Logistics tracking equipment valuable to operations

Marine Corps News ^ | Feb 10, 2006 | Lance Cpl. Wayne Edmiston

[SandRat]

CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq (Feb. 10, 2006) -- Thousands of pounds of equipment travel from base to base on a daily basis in Iraq. This being home to the 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward), it is often the center of activity, processing gear to forward operating bases.

Tracking all this equipment can be an arduous task, but with the help of the portable deployment radio frequency identification tag kit made by Savi Technologies Incorporated and the Marines of Marine Air-Ground Task Force Distribution Center, the of tracking these shipments is made a little easier.

First Lieutenant Scott E. Beatty, an operations officer with Combat Logistics Regiment 25, 2nd MLG (Fwd.) explains the new system and how the new portable system will improve accountability of equipment.

“This system allows us some awesome capabilities,” Beatty said. “It is extremely easy to deploy.”

This system is about the size of a large suitcase and connects into the powered slave cable of a tactical vehicle, Beatty explained.

Each piece of equipment is tracked by the RFID tag attached to the gear on some place.

“RFID tags are small electronic boxes that are attached to cargo,” Beatty said. “The tags have data written on them that are sent back to the system that allows us to see what cargo is in each container.”The data is sent to a server that can be drawn from by the portable system which easily sits on the hood of a tactical vehicle.

This system portability is designed for the ideal Marine Corps environment; expeditionary.

“This system has an iridium modem which is completely wireless,” said Cpl. Joseph B. Poore, a Greenville, S.C., native. “We can set up a convoy marshalling yard in the most remote environments.”

The main purpose of the system ensures the equipment gets the user, Poore said.

“This helps better support the war fighter,” Poore said. “There could be an infantry unit that desperately needs a replacement part to a tank; they are relying on us and the system to make sure it gets there.”

The system is currently being employed here, but as Capt. Roy Base, the officer-in-charge for the MDC and Tuskegee, Ala. native explains, it’s the training of the Marines that is important.

“It’s good because we find out what works with the system and work out the kinks on what doesn’t,” Pace said. “Teach it to the Marines so they can pass it on to incoming units.”

“In a dynamic fight this system allows us some awesome capabilities,” Beatty concluded.

[SandRat]

CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq (Feb. 6, 2006) – Corporal Juan Martinez operates the portable deployment radio frequency identification tag kit here Feb. 6. Tracking all this equipment can be an arduous task, but with the help of the portable RFID tag kit made by Savi Technologies Incorporated and the Marines of Marine Air-Ground Task Force Distribution Center, 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward), the burden of tracking these shipments is made a little easier. Martinez is a supply clerk with the MDC, 2nd MLG (Fwd.)
Photo by: Lance Cpl. Wayne Edmiston

[SandRat]

Marine Logistics in Iraq

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