Right: Representatives supporting the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency conduct line-by-line inventory of Class VIII medical supply items and medical equipment at the equipment configuration and hand-off area in Komotini, Greece, during DEFENDER 25, May 19. VIEW ORIGINAL
This article explores the intersection of the Army’s Training with Industry (TWI) program and item-level passive radio frequency identification (pRFID) as twin engines of sustainment modernization. Drawing from the author’s fellowship with United Parcel Service (UPS), this article demonstrates how industry practices in precision, automation, and real-time visibility can inform Army reforms in accountability and predictive sustainment. Case studies from the West Point Cadet Uniform Factory (CUF) and the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) show measurable gains in efficiency and lifecycle traceability.
This article also looks at synchronization through the Office of the Secretary of War (OSW), Enterprise Business System–Convergence (EBS-C), and updated federal labeling standards, emphasizing that precision logistics and data integrity are decisive in contested environments.
The Precision Imperative
Victory in modern warfare no longer depends solely on mass or firepower; it hinges on precision — knowing where each asset, part, and piece of protective gear is at any given time. The Army’s modernization agenda recognizes that logistical precision translates directly into operational power. In an age of dispersed formations, contested supply lines, and digital sustainment, the force that can see itself the fastest sustains itself the longest.
TWI: Learning Precision from the Private Sector
The TWI program was built on the principle that Soldiers learn best when immersed in the private sector’s most advanced logistics environments. During my TWI assignment with UPS, I witnessed how commercial innovation achieves nearly perfect visibility across global operations. Every package, uniform, and route were tracked in real time. Data accuracy was not merely an aspiration; it was ingrained in the culture. UPS demonstrated a fundamental principle: precision becomes scalable only when supported by systematic processes. Barcode scanning, route optimization, and item-level tracking were all part of a disciplined ecosystem that treated data as a combat multiplier.
The company’s global uniform program offered a practical blueprint for the Army’s organizational clothing and individual equipment (OCIE) management challenge. Garments tagged with item-level identifiers moved seamlessly from vendor to distribution center to employee, eliminating manual errors and saving hundreds of labor hours. That experience reshaped my understanding of sustainment. The same automation that allows UPS to deliver millions of packages daily could empower the Army to deliver readiness with accuracy, speed, and confidence.
UPS leadership echoed this commitment to both precision and partnership. Patrick Thompsen, UPS Automotive Engineering, Director of Information Services and Learning Development stated, “UPS has a long history of supporting our service members, both in wearing the uniform in support of our country or working with our different branches while on a military fellowship at UPS. RFID has improved UPS’s ability to track end-to-end our customers’ packages and improve delivery accuracy. CPT Laurkee Adedeji was immersed throughout the development and refinement of this technology, and UPS is proud of the implementation and growth she has learned when returning to the Army.”
From Industry to Innovation: The Case for pRFID
Item-level pRFID brings factory-grade automation to the tactical edge. The typical item-level pRFID process affects three key areas of military uniform production: new/modified steps, existing/modified steps (manufacturer process), and existing/modified steps (Virtual Item Manager–Apparel Research Network shipping). Item-level means that each item, such as a single uniform or component of a uniform, is tagged and tracked with its own unique RFID tag. The technology eliminates manual scanning bottlenecks and provides instant asset visibility.
In recent Army pilots, Soldiers reduced inventory time by 96% after minimal training. pRFID labels — costing mere cents each — record an item’s identity and location automatically when within range of a reader. When applied to OCIE, pRFID ensures full accountability from factory floor to foxhole. Each tag becomes a digital handshake between operator, maintainer, and commander. By feeding real-time data into enterprise systems, pRFID enables predictive sustainment, reduces rework, and strengthens audit readiness. Three simple changes would unlock the full value:
- Require item-level pRFID on selected national stock number (NSN) items, prioritizing high-value or high-throughput classes of supply.
- Update federal labeling standards — MIL-STD-129R, Military Marking for Shipment and Storage, and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplements (DFARSs) — to pRFID specifications that use Gen3, the EPCglobal ultra-high-frequency Class 1 Generation 2 RFID standard, for interoperability.
