Section 52. Responsibility for public property

1. Public property of the
  state  and  of  the  United  States  shall  be  issued,  kept,   stored,
  safeguarded,  maintained,  inventoried, inspected, surveyed and disposed
  of; and responsibility and accountability for public property, liability
  for the loss,  damage  or  destruction  thereof  and  relief  from  such
  responsibility,   accountability   and  liability  shall  be  fixed  and
  determined by the chief of staff; as provided in applicable laws of  the
  United  States,  regulations  issued  thereunder  or  regulations issued
  pursuant to this chapter.
    2. When public property is lost,  damaged  or  destroyed  through  the
  negligence  or  fault  of  a member of the organized militia, the amount
  determined as the value of such property or the cost  of  repairing  the
  same may be collected from any pay or allowance due or to become due him
  from the state. Such amount may also be collected from the military fund
  or  other  allowances  payable by the state to the unit of the organized
  militia to which such member belonged at  the  time  such  property  was
  lost,  damaged  or destroyed, or such amount may be deducted one-half in
  successive calendar years from any fund, allowance or money  due  or  to
  become due such unit from the state.
    3. An action may be maintained by the people of the state in any court
  having  jurisdiction thereof by the attorney-general upon the request of
  the chief of staff to recover from a member  or  former  member  of  the
  organized militia found responsible for public property lost, damaged or
  destroyed  through  his negligence or fault the amount determined as the
  value of such property or the cost of  repairing  the  same.  Monies  so
  recovered shall be paid into the military fund of the unit to which such
  member  or  former  member  belonged at the time such property was lost,
  damaged or destroyed.