Priorities for Destruction
After you have identified and located all stocks, you can establish a priority list for destruction. Priorities for ED
should be assigned to allow for the most complete job possible. Established priorities are as follows:
Priority 1 includes all classified ammunition and components, to include related publications.
Priority 2 includes ammunition or explosives that could be used by the enemy. These items include rockets,
guided missiles, grenades, small arms, chemical agents, and demolition materials.
Priority 3 includes all other casualty-producing ammunition not included in Priorities 1 and 2.
Priority 4 includes noncasualty-producing ammunition and pyrotechnic items. These items include riot-
control and signal munitions.
Once priorities are established, they become an integral part of the ED plan.
Methods of Destruction
Once you have identified the types, quantities, and stocks in your ASP, you should then design your methods of
destruction. There are several methods that can be used to destroy assets to prevent enemy capture and use. The
destruction methods that can be used individually or in combination are discussed in the following paragraphs.
Detonation. Depending upon the ammunition being destroyed, this method is the most effective under most
circumstances. It ensures complete destruction and does not scatter ammunition when properly employed.
Burning. Given sufficient fuel and time, burning is just as effective as detonation, especially for those items
that are sensitive to flame or heat.
Friendly Gunfire and Air Strikes. The use of gunfire from artillery, tanks, rockets, or missiles can be used
to destroy ammunition after everyone has left the storage facility. This option should be used when other
destruction methods cannot be used (for example, facility is being overrun by the enemy, et cetera).
Concealment and Scattering. This is the least effective method of destruction. It should be used only when
detonation or burning cannot be used. It may be used to destroy smaller items such as fuzes, firing devices,
detonators, et cetera. This method effectively makes artillery rounds useless, at least in the short term.
In general, detonation and burning, or a combination of these, are the most effective means of destruction.
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