Final answer:
The statement is false; the United States manages the U.S. Defense National Stockpile Center which keeps reserves of essential materials for military operations, meaning not all investment items must be newly purchased as they may use materials from this stockpile.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question 'Outside of contingency operations in CENTCOM, investment items must be purchased. True or False?' relates to the policies surrounding the procurement and investment in military operations and resources. In understanding the context of this question, it is important to consider how multinational corporations may influence a country's military through investments, as well as how a country manages its national security regarding the import of key technologies or materials. This is done to ensure that during a wartime scenario, the country can remain self-sufficient and continue its defense operations without relying on potentially compromised supply chains.
Nations like the United States have established entities such as the U.S. Defense National Stockpile Center, which is responsible for maintaining reserves of essential materials required for military operations and national security. The materials stockpiled range from aluminum oxides, antimony, and bauxite to tungsten, vegetable tannin extracts, and zinc. This strategic reserve ensures that the United States can continue to produce necessary defense items even if imports are disrupted during armed conflict.
In conclusion, the presence of such a stockpile suggests that outside of contingency operations in CENTCOM, there is a mechanism in place for the United States to procure investment items through its reserves, not solely through new purchases. Therefore, it is possible that not all investment items must be purchased externally, as reserves may be used. This makes the statement False.