In Army property accountability, which statement about custody and control is correct?

• A. Custody is the physical possession of an item; control is the authority to use and manage it within policies
• B. Custody refers to the item’s administrative location; control refers to its maintenance status
• C. They are the same concept
• D. Custody is the ownership title; control is budgeting authority

Answer: (A)

In Army property accountability, custody and control describe two separate responsibilities: who physically has the item, and who has the authority to use and manage it under policy. Custody means actual possession of the item. Control means the authority to authorize its use, direct its handling, and ensure it’s managed according to regulations. So the correct statement reflects this distinction: someone can be in custody by physically holding the item, while another person or the unit can have control by directing its use and ensuring proper management within policy. The other ideas mix up custody with administrative location, maintenance status, or ownership, which aren’t what custody and control represent.