- Extend tagging requirements across federal agencies so suppliers tag once, and data flows seamlessly.
The outcome will be a common language of logistics that will fuse commercial precision with military purpose.
Case Studies in Action
West Point CUF Pilot: At the U.S. Military Academy’s CUF, dry-cleaning-survivable pRFID tags were embedded into garments. Fixed readers inventoried 99 uniforms in two seconds, saving 274 labor hours annually while achieving complete lifecycle visibility. Soldiers and civilians alike reported faster workflows and greater accountability.
DLA: At the enterprise level, DLA’s integration of pRFID into supply operations demonstrated scalable results. Tag costs dropped toward $0.05 each, and handheld reader kits under $6,000 per site yielded 70% inventory time reduction and 98% accuracy. Together, these pilots prove that automation at scale is achievable and affordable.
Ms. Sydney Smith, Director of Supply Policy, stated, “The success of item-level pRFID integration at West Point’s CUF and within DLA supply operations clearly highlights the technology’s potential to enhance accountability and efficiency across the Army sustainment enterprise. Supply Policy is committed to supporting the implementation of these technologies, specifically through the harmonization of labeling standards and strategic selection of NSNs for item-level tagging. Our focus remains on maximizing the benefits of pRFID to provide our Soldiers with the best possible equipment and support, while simultaneously improving the stewardship of Army resources.”
The Way Ahead: OSW Integration and Federal Standards Alignment
True modernization demands synchronization across strategy, policy, and practice. The Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4, and EBS-C must serve as the bridge from pilot innovation to enterprise implementation. pRFID’s value compounds when data feeds directly into enterprise analytics, enabling commanders to anticipate needs rather than react to shortages. By linking TWI-derived insights to federal standards, the Army can influence government-wide policy reform. Updating MIL-STD-129R and DFARS to codify Gen3 interoperability will create an unbroken chain of data across suppliers, depots, and tactical nodes, eliminating redundancy and strengthening accountability.
Strategic Application: Fort Leavenworth pRFID Pilot
Army correctional facilities such as the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks and the Midwest Joint Regional Correctional Facility represent an untapped frontier for item-level visibility. These sites manage a wide range of equipment and resources, including uniforms, medical supplies, and tools used in textile shops and dining facilities. Implementing a closed-network pRFID system would enable real-time tracking of items and equipment, mapped to facility layouts. This system would provide commanders with enhanced operational awareness by tracking resource movement aligned with established workflows, enabling improved accountability, operational efficiency, and safety. The same principles driving OCIE accountability can ensure compliance and safety in corrections operations, demonstrating that sustainment precision strengthens security and readiness.
Risk, Reality, and Contested Logistics
pRFID is not a silver bullet, but it is a proven foundation for sustainment modernization. As the Army prepares for distributed, multi-domain operations, contested logistics will be the rule, not the exception. In such environments, manual systems collapse first. Automated item-level visibility ensures that sustainers can act with confidence even when networks degrade.
In tomorrow’s contested fight, precision sustainment will decide whether readiness is maintained or lost in the fog of logistics.
LTG Heidi Hoyle, Deputy Chief of Staff, G4, stated, “Item-level visibility technologies, like pRFID, are revolutionizing Army sustainment by enabling enhanced asset tracking, predictive maintenance, and optimized resource allocation across the entire supply chain. The strategic implementation of pRFID supports our modernization efforts, ensuring we maintain a competitive edge in contested logistics environments. By leveraging real-time data and automated processes, we can improve operational efficiency, strengthen readiness, and enhance decision making at all levels.”
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CPT Laurkee Adedeji, Ph.D., is an Army Logistics officer currently serving as the action officer to the Troop Support section of G44MMT at the Pentagon. She holds a doctorate in organizational leadership from Columbia International University and completed a Training with Industry fellowship with United Parcel Service from 2023 to 2024, where she focused on automation, data-driven sustainment, and performance optimization. Her work includes organizational clothing and individual equipment policy reform, predictive sustainment integration, and partnerships that bridge Army and industry innovation.
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This article was published in the winter 2026 issue of Army Sustainment.
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