For as long as I've been with Modern, each year was going to be the one when RFID took off. Last year was no different. And once again, we're still waiting.

Or are we? You see, I'm beginning to think that maybe we've been using the wrong measures.

What really matters here? Number of tags? Dollar volumes? Number of end users? Item level tagging rather than pallet or case level? Success stories? Replacement of every bar code on the planet?

Or, is it more important that RFID be part of how people think? Consider this.

Four years ago, RFID had no relevancy in distribution although it was already a success in manufacturing. Today, we are obsessed with RFID in distribution while rarely discussing its fit in manufacturing. Fact is, the technology has already established itself as a point of consideration in both arenas. And that's not only new, but a breakthrough that has already occurred.

Much the same has happened at the Department of Defense. Even though so many people thought DoD's primary RFID initiative was similar to Wal-Mart's, they were wrong. Until this year, DoD's efforts there were essentially nonexistent.

In "RFID on the front lines," Bob Trebilcock is the first editor to tell the story of what DoD has been doing with RFID during the past few years. And you're going to be surprised. For instance, ever hear of Marines in Iraq using Web-based search tools, GPS and active RFID to track truckload shipments in the field in real time? I doubt it.

What's most interesting here is that RFID has penetrated deep into the military's infrastructure. And it's only going to push deeper as DoD's supplier mandate, similar to Wal-Mart's, ramps up this year.

Meanwhile, the research firm AberdeenGroup has just released its latest report: "Finding the Tipping Point for RFID." As you will see (literally), RFID is now typically part of the data capture and management discussion.