Information technology played a vital role in the Defense Department’s immediate response to the Japanese tsunami this spring.
DoD military services relied heavily on data, video and voice technology to quickly exchange information with the Japanese about available fuel, food, water and radiological activity at the disaster cite.
Without the proper IT in place, including a functioning network, it would have been impossible for the commander to do his job, whether disaster relief or humanitarian efforts, said United States Navy Capt. Craig Goodman, who is stationed at Yokota Air Base in Japan. The technology provided a common operational picture of the impacted areas, whereU.S.forces were located and where the needs were.
Goodman and his directorate, along with several other DoD and contractor personnel stationed at the Pentagon and overseas, were recognized Thursday by the DoD chief information officer for their achievements in IT and information management.
There were more than 70 nominations for the DoD CIO award, and winners were selected for their work in several IT areas, including acquisition, information sharing and data management and cyber operations. View the individual and team winners.
“It just demonstrates the breadth of how we have to deploy technology but also the talent that we have to have everywhere in the world to make it happen,” DoD CIO Teri Takai said.
Takai said DoD is working to deliver IT faster, but the process often times is bogged down by DoD’s own internal procedures. She highlighted one winning team that was recognized for using a method called agile development to provide useful technology in smaller increments and faster. Considering the push to drive down administrative costs within DoD, Takai said the department has to find ways to provide IT for less.
“The individuals that won these awards have demonstrated that by being innovative and by looking at the way they’re doing things they can deliver..[and be]cost effective and efficient,” Takai said.
