Quick, easy and everything fits... the words repeated again and again by soldiers leaving the distribution station for the issue of their new Advanced Combat Uniforms (ACU's). This is an example of the Army's effective use of a private contractor to save time and streamline a process that has been notoriously slow and inefficient.

Soldiers are briefed before hand on the process and the expectations. ID cards are collected and sent to an in-process station, where each ID card is scanned allowing for the retrieval of the soldiers personal information such as name and social security number. The information is then electronically attached to a temporary bar code which is issued to the soldier at their first station. Additionally, the encoded information is wirelessly sent to each station within the processing area.

The soldiers begin by picking up three sets of rank and their bar code. They then move to the cap fitting area, where hats have been visibly marked for size. Once a proper fit is made, that information is recorded electronically. Their next station is trousers. Here again, the ACU bottoms are visibly marked with sizes for easy recognition. Each soldier tries on his bottoms while a trained staff member circulates to ensure proper fit; proper fit is based in part on the proper location of built in knee pad pockets. The final fitting station is the ACU shirt, where again, soldiers try on various sizes with the assistance of an trained staff member. Proper shirt fit is based in part on the correct placement of the elbow pad pocket.

Once all of the fitting is complete, the soldiers arrive at a distribution station where all of the sizing and fitting information that was collected in the previous stations is collated. The soldier is then issued (4) sets of tops, (4) sets of trousers, (4) t-shirts, (1) boonie hat, and (1) patrol cap. A receipt is then automatically generated, which the soldier signs, and the process is complete.

The process takes in total about 10 minutes per soldier. The contractor, PEO Soldier, estimates that they can process approximately 150 soldiers an hour. It is a system that was designed by listening to soldiers needs and desires; many of PEO Soldier's employees are former soldiers themselves. The process is impressive, and is deserving of one of the best compliments that a soldier can give in the Army... "It's high speed, Sir."

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Copyright, Scott Kesterson- 2006

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