remember that the only way to be sure is with the use  of  double  checks.  A  good  policy  for  you  to follow is to random check as many areas as you possibly can. At one time or another, almost every Ship’s  Serviceman  has  had  to  do  some  serious recounting  on  board  ship.  Double  counting  has almost  eliminated  the  problems  of  bad  counts. The  inventories  taken  by  contracted  personnel should  be  completed  in  the  same  way  as  they would  be  with  Navy  commissary  personnel. Physical  inventories  are  usually  taken  on  a semiannual   basis   at   the   end   of   the   second and  fourth  quarters  of  the  accounting  period. Special  inventories  are  usually  taken  only  by the direction of NAVRESSO. Cyclical inventories are  taken  on  established  cycles.  Cyclical  inven- tories  include  reorder,  standard  price  changes,  and perpetual   inventories.   Of   course,   a   perpetual inventory is also a cyclical inventory which is an ongoing operation used for stock control and the ordering   of   resale   merchandise.   The   adjusted book inventory is another inventory used by com- missaries  and  distribution  centers  when  a  physical inventory  at  the  close  of  the  accounting  period is not needed. The physical inventory figure that is  used  on  the  Cost  of  Sales  worksheet  is  an adjusted inventory figure. In summary, an inven- tory in a Navy commissary can be any one of the following   types: .  Physical  inventory  (sometimes  performed by  contract  services) .   Adjusted   book   inventory   (performed   by commissary   personnel) .  Cyclical  inventory  (which  includes  several types  of  inventories,   such  as  price  changes, reorder,   etc.) You must keep in mind that procedures may vary somewhat from one commissary to another, depending   upon   availability   of   personnel   and services.  You  must  read  and  understand  your commissary  instructions  and  stay  abreast  of  them. As a commissary supervisor, you must keep your NAVRESSO instructions current so you can per- form  at  the  expected  level. The  information  you  have  read  up  to  this point  in  the  chapter  has  addressed  the  various ways in which the commissary store acquires the items to be placed in the store for resale. In the next section of this chapter, you will read about some  of  the  methods  and  procedures  the  senior Ship’s  Serviceman,  as  a  supervisor,  will  need  to follow to sell the merchandise through the front end. FRONT  END  PROCEDURES The front end is the part of the store that is visible  to  the  patrons.  It  is  also  the  part  of  the store  that  will  be  used  by  the  patrons.  For  this reason, the way in which the front end is super- vised will have the greatest effect on the success of  the  overall  operation  of  the  commissary. SALES  FLOOR The sales floor area must be maintained in a clean and orderly condition at all times. The stock and equipment should be arranged in a manner that  will  permit  convenient  and  efficient  shopping for the patron. If the stock is arranged by general category, the patron can usually complete his or her  shopping  more  successfully. The   amount   of   damaged   or   deteriorated merchandise  can  be  kept  to  a  minimum  as  long as  prescribed  stock  rotation  and  inspections  are followed.  Damaged  merchandise  that  is  still  fit for  sale  should  be  removed  immediately  to  a special area where it can be offered for sale at a reduced price. Items that have spoiled should be removed  immediately  from  the  sales  floor. For  the  convenience  of  the  patrons,  shelf stocking  should  not  normally  be  performed  dur- ing the business day except when depleted stocks absolutely  must  be  replenished.  If  it  becomes necessary   for   shelves   to   be   stocked   during shopping   hours,   you,   as   a   supervisor,   should make  certain  that  the  aisles  are  kept  free  from cartons,  boxes,  and  materials-handling  equipment as much as possible. The meat area (S-3) and the produce  area  (S-4)  are  extremely  important.  As a  supervisor,  you  must  give  special  attention  to these areas. Meat  Sales  Department  (S-3) Bulk meat and packaged meats for the meat department  (S-3)  are  received  daily  through several types of procurement procedures. Usually these  products  are  ordered  and  received  on  T-53s. When bulk beef, pork, and lamb are received, an Army  veterinarian  inspects  it  for  quality  and temperature.  It  is  important  that  you  maintain close   liaison   with   the   veterinarian.   The veterinarian is there to help your operation and not to hinder it. When you and the veterinarian 8-17