Army Logistics Systems: Opportunities to Improve the Accuracy of the Army's Major Equipment Item System

The Army revised its logistics regulation (AR 710-3) to require more timely and accurate updates of CBSX data. Revisions include: (1) requiring Army units to transmit reportable property book transactions to CBSX on a weekly rather than monthly basis; and (2) establishing central collection activities at installations to oversee data submission processes. Further, LOGSA developed the ability to monitor unit CBSX transaction input and sends Army's major commands a monthly listing of non-submitters to enforce submission requirements. LOGSA also submits listings of non-submitters of semiannual reconciliation data to the major commands for enforcement action. As a result of Army's intensified management efforts, the number of Army units participating in the CBSX validation process has increased significantly, and the Army-wide CBSX compatibility rate has increased to 95.9 percent.

LOGSA has now taken action to provide training at the Army Quartermaster School Warrant Officer Basic and Advanced courses and at major command Major Item Workshops which emphasizes the requirement that unit property book officers compare unit transaction data submissions with LOGSA reports of data receipts. In this training, LOGSA suggests that property book officers retain copies of the reports for a 2-year period, as is required for other property book supporting documents. LOGSA has also taken action to provide CBSX users an Error Status Report online immediately after users submit their CBSX transactions. As a result, submitters no longer have to wait for receipt of their monthly reports from LOGSA to correct erroneous transactions.

Army has suspended system changes to the Army's primary property book system pending development of the new Global Combat Support System-Army, which will contain a new supply and property management system that will replace the Army's primary property book system and will have completely new data screens and reports. System change requests and requirements have been submitted for incorporation into the new system. In addition, LOGSA has staffed a CBSX users help desk to provide timely assistance to property book officers and help them understand and correct problems, such as those identified in exception reports. The help desk is also given responsibility for addressing problems that, unless corrected, would adversely affect unit compatibility rates. LOGSA has published telephone numbers for the help desk on the LOGSA home page and in regulations and technical pamphlets.

LOGSA developed a CBSX help desk to provide timely assistance to unit property book officers. The help desk was given responsibility for addressing problems with CBSX output reports, including explaining error codes on exception reports. LOGSA has published telephone numbers for the CBSX Help Desk, depending on the type of problem being experienced by the property book officer, on the LOGSA internet home page and in AR 710-3 and LOGSA PAM 700-1. This information is also provided at the LOGSA and major command Major Item Training Workshops.

The Army has now implemented software changes to SPBS-R that will correct adjustments caused by valid transactions being incorrectly rejected as duplicate transactions with the completion of CBSX Improvement Plan Phase I.

Software changes to eliminate incompatibilities between CBSX and SPBS-R are no longer necessary because of the development and fielding of the Global Combat Support System-Army (GCSSA). GCSSA integrates the Army's property book and other systems into a single database with common programming language and operating environment and thus eliminates any data incompatibilities.

The Army has now implemented a software change to the SPBS-R that will identify instances where units submit catalog beginning balances for items that have an existing balance in CBSX with the completion of CBSX Improvement Plan Phase I.

LOGSA developed a CBSX Standing Operating Procedure manual that documents the verification process LOGSA analysts should use and explains the importance of maintaining accurate unit file data in the CBSX Customer Information Control File.

LOGSA published and distributed the LOGSA User's Guide for CBSX to provide guidance and enhance user understanding of CBSX reporting. The User's Guide explains CBSX reports on unit property book submissions and how to use the reports to correct identified problems. The Guide also recommends that units use the LOGSA reports to follow up on identified errors. The Guide further recommends retaining the CBSX reports for two years. Per Army Headquarters officials, these instructions are also presented to students at the Army Quartermaster Center and School and are included in briefings given at the LOGSA and MACOM Major Item Training Workshops. LOGSA Help Desk personnel also assist property book officers understand and reconcile adjustments made to their units CBSX balances.

In May 1998, Army Headquarters issued a message to all major commands directing that command personnel place additional emphasis on CBSX reporting accuracy. The message stressed training property book officers in CBSX reporting requirements. The Army Quartermaster School has added CBSX topics to the property book officer training curriculum. The National Guard Bureau Professional Education Center in Arkansas also added similar CBSX and property book training to its curriculum. Also, follow-up efforts have been conducted to see that as many property book personnel as possible receive adequate training on reporting procedures and property book operations. Further, LOGSA developed a CBSX Users' Guide to provide better guidance and reference information.

The Army has expanded logistics school curricula to provide emphasis on CBSX reporting. Also, LOGSA's annual conference now provides a special workshop on CBSX reporting and analysis. In addition, LOGSA has now developed a CBSX User's Guide for property book officers that explain the importance of reporting transactions to CBSX and how to analyze CBSX confirmations and periodic reports.

The Army has developed a training video that stresses the importance of maintaining accurate unit equipment balances in CBSX and now provides strong encouragement to property book personnel to attend LOGSA's annual training conference. The annual conferences are attended by hundreds of property book personnel from units located around the world. Further, as an alternative to videotaped training, LOGSA established a help desk that is responsible for providing necessary on the spot training and other assistance. The Army has also tasked the central collection activities at Army installations with providing assistance and training to property book personnel.

LOGSA's establishment of a CBSX help desk to provide technical assistance and training to property book officers via phone or electronic mail media fulfills the intent of the recommendation. Further, Army major commands have established central collection activities at major installations to provide training and assist property book officers in resolving CBSX reporting problems. The Army also included responsibilities of central collection activities in updates to AR 710-3.

LOGSA developed the Asset Management Division Standing Operating Procedure that describes procedures for LOGSA analysts to resolve differences between CBSX and SPBS-R unit identification and activity address codes. In addition, LOGSA established and is now operating a CBSX help desk to assist property book officers to resolve errors and other reporting problems. Property book personnel using the Army's Distribution Execution System now receive an error status report within a day of submitting transactions.

LOGSA has taken action to compute the compatibility rate based on all differences between property book and CBSX asset positions. LOGSA changed the method of computing unit compatibility rates by assigning a zero compatibility rate to any unit not submitting a validation date by the date required.

The intent of this recommendation was achieved through LOGSA's plans to establish and implement new logistics systems (i.e.; LIDB and GCSS-A, including the web-based property book). The replacement systems are being designed so that periodic reconciliations between central and local property data bases--and related performance measurement--will be unnecessary because all data will reside on central data systems.

The design of new logistics systems has resulted in the elimination of transaction submissions between separate logistic system databases. As a result, the intent of this recommendation has been achieved.