| Reduction Process at Buccino, Italy | |
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Left: A tank awaiting reduction. Below: Treads removed, prepared for severing. |
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| Above: Technicians begin the cutting
process. Above right: Czech team inspects severed components. Right: Severed tank ready for scrap. |
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| Once an Eastern state sent a
notification of reduction, the VCC sought a NATO state to
lead the reduction inspection. The VCC polled member
states to determine leadership and participation on the
reduction inspection team. Some nations frequently
declined; however, the U.S. government's policy to lead
reduction inspections and participate whenever possible
ensured that a NATO team would inspect each Eastern
reduction. The nation leading the inspection team assumed
responsibility to announce its intent to inspect, to
assemble and prepare the team, and to transport the team
to and from the POE. The inspected state had no right of refusal to a reduction inspection, and the treaty allowed inspectors to be present throughout the calendar reporting period to view all reductions. In practice, however, one team normally conducted an opening inspection at the beginning of the calendar reporting period to record serial numbers of the equipment slated for reduction. The team then departed, and later another team conducted a closing inspection to confirm the proper reduction of TLE and to match serial numbers against those previously recorded. Lt. Colonel Thomas C. Fiser, USA, recalled that during his first reduction inspection, an opening inspection at Tapioszesco, Hungary, he required only 20 minutes to record the serial numbers of the 14 D1 152-millimeter howitzers to be reduced. His team needed just over 12 hours to conduct the inspection, confirm that the site reduction register was correct, and sign the inspection report with the escort team chief. Less than one day on-site was the norm for U.S. reduction inspections, but there were exceptions.8 |