According to Bob Engelhardt :
DoN. Nichols wrote:
...
He explained that the shelf life on the products could be blamed
on the GSA (Government Supply Agency) who does all the purchasing for
the army, navy, air force, marines, and civilian branches of the
Government. They *insist* on there being an expiration date, because
their inventory system requires it. After the expiration date is
reached, large quantities are shipped back to Loctite to be re-certified
with a new expiration date. ...

That doesn't seem quite right. Why don't they just put a 20 year life
on it? So they can get paid to re-certify it? Then why don't they put
a 1 month life on it? Just doesn't seem quite right.

The two year life is apparently the longest that the GSA system
will accept for fluids of this sort. I wonder what kind of expiration
date they put on oils? A friend has a really old Navy can of drinking
water. I wonder what kind of expiration date they would put on it these
days?

No need to try to explain that with the greed of the companies
like Loctite -- when it is quite adequately explained by the stupidity
of bureaucracy. :-) (Having worked (as a civilian) for the Army for
nearly thirty years, I've seen enough of that to believe it all.

Enjoy,
DoN.

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