“Achieving Efficiencies and Interoperability through Long-Term Human Capital Investment:
The Role of Information and Communications Technology”
A presentation for the International High-Level Sofia Conference onSmart Defence—Pooling and Sharing: Eastern European View on Multinational and
Innovative Approaches for Capabilities Development
2-3 April 2012
Sofia, Bulgaria
Arnold C. Dupuy, Research Associate
1
Introduction: Multiple Challenges
• Maintaining operational proficiency and readiness
• Strengthening regional cooperation • Southeastern Europe/Black Sea
• Addressing a variety of threats• Terrorism• WMD Proliferation• Organized Crime• Narcotics Trafficking• Human Trafficking
2
NATO
SEEBRIG
Introduction: Multiple Challenges (Cont’d)
Goal is to find broad based economies of scale while maintaining or enhancing standardization and interoperability…
…in an environment of dramatically diminishing resources
3
NATO US Navy
Long-Term Investment in Human Capital• Renewed emphasis on :
• Human capital with a concentration on two focal points • Military/civilian education• Military-to-Military Contacts (MMC)
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) as the enabler
4
JohnstonKilson
Long-Term Investment in Human Capital (Cont’d)
• Consideration of the junior officers and mid-level NCO• In the mid to late 20s age group• Can operate with considerable autonomy
• Decisions are increasingly pushed to the tactical levels• Mold their performance and behavior over the long term • Will have decided on a military career• Generation that has grown up in the digital age
5Patton
Civilian and Military Education• The value of an educated soldier
• Think critically• Adaptive• Resilient• Better communicator
• Civilian Education• Advanced education• Adult education training/lifelong learning programs
• Military Education• Officer and NCO professional development• Advanced specialty schools
Infuse a true intellectual dimension in military training and education
6
French MoD
Military-to-Military Contacts
• Military-to-Military Contacts (MMC) • Predictability• Interoperability• Differing viewpoints• Enhance standardization• Multiplier effect
• Lessons learned/best practices are brought back to home units
Encouraging precedents in BLACKSEAFOR, South-East European Defense Ministerial (SEEDM) Process, SEEBRIG
7
Dupuy
SEEBRIGUSMC
Focus on the Existing Technological Environment
8
Information Communication and Technology• Distributed availability
• On-line coursework• Joint scenario development and conduct• Crowd sourcing• Open source research• Social technology
• Reliance on Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) • Reconfigure existing game engines and platforms that allow future generational applications
US Army
Common Denominator (Human Capital/Efficiencies)
Smart Defense cannot happen by itself
Identify quality people as early as possible• Mentor them• Educate/train them• Challenge them• Promote/reward them
9
Dupuy
Reeves
Final ThoughtsICT cannot be a substitute for tough, realistic training
• It can only be a supplement Allows leaders to make mistakes in a controlled environment
• Setting the stage for enhanced and strenuous field or command post exercises
Accentuate joint and multinational environment
10
ReevesCanadian
MoD