Scott D Stormo

Transforming Information Services for a Secure Future Scott D Stormo

The fundamental idea behind transformation is more than a buzzword that will pass with time. Whatever the name, the need to adapt to the changing current and projected situation is vital if communications and information professionals are to remain relevant to the fight. The ability to manage and learn from information is what makes a civilization. It is what allows societies to advance. Weapon systems such as aircraft often have a life cycle in excess of fifty years. Networks and communications technology are likely to be obsolete and replaced every couple of years. Lt Gen Raduege Jr, former Director, Defense information Systems Agency, and Commander, Joint Task Force-Global Network Operations, said 'information networks must be controlled, protected, and managed as effectively as weapons systems'.1 Just because is never a good reason to continue to the status quo. Salute smartly is not justification to avoid respectfully questioning why we do things the way we do. Military success relies heavily on information technology products and services to accomplish the mission and manual workarounds to failures are almost always unacceptable and nearly always cause the mission to fail. The Air Force communications community must take the lead in this information technology revolution by working together with the other services and appropriate governmental organizations to provide the warfighter with reliable information technology products, improved ways to accomplish needed services and must incorporate advanced training methods in order to maintain the workforce's technical skills.