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By James Neely

Would you like to know where some of your tax money has gone? In 2004 it was reported that KBR, a Halliburton subsidiary, had lost or could not account for the whereabouts of approximately $18 million worth of assets in Iraq.

KBR was awarded a logistics contract to manage trucks, generators, and computers, just to name a few. In other words, they were not doing the job that they were hired to perform. After a massive effort by KBR and the Pentagon, they had recovered many of the items. During the search it was discovered that some of the items were in the hands of ‘unauthorized users.’ Among the missing items were two electric generators worth nearly one million dollars, 18 trucks or SUVs, and six laptop computers.

Besides the insanity of this story, there is another. This could have been avoided by using a GPS tracking system in order to track the large items.

How? By installing these devices you are able to keep track of the location of the equipment whether or not the device is connected to a battery. Included is tracking software which gives you the data you need to locate the items in question.

Where? Depending on which system you choose, you can track either in real-time mode or on-demand only. The real-time system gives you around the clock data tracking. The system can be used to track both location and in-service movement as well. With an on-demand only system, periodic checking can be performed to locate the whereabouts of an item. This can be performed at any location on the planet.

Cost? The outlay of money to outfit assets that need to be traced is miniscule compared to the cost of the loss of that equipment and the man-hours required in an attempt to track it down. It must be viewed as both an investment in the equipment and a deterrent to crime and misuse. Few know better than the government of the massive abuses that occur with government property.

Accountability is a mandatory task for any organization whether it is a government entity or private firm. Holding people responsible for performing tasks is only part of the answer. Supplying them with the tools necessary must be addressed as well. For without the proper tools, the job will not get done. Enter a GPS tracking system. It has helped recover and kept losses at a minimum for years now and it will continue to do so long after irresponsible companies have come and gone.