THIS GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE REPORT IS DIRECTED AT THE NEED FOR IMPROVED MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL OF TWO TYPES OF REUSABLE PACKAGING CONTAINERS USED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE--SPECIALIZED REUSABLE CONTAINERS AND METAL MULTIPURPOSE REUSABLE CONTAINERS. DESIGNED TO MILITARY SPECIFICATIONS, THESE CONTAINERS ARE COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS MS CONTAINERS. MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN SAVINGS COULD BE ACHIEVED BY IMPROVING ARMY AND NAVY CONTROLS AND ACCOUNTING SYSTEMS TO IDENTIFY AND CONSERVE THOUSANDS OF MS CONTAINERS. POLICIES SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED TO ENSURE THAT SPECIALIZED AND MS CONTAINERS ARE USED AND REUSED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PRACTICABLE. THIS WOULD INVOLVE PREVENTING THE LOSS OR PREMATURE DISPOSAL OF SUCH CONTAINERS. REGIONAL CLEARINGHOUSES SHOULD BE MONITORED TO ENSURE THAT THEY COLLECT, REPAIR, AND REDISTRIBUTE MS CONTAINERS. THE SERVICES SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO ACCOUNT SPECIALIZED REUSABLE CONTAINERS WHETHER EMPTY OR IN USE, REVISE CONTAINER REPAIR CRITERIA TO INCLUDE CURRENT REPLACEMENT COSTS, AND CONSIDER IMPOSING PENALTIES FOR LOSS OF CONTAINERS. FURTHER, THE SERVICES SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO PERFORM ECONOMIC ANALYSES AND CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES AVAILABLE THROUGH NEW PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY WHEN SELECTING CONTAINERS FOR NEW PROCUREMENTS. PHOTOGRAPHS AND GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--RCB)