Since the mid-1990s, the Army has invested in information systems and communication technologies to enhance its logistical flow and improve its warfighting capability. Innovations in property accountability and real-time asset information tracking were at the heart of these efforts. As web-based technology and network-centric architectures became realities, the Army realized an immediate need for a system that could use those capabilities to address the shortcomings of legacy systems and fulfill the logistics needs of an increasingly complex, global operational environment.

     Legacy logistics systems developed in the 1970s and 1980s were built for "sneaker net" communications. They used floppy disks, ZIP disks and other media to transfer information from one computer to another. The disparate and duplicative nature of these databases and software systems could not support the increased volume or fulfill the situational awareness and information needs of today’s fast-paced tactical operations.

     To solve asset accountability and tracking problems, the Army developed the Global Combat Support System-Army (GCSS-Army) program, which includes modernization of the Army’s existing property book system, known as the Standard Property Book System-Redesign (SPBS-R). In a parallel attempt to resolve accountability issues across all military services, the Office of the Secretary of Defense released the Defense Reform Initiative Directive (DRID) 54, mandating the implementation of web-based data environments for early deploying units.

Transition From Pilot to System
     To address a long history of property accountability problems and answer the mandate to web-enable data environments by FY04, the Army established a property book pilot program to determine the feasibility and benefits of using web-based logistics technology for standard Army information systems. The pilot was based upon three key assumptions. First, available communications would allow the system developer to pursue state-of-the-art web technology. Second, the Army Knowledge Online (AKO) portal would be used to leverage its security, E-mail, single sign-on, and planned disaster recovery capability. Third, a rapid acquisition program would be used.

     The key to the pilot program’s success was its rapid acquisition strategy, which featured a spiral development team approach and extensive business process reengineering. In a very short time, the pilot program successfully demonstrated that Army property book personnel and managers could perform their duties from any computer equipped with a web browser. (An additional stand-alone capability that supports split-based operations was developed for users to operate for months without communications.)

     Extremely well-received by the Army leadership, the pilot program became a major catalyst in the funding of interim satellite communications for the combat service support community until the Warfighters Information Network-Tactical can be fielded (expected in FY09). In fact, the initial pilot program was so successful that the acquisition strategy for the property book module of GCSS-Army was restructured to a web-based capability.

     In less than a year after the pilot program, a new software package called Property Book-Enhanced was ready for Armywide operation. The project manager for Logistics Information Systems, Fort Lee, VA, then directed the expansion of the Property Book-Enhanced software to include unit supply. The updated software, renamed Property Book and Unit Supply-Enhanced (PBUSE), replaced these two aging legacy systems: the SPBS-R and the unit supply version of the Unit Level Logistics System (ULLS-S4). PBUSE is serving as an interim step to future capabilities in tactical organizations.

Benefits of the PBUSE System
     Improved Data Accuracy and Availability. The most immediate and tangible benefits of PBUSE are the improved data accuracy and ease of data retrieval. Data from the Army’s legacy systems were frequently inaccurate and outdated by 15 to 45 days. With a centralized database, PBUSE effectively eliminates this delay and data are presented in real-time.

     As PBUSE is fielded, weapon system project managers and item managers can see the location of their assets. Warfighters can call upon a reliable source of information to support operational planning and command and control systems. PBUSE also increases the warfighter’s reporting capability. Gone are the hard-coded and paper-based reports. Using a relational database and the World Wide Web, information from PBUSE can be downloaded or exported in formats that are user friendly. With accurate and up-to-the-minute information, planning is far more efficient, allowing units to accomplish more with less.

     The GCSS’s interface with the Logistics Integrated Database that is managed by the Army Materiel Command’s Logistics Support Agency (LOGSA) provides the relevant and accurate asset visibility data sought by operational planners. When LOGSA personnel extract information, they are assured of consistent and accurate data.

