As I sit here waiting on breakfast, I’m reading about the “snake eater.” And I’m still hungry. This is not the newest diet plan, it’s a success story dealing with technology procurement for the front line in Iraq. The aptly named tool is a hand-held digital fingerprinting device based on the same technology that urban police departments use to keep track of the bad guys. Not surprisingly this success bypasses Congress and the Pentagon instead relying on Marine ingenuity, the private sector, and a blogger. I only hope that those responsible for military procurement are taking notes because they should be thoroughly and totally embarrassed. If this request had landed on their desks it would still be sleeping in the in-box. In stead, due to the perseverance of a few individuals, the prototype insurgent identification device and supporting network is now operational in Iraq and it only took 30 days from concept to deployment. It’s truly an amazing story and worth sharing. One of the reasons for the rush job: the Marine Major largely responsible for this project was due to rotate out and he wanted it in place before he returned home to his normal life as an energy trader. That’s the kind of dedication displayed by our reserve forces and it rarely gets the credit deserved.
H/T to CDR Salamander and Byron over at The Flight Deck.
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