MIL-STD-2073.pdf

This document is a Packaging and Marking Guide for the Department of Defense (DoD) that provides informational guidance on packaging and preservation requirements for federal contracts. It is not an official DoD adoption but serves as an instructional reference based on current government packaging documents, pamphlets, and technical manuals.

The guide outlines packaging requirements found across multiple contract sections (A through J) and identifies key standards applicable to DoD shipments, including ASTM D-3951 for commercial packaging, MIL-STD-2073-1E for military packaging standards, and modal regulations for hazardous materials (Title 49 CFR for land, IMO/IMDG for water, ICAO/IATA for commercial air, and AFMAN 24-204_IP for military air). The document details five basic military preservation methods (10, 20, 30, 40, 50) ranging from physical protection to watervaporproof protection with desiccant, along with specific packaging methods (31-45, 51-52) that combine preservation with various container types such as waterproof bags and rigid metal containers. Quality assurance requirements include preservation inspections (visual examinations and leakage tests), packing inspections, and heat-sealed seam testing. The guide provides comprehensive packaging requirement codes structured in a standardized format, labeling examples for unit, intermediate, and exterior containers using linear bar codes or 2D PDF417 symbols, and special marking requirements for shelf-life, project codes, fragile items, Method 50 packages, electrostatic discharge sensitive devices, hazardous materials, heat-treated wood packaging materials, and expedited handling. Additional resources include references to MIL-STD-129 for military markings, MIL-STD-147 for palletization, RFID passive tag requirements per DFARS 252.211-7006, and useful websites for packaging code lookups and specification references.