DUSN(M) Memo - June 30, 2016
This guidance streamlines the process for deployment and expansion of commercial broadband services on Navy and Marine Corps property.
DON CIO Memo - August 1, 2014
The Department of the Navy employs commercial cellular devices and services to enable workforce mobility. As responsible stewards of public funds, this memo dictates that all DON activities must actively manage their mobile services to minimize the cost of necessary capabilities.
DON CIO Memo - March 19, 2014
This memo details how the Department of the Navy will transition to DoD Mobile Classified Capability (DMCC) once Defense Information Systems Agency has fielded DMCC phones, and DMCC access to NMCI Secret Internet Protocol Router Network Outlook Web Access email has been enabled.
DON CIO Memo - May 15, 2012
This memo establishes the Department of the Navy Enterprise Mobility Integrated Product Team (EMIPT) as the Department's designated advisory and action group, reporting to the DON Information Enterprise Governance Board for all matters pertaining to the Department's enterprise mobility efforts. Further, it establishes the EMIPT charter, which states that the EMIPT will be a collaborative initiative to facilitate a ...
DON CIO Memo - March 13, 2012
This memo provides interim policy for the Deputy, Department of the Navy Chief Information Officer for Navy and Marine Corps to better manage and control cellular costs. This policy applies to all Navy and Marine Corps personnel using government-provided mobile devices operating on commercial cellular networks for voice and data services.
DON CIO Memo - February 27, 2012
This memo details how the Department of the Navy is actively optimizing the use of employee information technology devices and other IT to achieve efficiencies.
DON CIO Memo - December 20, 2010
This memo establishes Department of the Navy information technology/cyberspace policy and governance strategy to meet the long-term objectives of the Department's information management, IT/cyberspace and information resources management efficiency and effectiveness goals. The memo also outlines initial DON IT/cyberspace efficiency focus areas.
DTG 281919Z JAN 09 - January 28, 2009
This Naval message provides amplification guidance for the purchase and installation of Common Access Card readers on all Personal Electronic Devices including BlackBerrys. It also identifies the procurement options for the required hardware.
DON CIO Memo - January 28, 2009
Telecommunications Expense Management (TEM) tools, if properly implemented, provide critical support to optimizing the wired and cellular telecommunications environments and cutting costs. To ensure that the DON maximizes the benefits of these tools DON CIO in conjunction with ASN (RD&A) has released a policy memorandum that prohibits the acquisition of any TEM modules until an enterprise solution is developed.
DON Guidance - April 14, 2008
Department of the Navy Enterprise Mobility 2008 describes the strategy the Department is following in assessing and adopting commercially available wireless products to enhance its enterprise mobility capability.
DTG 202041Z AUG 07 - August 20, 2007
This Naval message provides guidance for the use of personal electronic devices (PEDs). Commands are encouraged to immediately begin transition to PEDs that support digital signature and encryption. Effective March 31, 2008, use of PEDs that are not natively compliant or have not upgraded to meet the requirements will no longer be permitted.
DON CIO Memo - September 2, 2005
The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance governing the issuance, use and management of government-provided mobile cellular phone, data equipment and services, and calling cards. It complements the Department's strategic enterprise approach to the acquisition of cellular phone services, which has been developed to ensure cost-effective acquisition and use of these services enterprise-wide.
October 18, 2016
Registration is now open for the DON IT Conferences, on the West and East Coasts. The DON IT Conference, West Coast has been approved for Feb. 21-23, 2017, at the San Diego Convention Center and the DON IT Conference, East Coast has been approved for May 16-18, 2017 at the Hilton Norfolk The Main.
July 11, 2016
In a June 30, 2016 memo, "Streamlined Process for Commercial Broadband Deployment," Mr. Thomas W. Hicks, Deputy Under Secretary of the Navy (DUSN) for Management, issued guidance that streamlines the process for deployment and expansion of commercial broadband services on Navy and Marine Corps property. "Improving the process by which DON installations are provided the best possible access to commercial broadband systems ...
June 20, 2016
Did you know you can use your personal portable electronic devices in select DON spaces? ...
by Rob Foster - May 9, 2016
There are mobile applications for almost everything, and now there are apps that allow Department of the Navy active duty and civilian personnel in any location to access important information and required training on their personal smartphone or tablet. These apps will work on personal devices outside of the Navy Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI) domain.
