Use GOVs properly Published June 5, 2008 By Staff Sgt. Aaron Auber 92nd Logistics Readiness Squadron Vehicle Maintenance FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- Official use only Government owned/leased/rented vehicles are to be used for official use only. Air Force and Department of Defense regulations forbid any use for personal convenience. Every time a government vehicle is operated, it costs money. Fuel costs are usually the first to come to mind but other costs come into play that people don't usually take into account. Wear and tear from simple operation takes a toll and costs the government money. This is an acceptable cost when used for what it was acquired for, the mission. However, this is not acceptable for misuse. The biggest violation on Fairchild is driving from home to work. Any time it is questionable whether or not you are using the vehicle for official purpose, the decision should be made in favor of strict compliance with the rule. In other words, "If it's a little gray... find another way!" Waxing government vehicles Summer is here. Now would be a good time to break out the wax for the Government Service Administration and the GOV fleets on Fairchild. A general rule of thumb is to wax twice a year. That should help prevent a finish from becoming oxidized, thus saving you a major write-up during a semi-annual vehicle inspection. Do not wash vehicles with flat paint (such as Olive Drab) or Chemical Agent Resisting Compound. See AFI 23-302, para 3.12.1.2