Local opinion: Military right to repair is a necessary step

The bipartisan Warrior Right to Repair Act, introduced by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) earlier this year, is a timely and necessary step toward improving military readiness, reducing costs, and modernizing how the Department of Defense (DoD) maintains its equipment.

At its core, the legislation ensures that the military has “fair and reasonable access” to the parts, tools, software, and technical data needed to repair its own equipment — without being forced to rely exclusively on the original manufacturers. This is not a radical idea. It’s a practical one, and it mirrors what’s already standard in the civilian automotive industry, where independent repair shops and consumers have long had access to diagnostic tools and repair information.

The need for this legislation is urgent. In recent years, military branches have faced costly delays and readiness issues due to restrictive contracts that prevent service members from performing even basic repairs. In one case, Marines in Japan had to ship engines back to the U.S. rather than fix them on-site. In another, the Navy flew contractors to ships at sea to repair galley ovens and elevators.

These inefficiencies are not just frustrating — they’re expensive. Sustainment costs can account for up to 70% of a program’s total lifecycle cost, and much of that is tied up in proprietary repair agreements.

Today’s military is more capable than ever of handling its own repairs, thanks in part to advances in 3D printing. Troops can now fabricate many basic parts in the field, dramatically reducing downtime. Yet, under current rules, they are often prohibited from using these parts — or worse, forced to remove them and wait for an official replacement.

Some defense contractors have expressed concern that the legislation could compromise intellectual property or discourage innovation. As a business owner that designs products myself, I completely agree that these are valid points, and any implementation should include safeguards to protect proprietary technologies.

However, this legislation also presents a new business opportunity for contractors. Rather than seeing it as a threat, companies could pivot to offering repair training, certification programs, and technical support services to the military. This would not only preserve their relationships with the DoD but deepen them — transforming contractors from gatekeepers into long-term partners in sustainment and readiness and continuing profitability.

The implications of this policy extend beyond the military. Local governments and small businesses often face similar challenges — locked into restrictive service contracts that delay repairs and inflate costs. A broader embrace of right-to-repair principles could empower municipalities to better manage public assets and help their small businesses stay competitive by encouraging them to offer a diverse array of new services.

This is not a partisan issue. The Warrior Right to Repair Act has support from across the political spectrum, including the Trump administration and members of both the House and Senate Armed Services Committees and as well as Democrat elected officials. It’s a rare example of Washington coming together to solve a real problem with a practical, cost-effective solution.

Let’s move this policy forward: respecting our service members, saving taxpayer dollars, strengthening national security, and keeping businesses profitable. The right to repair is the right thing to do.