March 16, 2016
On February 8, 2016, Fumie Wingo, the DON CIO Lead for International Spectrum Policy, was named as a 2016 Federal 100 Award winner for her outstanding performance in international spectrum policy negotiations and diplomacy. As the DON’s senior international electromagnetic spectrum strategist, Ms. Wingo is responsible for influencing international treaties, U.S. Government policy, and DoD spectrum governance to ensure ...
October 22, 2015
The Navy is in the process of transitioning shore-based BlackBerry users to Apple and Android-based smartphones, with a scheduled completion date of January 31, 2016. More...
May 11, 2015
Navy NMCI users may begin transitioning from Blackberry devices to Apple and Android smartphones and tablets. NMCI users are now authorized to procure and use the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus smartphones, as well as the iPad Air and iPad Air 2 tablets with NMCI Email. NMCI has the capacity to support 15,000 iPhone/iPad users anywhere in the Continental United States and Hawaii, and plans to increase capacity to ...
January 30, 2015
The CHIPS magazine mobile app for the Android and iOS operating systems is now available. The app is designed to provide users streamlined access to the latest articles and the ability to tag articles of interest for future reference. ...
December 23, 2014
Currently, the Navy's 28,000 smartphone users are limited to using older BlackBerry devices, but that will begin to change this month and continuing through Dec. 2015. The Navy Enterprise Networks (NEN) Program Office is making progress on plans to transition to more modern mobile devices. ...
by Dr. John Zangardi, Ph.D. - November 14, 2014
I am pleased to address you as Acting DON CIO after having been appointed to serve in that capacity on 24 Oct. Though the office has been aligned with the DUSN (M) organization, the DON CIO will continue to maintain a direct reporting relationship to the Secretary of the Navy on matters required by law, regulation, and policy. In addition to serving as Acting DON CIO, I will remain the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the ...
by Thomas Hicks - October 17, 2014
We are making progress in our efforts to transcend the organizational constructs, processes and technologies of the past. A recent example is the DON information management study, introduced in my last column. With Mr. Halvorsen's departure to become Acting DoD Chief Information Officer (CIO), I was appointed Acting DON CIO to oversee this study and make recommendations to the Secretary of the Navy on the future ...
September 16, 2014
By the end of 2014 the Naval Enterprise Networks (NEN) program office (PMW-205) expects to provide current approved mobile cellular device users with the option of utilizing iOS and Android devices. This decision resulted from limited pilots to test alternative mobile cellular devices and Defense Information Systems Agency's (DISA) certification of iOS and Android devices for use on the Navy Marine Corps Intranet.
by Barbara Hoffman - June 9, 2014
It has been a privilege to serve in leadership positions for the Department of the Navy Chief Information Officer, including as Director of both the E-business and Investment Management teams, Principal Deputy for two very talented DON CIOs, and now as the DON CIO (Acting). Our business IT environment has evolved dramatically over this timeframe, in technology advances as well as in operational and fiscal challenges.
March 13, 2014
The Department of the Navy's enterprise wireless contract, established by Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center San Diego (FLCSD) for all DON wireless use in the CONUS, went into effect in May 2011. The contract includes provisions to lower costs; it includes free devices, web portals provided by the wireless carriers that account managers can use to analyze and "fine tune" services, and a limited number of ...
January 10, 2014
The current budget realities faced by the Department of the Navy have created for us a "new normal." And though we still work diligently to find more ways to save money, we also must adjust to the new normal by asking, "Now what?" How do we get from a mindset of "cutting back to save money" to using the cutting edge of technology to transform our business processes?
May 1, 2013
The Department of the Navy's senior spectrum manager was named Agency Vice Chairman of the Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee (IRAC) April 23.
May 1, 2013
Recent changes in Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations governing signal boosters enable the sale of certain types of these boosters within the United States. Signal boosters are devices that can improve cell phone coverage in areas where they do not get a good signal.
January 31, 2013
The Department of the Navy Chief Information Officer is pleased to announce the winners of the 2013 DON IM/IT Excellence Awards and the John J. Lussier Electromagnetic Spectrum Leadership Award.
October 15, 2012
To maximize the overall power of the Department's mobile (cellular) purchasing habits, the Department of the Navy established the DON Enterprise Wireless Contracts in January 2011. The benefits of these contracts are paying off, and savings have steadily increased since the establishment of the Enterprise Wireless Contracts. ...
