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USAF Boot Camp Tracks Boots
One of the third-party-logistics providers—Travis—is also reading tagged items as they arrive from RFID-enabled vendors, as well as applying RFID tags to some items that had not previously been tagged, which it then reads and inputs into the DSCP system, and again reads as the goods are shipped out. With this improved data, DSCP now knows when an item has left one of the participating vendors, and when it was received at the warehouse of one its third-party logistics providers.
Eventually, DSCP expects more of its approximately 400 suppliers and subcontractors will be using RFID technology to tag and track the product shipments. "Experience with the technology at recruit training centers has indicated that a hybrid approach, wherein some vendors will apply RFID item-level tags prior to shipment to DSCP, and some tags will be placed on the items at the third-party-logistics providers prior to shipment to the recruit training centers, is more cost-effective," Stoddard states. For some of the smaller manufacturers, he says, the installation of RFID would be inappropriate. Those that sell individual, relative-high-dollar-value items, such as cold-weather gear, chemical protective suits and ballistics-protective garments, may be required to add item-level RFID tracking in the future. These, Stoddard says, "should utilize RFID technology when we can do so cost-effectively, in order to aid in the tracking of expensive items, improve inventory accuracy and other logistics considerations."
To date, Stoddard says, DSCP is employing hundreds of thousands of tags per month. The organization is using the data to improve inventory accuracy, knowing when a product was shipped from a vendor, as well as when it was received, and is thereby paying vendors more quickly for shipments as they arrive, and spending less time trying to resolve clerical discrepancies. "We're getting very good data," Stoddard says. "Our inventory accuracy is improved. It's head and shoulders above the manual system."
Thus far, Stoddard notes, the greatest benefit has been time savings on reconciling physical and computer inventory levels. "We know there is a time savings, but have yet to acquire a good measure," he states. The agency has reduced the time spent on inventory tracking by about two-thirds, he says.
The passive RFID systems, once installed at all nine recruit training centers across the United States, are expected to save more than $8 million during the 10-year period from the first implementation at Lackland, in 2007.
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| Army Col. Kevin Stoddard |
To date, Stoddard says, DSCP is employing hundreds of thousands of tags per month. The organization is using the data to improve inventory accuracy, knowing when a product was shipped from a vendor, as well as when it was received, and is thereby paying vendors more quickly for shipments as they arrive, and spending less time trying to resolve clerical discrepancies. "We're getting very good data," Stoddard says. "Our inventory accuracy is improved. It's head and shoulders above the manual system."
The passive RFID systems, once installed at all nine recruit training centers across the United States, are expected to save more than $8 million during the 10-year period from the first implementation at Lackland, in 2007.
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READERS' COMMENTS
Design Engineer
What is to prevent enemy combatants from using RFID tags as precision triggers for booby traps/IEDS? We appear to be creating a scenario where an explosive device could be made to trigger on an rfid tag of a soldier's boots. Or worse to not trigger on a single pair of boots but wait for an optimal kill ratio of two or more pairs of soldiers boots.... am I the only one thinking of this as a potential problem or is there something I do not know about RFID tags that would prevent this from happening?
Posted By: R. Bieber 6/21/2010 at 12:58:10 PM
senior editor
Well there are several issues here: the tags could not be used to trigger IEDS or booby traps against soldiers because the tags are attached to packaging, not built into the boot, so they are removed before the soldier or airman wears them. However, even if that weren't the case, the existing booby traps and IEDS are much less expensive and probably more effective than an RFID version would be. For one thing, read range would be an issue -- the reader has to be within range and often must be able to read in a hostile, metallic environment. Secondly, if the goal is to target members of the military, the readers would be unable to discern between an RFID tag being worn by a soldier or an innocent civilian.
Posted By: C. Swedberg 6/21/2010 at 4:32:33 PM
RFID can be more precise
I find it hard to believe that a device could not be able to distinguish between different tags. As the article states the tags can be read to determine if a shirt is a large or a small. If the programmer knows the unique name of a few tags such as boots, helmets, olive-drab small shirt, etc the trigger could be quite able to discern a military target from a civilian, unless the civi is wearing something from the military that has the unique tag. Also it seems that mfg of RFID reading equipment are always touting the increased range and ability to read in "hostile" environments... all you would need is about a meter anyway.... completely doable with today's RFID technology. I hope you are right that the RFID tags are just in the packaging but unfortunately the article does not give that specific important detail....
Posted By: R. Bieber 6/22/2010 at 4:41:59 PM
Managing Partner, Titan Education
The tags themselves have certain information printed on them in both bar code and human readable forms. However, (and this is important) the only information encoded in the chip on the tag (and thus the ONLY information that is read) is a unique identification number. That number is associated in the database to a certain garment such as the type of shirt, the size, the stock number, etc. Thus, a bad guy could only read the unique ID number and would also have to have access to the database for that number to have any meaning. It is designed that way because it provides more security as well as the passive tags have a very limited storage capability and can handle nothing more than the one unique ID number.
Posted By: I. Birdsall 2/27/2012 at 3:46:35 PM