Keeping Track

July 7, 2009: The U.S. Army is testing a database system (Contingency Acquisition Support Model, or CASM) that will show the status of all major equipment (air and land vehicles) and supplies (food, clothing, fuel, ammunition and the like) throughout a wide area. Anyone hooked into the secure network (looks like the Internet, but is totally separate from it, and just for the use of the Department of Defense) can update their information, and see the status of supplies ordered. This is not perfect, but it's much better than the scattered information sources now available. The beta testing now under way is seeking to find out what parts of the system are weak, and need work.