I sent this out by e-mail last week, but I wanted to put it on the blog so you’ll be free to comment. However, if you want to speak or e-mail any one of us directly, there’s a POC list in paragraph 12.
I’ve been in my position for about 60 days now, and I want to provide you what I intend to be an habitual update on actions and initiatives that affect our entire community.
First, I want to thank COL Mike Dominique for his amazing efforts to ensure our community – more importantly, what we provide commanders – is better positioned to continue meeting the needs of the Army and Joint Force Commanders.
The following is a brief synopsis of the critical actions we are currently working. Please understand that we are your Proponent; we cannot accomplish our responsibilities without your input, and we exist to help you do your job better. I ask that you continue to help us ensure your, and your commander’s, needs are met to the best of our abilities within the constraints we face.
1. Doctrine. If you have not read Army Doctrinal Publication (ADP) 3-0, “Unified Land Operations,” October 2011; ADP 5-0, “The Operations Process,” May 2012; and ADP 6-0, “Mission Command,” May 2012, you really need to in order to understand the changes to how the Army is approaching Information Operations in the Mission Command construct. Each of these capstone documents has an associated Army Doctrinal Reference Publication (ADRP) that provides increased fidelity. All can be found online at the Army Publishing Directorate website, http://armypubs.army.mil/doctrine/index.html. We will also post these documents on our SharePoint site under “Doctrine.”
FM 3-13, Inform and Influence Activities, is in the final stages of being published. CG CAC approved the doctrine on 23 July 2012, and the Combined Arms Doctrine Division is editing the Final Electronic File for publication by the Army Publishing Directorate (APD). Based on the backlog at APD, we anticipate electronic publishing sometime around the end of September/beginning of October. Once FM 3-13 is on the street, please submit your DA 2028s, recommended changes, to LTC Reichart. This is your manual and we need to know how to make it even better.
2. Grade Plate Reduction. It is no secret that the Army is getting smaller – latest figures in Army Times indicate a force reduction of 80,000, and I’ve heard rumblings from some senior leaders that this number may increase. We have been working with HQDA, TRADOC, and ARCIC to identify 41 Major (O-4) positions (36 in the operational force and 5 in the generating force) that must be reduced in grade to Captain. MAJ Ratasha Jackson, Personnel Proponency Chief, has been providing information to and working closely with Division, Corps, and ASCC G-7s to ensure these reductions are made as a result of an analytical process. My only hard-line is that BCT S-7 positions will not be reduced. I understand that no one will be happy about force cuts or reductions; the CSA recently directed “Stewardship of the Profession” to be a theme for AUSA this year. We are doing everything possible to shape the reduction efforts instead of allowing them to be shaped for us. Please continue working with MAJ Jackson to ensure your concerns are properly captured. However, ultimately I am responsible for making recommendations that are for the benefit of the entire Army, not just one organization.
3. Mission Command (MC) Capabilities Based Assessment (CBA). The MC CBA is a priority task for our office. As the Army continues to define the capabilities necessary to ensure commanders are able to execute Mission Command, it is essential that we properly document the capabilities and capacity necessary to conduct Inform and Influence Activities, Cyber-Electro Magnetic Activities and to integrate the other Information Related Capabilities so that the Army continues to provide Joint Force Commanders the Information Operations capabilities and functions required to conduct Unified Action. Your input and expertise is absolutely critical to this effort – please continue to provide your help and input to LTC Chris Reichart and Mr. Bob Meier as we work through this process.
4. Changes to the FA30 Community. Our force is getting younger – Officers are now allowed to transfer into the FA30 Functional Area through the Voluntary Transfer Incentive Program (VTIP) as early as the four (4) year mark. This comes with a lot of implications, but the one I am most concerned about is the level of experience and professional knowledge these young officers will have, or not have, as they are deployed to the operational force. We, as a community, must find ways internally to offset this new paradigm. We are reviewing developmental and key developmental positions identified in AR 600-3, as well as the entire lifecycle management process, to make sure we as a career field are able to execute talent management.
5. Mentorship, Promotions and Career Planning. With a smaller force come reduced promotion rates. You hopefully saw my note earlier about the Army Lieutenant Colonel selection rates this year, and we expect the overall Colonel selection rates to be similarly affected. I expect our career field to remain at or above the Army average, but this means you need to personally do everything you can to remain competitive. I encourage you to participate in the Mentorship Blog we have begun on the IPO CAC Blog Site (http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/blogwarningIPO.asp). I will use this forum to provide advice, general counseling, and trend analysis to help you make career decisions. I will always make time, and I will do everything I can to ensure other FA30 senior officers do the same, to help you with personal mentorship. I encourage everyone to use the Army Career Tracker portal (https://actnow.army.mil); in particular, the Individual Development Plan module is a great tool to assist you and mentors as you work toward achieving professional goals.
