The Future of Logistics

[Cavguy]

That's what I don't get. It's out there, already compiled. It just isn't available, as far as I know.

I used to use the LOGSA tools online as a commander. A great set of tools to find almost anything. Contains FEDLOG and many other useful tools, such as a tracker for all your document # (orders, in civilian terms). It will do Fedex like tracking on your requisitions, telling you when it leaves the DLA source and makes it into your local SSA.

https://www.logsa.army.mil/index.cfm...home.startSite

It also prevents the pilferage that occurs in the system, especially with "neat" items. As a commander, I found the NSN for some new Camelbacks for my guys. I ordered them and waited for them to come in. One day, I checked online and found the document marked as received by our SSA (distro warehouse). I sent my supply SGT down to get them. Our SSA claimed they weren't in, and the supply SGTcame back empty handed. I printed the receipt report from online and sent him back, and told him that if they didn't produce I was contacting the SPO (Support Plans Officer) immediately. The SSA suddenly found them. Amazing.

Later, I trained my XO, Supply SGT, and all my LTs to do the same. Worked on all classes of supply. The tool let me also verify that my supply sgt and PLL clerk were ordering what I requested. As a result, my company was the best supplied in the BCT. Oddly, others weren't too interested in copying us, I found it hard to convince other co's to take the time to do the same. Council member and fellow commander tankersteve had good success with the system too.

[Schmedlap]

Neil,

The information access that you pointed out was what I, too, used as an XO. My supply sergeant was great and I taught him to use it and he routinely did the checks such as those you illustrate. I made several trips to the class II and IX warehouses to demand "WTF?" when one of his checks revealed SNAFUs such as that (with emphasis on the "N").

My concern is the data access (as opposed to information tracking). If I could get my hands on a spreadsheet or csv or xml file or something that had NSNs, CIICs, UIs, class of supply, for all end items, COEI, BII, AAL, and a listing of authorized -20 class II and IX parts for those end items, then I could match this up with a company MTOE and create a program that would spit out not just hand receipts, but arms room cards and SHRs, bar-coded labels for parts bins, a system to track maintenance, FLIPLs, lateral transfers, new issues, codeouts, 5988E and DCR tracking system, supply and PLL/QSS inventories, etc. I did this with a primitive database as an XO. Now that I am a better programmer and have significantly more free time, I could create something significantly more user friendly that would automate all of that crap, reduce errors, and make it easier to identify when the crews and/or maintenance chief are BS-ing, identify where supplies are being wasted, and a slew of other things. I'm sure others could do even more impressive things. I don't understand why the data isn't available in some form that is easy to obtain. I could do queries into LOGSA or FEDLOG (if I still had access) one query at a time. But that would take about a year.

Look at all of the Apps that have sprung up for smartphones. Imagine if the Army made some limited data - such as unclassified NSNs - more readily available to facilitate creative individual innovations. Then again - I've been out of a year now - has this stuff already happened?

[Cavguy]

Neil,

The information access that you pointed out was what I, too, used as an XO. My supply sergeant was great and I taught him to use it and he routinely did the checks such as those you illustrate. I made several trips to the class II and IX warehouses to demand "WTF?" when one of his checks revealed SNAFUs such as that (with emphasis on the "N").

My concern is the data access (as opposed to information tracking). If I could get my hands on a spreadsheet or csv or xml file or something that had NSNs, CIICs, UIs, class of supply, for all end items, COEI, BII, AAL, and a listing of authorized -20 class II and IX parts for those end items, then I could match this up with a company MTOE and create a program that would spit out not just hand receipts, but arms room cards and SHRs, bar-coded labels for parts bins, a system to track maintenance, FLIPLs, lateral transfers, new issues, codeouts, 5988E and DCR tracking system, supply and PLL/QSS inventories, etc. I did this with a primitive database as an XO. Now that I am a better programmer and have significantly more free time, I could create something significantly more user friendly that would automate all of that crap, reduce errors, and make it easier to identify when the crews and/or maintenance chief are BS-ing, identify where supplies are being wasted, and a slew of other things. I'm sure others could do even more impressive things. I don't understand why the data isn't available in some form that is easy to obtain. I could do queries into LOGSA or FEDLOG (if I still had access) one query at a time. But that would take about a year.

Look at all of the Apps that have sprung up for smartphones. Imagine if the Army made some limited data - such as unclassified NSNs - more readily available to facilitate creative individual innovations. Then again - I've been out of a year now - has this stuff already happened?

Fully agree! Some of that is coming online as we speak. On a related issue, I'm still waiting for DIMHRS, which will interact with DTMS, and finally eliminate the need for company databases of information the army already knows but is too inept to keep in one place (such as boot sizes, martial status, etc) where it can be accessed without RFIing the companies every day wanting to know how many left handed size 13 right boot wearers on profile there are.

[Schmedlap]

Fully agree! Some of that is coming online as we speak. On a related issue, I'm still waiting for DIMHRS, which will interact with DTMS, and finally eliminate the need for company databases of information the army already knows but is too inept to keep in one place (such as boot sizes, martial status, etc) where it can be accessed without RFIing the companies every day wanting to know how many left handed size 13 right boot wearers on profile there are.

That sounds like a great start. Now if that system allows an XO or supply sergeant to extract all of the data mentioned in my prior post, then that could allow folks at the user level to create something that more accurately reflects how units operate and the greater number of tasks that can be automated.