domestic wood crates and weather-resistant containers. Commercial packaging per ASTM D-3951 may be appropriate for items intended for immediate use, depot consumption, or not-for-stock shipments via small parcel post. Hazardous materials must be packaged in accordance with applicable modal regulations including Title 49 CFR for land transport, IMO/IMDG for water, ICAO/IATA for commercial air, and AFMAN 24-204_IP for military air, with markings and labeling per MIL-STD-129. The guide includes detailed preservation inspection provisions, quality assurance requirements, packaging requirement codes, marking specifications, and examples of unit, intermediate, and exterior container labels with identification markings, bar codes, address markings, and special handling designations for shelf-life items, project codes, fragile materials, expedited handling, hazardous materials, and electrostatic discharge sensitive devices.