6. Information Sharing. You will soon see notes announcing changes to how we at the Proponent share information both internally and with you, the force. We will be moving to a more active SharePoint presence where you will have access to all of our DOTMLPF files. I know SharePoint can be cumbersome, but it really provides the best knowledge management platform for information sharing. These changes include a stronger emphasis on our Blog Site to facilitate idea sharing.
7. Professional Responsibilities. To paraphrase ADM James Stavridis, you are a professional, and as such you have a responsibility to write and to publish. I encourage you to share your best practices, thoughts, ideas, mentorship, and even your gripes with our community. Our Blog Site is a great starting point. Ms. Melanie Marcec is available to help you navigate the blogosphere or assist with publishing ideas.
8. FA30 Qualification Course. The next iteration of the FA 30 Qualification Course began on 27 August 2012 and runs through 16 November 2012. I feel the course does an excellent job of preparing our newly designated FA 30s for their next assignments, but John Warner and his seminar leaders are always looking at ways to improve the course. If you have suggestions, please let us know. Also, if you would like to come and talk with the students when the course is in session please contact John and discuss the topic and possible date.
9. Training with Industry (TWI), Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) and Advanced Civil Schooling (ACS). The application suspense for FY 2013 ACS, NPS and TWI programs is 30 September 2012. Although the IPO has direct partnerships with Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and Princeton Universities for ACS, officers may apply for other universities that have partnerships with the Army if the university specializes in an Information Operations career field area of interest. This means if you are selected for ACS, you may attend one of the over 100 universities. Review DA PAM 600-3 for FA 30 career field’s areas of interest. More information can be found at the FA30 Career Manager’s website, https://www.hrc.army.mil/officer/FA%2030%20-%20Information%20Operations%20Officer%20Home%20Page.
The Proponent is broadening our TWI partnership: we are developing a new partnership program with the Kansas City Chiefs’ Media and Marketing Division. This TWI partnership will allow highly qualified FA 30 officers the opportunity to learn marketing initiatives and targeting methodology from a recognized leader in the NFL for media and marketing with a 7-time Emmy award-winning television program.
ACS, NPS and TWI are opportunities to learn, develop and expand in diverse environments which will in turn support future endeavors for the FA 30 initiatives. The FA 30, Information Operations selection panel for ACS and TWI will convene shortly after the application deadline and will announce results in December 2012. If have any questions, please contact LTC Motley vincent.a.motley.mil@mail.mil, (503) 613-6130 or MAJ Jackson ratasha.l.jackson.mil@mail.mil (913) 684-9432.
10. Needs Analysis. The Proponent is partnering with the Army Research Institute (ARI) to conduct a full DOTMLPF Needs Analysis for the FA30 career field. This project will provide us the analytical rigor necessary to support changes across all DOTMLPF domains and to better support your needs and those of your commanders. ARI will be developing a series of surveys to identify gaps in our current capabilities that will directly feed into the Mission Command Capabilities Based Assessment. Mr. Bob Meier is the proponent lead for this initiative.
11. Critical Task and Site Selection Board (CTSSB). Thank you very much to those who made the time and effort to support the recent FA30 Job Task Survey: over 40% of those surveyed took the time to help make our career field better. The results of this survey will be combined with the results of the ARI-led Needs Analysis to support a Critical Task Site Selection Board where we will be able to document, for the Combined Arms Training Strategy, the IO/IIA training needs of the Total Army. LTC Karen Himmelheber will continue to provide updates to the force as this essential task continues to develop.
12. Points of Contact. We have a significant personnel turnover this summer, and I want to make sure you have an updated POC list. Below is a roster of key personnel in the Proponent; a detailed roster, along with focus areas, is available on our website – http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/IPO/.
COL Chip Bircher Director john.e.bircher3.mil@mail.mil
Mr. Cam Wesson Deputy Director cameron.m.wesson.civ@mail.mil
LTC Chris Reichart Concepts, Doctrine & Integration christopher.n.reichart.mil@mail.mil
LTC Karen Himmelheber Leader Development, Education & Training karen.d.himmelheber.mil@mail.mil
MAJ Ratasha Jackson Personnel Proponent ratasha.l.jackson.mil@mail.mil
Mr. John Warner FA30 Qualification Course john.r.warner10.civ@mail.mil
Ms. Melanie Marcec Strategic Communication melanie.l.marcec.civ@mail.mil
Mr. Shawn Stilley Operations shawn.a.stilley.civ@mail.mil
Thank you again for all that you do for our force. As I said earlier, we are your Proponent, and we cannot succeed without your help. Please let me know how we can meet your needs, and your Commander’s, better.
V/R,
COL Bircher