     Use of the centralized PBUSE database also eliminates any need for monthly reporting (such as on-hand property and serial number reporting) by units to LOGSA. Likewise, users no longer need to submit the annual Federal Financial Management Improvement Act reports because algorithms built into PBUSE generate this report for LOGSA submission.

     Before PBUSE, about 30 percent of all requisitions were submitted incorrectly, which often delayed the delivery of much-needed supplies to a unit. PBUSE eliminates time-consuming automated processes (such as reporting and reconciliation) and frees time to focus on property management. For example, LOGSA now updates the current Federal Catalog (FEDLOG) database in the PBUSE database every month. Not only is FEDLOG data reconciled immediately upon submission, but also the user is notified of errors immediately.

User Transition
     In April 2002, the Army redirected the technical baseline for its tactical logistics modernization effort from custom development to an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) baseline. Over the last 10 years, private industry had proven conclusively that ERP-integrated solutions provided enormous gains in operational efficiency, data quality and access, global reach, software quality, post deployment support and return on investment. PBUSE, because of its innovative use of web portals, data access and high data integrity, paved the way for Army users to gain knowledge of web-based applications and more readily adapt their behavior to optimize the capabilities of web-based solutions. Almost immediately the concept of an integrated system that operated in real time with a single source of accurate, timely data became the benchmark to influence leaders that the Internet could become a combat multiplier for the Army, much as the Internet had influenced profitability and market share for private industry.

PBUSE Scope of Operations
     PBUSE is the first standardized Army information system to operate on the Army Knowledge Online portal. When fielding is complete, PBUSE will be used in every major command’s property book and company supply operation. Every property book in the Army could conceivably be updated in PBUSE. This includes supporting units that are less than company size or even Army museums and other historical property.

     During the Armywide fielding - the largest single-system fielding ever conducted under Army project management control - 28,000 personal computers will be issued to support PBUSE. Users are provided Pentium-class workstations using a Windows 2000 operating system. Other computers may be used for access to the central database, but random access memory (RAM) and storage requirements must be met to ensure system performance is not degraded.

     To date, PBUSE has been fielded in 30 percent of its intended basis of issue plan, including 7 of the 8 Army National Guard (ARNG) divisions, 12 of the 14 ARNG enhanced brigades, and 2 of the 10 Active Army divisions. As of January 2004, 850 SPBS-R and 787 ULLS-S4 systems have been converted to PBUSE, 4,000 computers have been fielded, and more than 3,412 users received formal training. This equates to a 516-man-year cost avoidance.

      PBUSE already controls more than $42.5 billion of property and tracks more than 1.8 million items. PBUSE contains a customer base of 7,912 unit identification codes and manages more than 500,000 transactions per month.

PBUSE Concept of Operations
      PBUSE consists of a protected central database server and web server, and several client computers. With the fielded hardware suite, users have the office automation tools, communications and web browsers necessary to access the central server. They also are equipped with a laser printer for document and report production.

     Figure 1 illustrates the basic concept of operation of the PBUSE system and demonstrates the network-based links among warfighters, the logistics system and the Army Knowledge Online portal.

     Army innovation has developed and fielded a highly accurate, modern, user-friendly software tool to manage Army property. PBUSE will take the Army into a new era of systems architecture and shared data environments. The technology and vastly improved asset accounting of PBUSE will resolve many longstanding Army accountability and audit problems with chief financial officer compliance. More importantly, PBUSE offers Army planners and commanders the superlative data retrieval capability they require in today’s remarkably fast-paced battlefield. PBUSE has proven that dedicated satellite communications is a viable solution to providing Army logisticians and their customers the global data environment they need to achieve their logistics and transformation goals.

     The rapid acquisition process and partnership with industry that has been so critical to this program will become the benchmark, increasing the cost effectiveness and timeliness of other follow-on acquisitions. PBUSE has placed the Army on course with tomorrow’s information technology innovations and increased the effectiveness of Army knowledge management systems and the capabilities of all users of the system Armywide. As a result, Soldiers will get the tools they need more quickly and more effectively.

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