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'New and improved' Marines jump from SASSY to STRATIS

USMC News

Story Identification Number: 2003324181443
Story by Cpl. Trevor M. Carlee

CAMP KINSER, Okinawa, Japan(March 25, 2003) -- We are always looking for ways to improve things. We are constantly bombarded with "new and improved" things as well. And, much to the marketers delight, we buy the "new and improved" stuff in hopes that it will make our lives a little bit better and our work a little bit easier.

Enter the Marines of Storage Section, 3rd Materiel Readiness Company, 3rd Materiel Readiness Battalion, 3rd Force Service Support Group. They have implemented a new supply tool that makes their life a lot easier.

Called STRATIS for short, the Storage, Retrieval, Automated, Tracking, Integrated System puts the Marines into the 21st century with real-time inventory and supply tracking.

Replacing the outdated Supported Activity Supply System, STRATIS gives the Marines the ability to check inventory and track items any time of the day via the use of hand-held computers.

The SASSY required Marines to enter all the supply information into a batch file that would be sent to Marine Corps Logistics Base, Abany, Ga., at the end of each day.

In order to track supplies, a Marine had to wait until the following day or manually track it down.

STRATIS speeds up the process, however, by efficiently getting supplies to Marines who need them.

"This new system is high speed and very accurate and efficient in doing what the user wants," said Master Gunnery Sgt. Robert Wilson, staff noncommissioned officer in charge. "It saves our Marines time, and once you know how to use it, it pretty much works itself."

The new real-time system automates the entire supply process. Therefore, Marines can access information when necessary, as opposed to waiting for the next day.

"STRATIS is a lot easier and faster," said Lance Cpl. Shertoya Tandy, warehouse clerk, and New Orleans, native. "It also takes a lot of stress away from the workplace."

Staff Sgt. James Fisher, assistant SNCOIC, Storage Operations Section, explained that in the past his Marines would have to complete different parts of their jobs one step at a time. Now all the steps can be completed at the same time, thus making the entire process timelier.

There are currently three of four main storage facilities in the Marine Corps using STRATIS. Camp Lejeune supports the entire East Coast, Camp Pendleton supports the West Coast while the entire western Pacific is supported from here. Marine Corps Base Hawaii will implement the new system by the end of the year.

Fisher said he used STRATIS at Camp Lejeune for three years before coming here, and noticed the "huge difference" with the way supplies are tracked.

"This is a great system," the Windsor Heights, W. Va., native said. "Being able to visually see when and how something is being done and who's doing it is extremely beneficial to our unit as well as the Marine Corps."