October 1, 2012
The Department of the Navy Chief Information Officer implemented mobility management tools and cell phone optimization training in March 2012. The overall goal is to gain business efficiencies and reduce cell phone and mobile device spend due to unused lines, total number of devices and overage minutes. To date, this effort has been very successful in setting the foundation for significant cost reductions. ...
by Thomas Kidd - August 13, 2012
The final step in the dynamic federal agency spectrum access process within the United States is receiving a radio frequency assignment from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. This notification from the assistant secretary of commerce for communications and information is required for federal spectrum-dependent systems to operate within the United States. The Code of Federal Regulations Title ...
by Dan Delgrosso and Mike Hernon - August 13, 2012
The Department of the Navy Enterprise Mobility Integrated Product Team charter was signed by Terry Halvorsen,DON Chief Information Officer, May 15, 2012. The charter defines the process that the enterprise will adopt to assess and enhance the DON's mobility capabilities using wireless and
other remote connectivity options.
August 1, 2012
There are few milestones that better mark a time, an accomplishment and the hope for a bright future than a graduation. On July 12, 2012, Terry Halvorsen, Department of the Navy Chief Information Officer, had the honor of speaking at the graduation ceremony of the most recent graduating class of the Senior Enlisted Academy of the Naval War College in Newport, RI. He spoke of the challenges the graduates will face and how ...
April 30, 2012
The Navy Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI) has been operational for more than 10 years and serves more than 810,000 users across the country. The network continues to mature every day with the implementation of new solutions and security measures designed to help Sailors and Marines perform their mission critical tasks more effectively and efficiently. ...
by Dan DelGrosso and Mike Hernon - April 20, 2012
Increasing the ability to conduct business on the go, away from a traditional office or desktop environment, can be a key enabler of the Department of the Navy's business transformation process. Arming DON personnel with access to the department's knowledge base regardless of their location will improve effectiveness in any new or improved business process.
by Thomas Kidd - April 20, 2012
Emerging technology has always compelled traditional spectrum management processes to adapt and evolve. The 2012 International Telecommunication Union World Radiocommunication Conference issued new international radio regulation treaty language regarding software defined radio and cognitive radio systems.
by Thomas Kidd and Mark Rossow - January 17, 2012
To achieve the most efficient use of communications-electronics (C-E) resources, the required capabilities of systems and equipment should be met during the procurement phase — rather than investing in equipment that may require redesign or retrofitting after development. Therefore, it is more critical than ever in these budget constrained times that program offices and procuring officials take advantage of processes ...
by Mike Hernon - January 17, 2012
In today's efforts to identify and leverage all potential efficiency opportunities, one area often overlooked is a device that hundreds of thousands of Department of Defense personnel carry every day — their mobile phone. With voice and data plans sometimes costing more than $100 a month, the DoD spends tens of millions of dollars on cellular bills every month to ensure that personnel away from the office have access to ...
by Sherrian Finneran - October 27, 2011
Since 1998, when Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act, all federal agencies, including the Department of Defense, are required to make electronic and information technology (E&IT) accessible to individuals with disabilities. The law applies to all federal agencies when they develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology.
by Mike Hernon - October 27, 2011
The Department of the Navy anticipates that personnel will begin teleworking in significant numbers when a new telework policy is released shortly. As a result, there will be explosive growth in the number of users who need to connect to the Navy Marine Corps Intranet and other government networks from remote locations, primarily from a home office, but also from other locations via cellular or Wi-Fi networks.
by Thomas Kidd and Mark Rossow - October 27, 2011
The electromagnetic spectrum is a unique resource. While in some ways it is similar to other resources, like oil or water, in other ways, it is very different. The electromagnetic spectrum is typically defined as the set of all non-ionizing radiation electromagnetic frequencies.
by Mike Hernon - August 19, 2011
This is a very active year in the area of enterprise mobility. In the commercial marketplace, dozens of new devices, the vast majority of which are tablets, were released, or announced for imminent release, as manufacturers race to meet growing consumer demand for greater mobile performance and functionality.
by Floyd Groce and Karen M. Davis - August 15, 2011
As all personnel within the Department of Defense and across the federal government are well aware, this is an era of increased budget scrutiny. However, with this scrutiny comes a new opportunity to assess and advance how DoD operates and to improve efficiency across a wide variety of business units and operations. As a significant budget item, the massive information technology infrastructure is no exception and offers ...
by Lynda Pierce - May 4, 2011
In the January-March 2011 issue of CHIPS, the Department of the Navy Chief Information Officer announced the DON CIO's role in addressing information technology/cyberspace efficiency initiatives and realignment in the Department of the Navy, in response to a memo released by the Under Secretary of the Navy Dec. 3, 2010. The Under Secretary directed the DON CIO to take the lead for this endeavor.
by Tom Kidd - February 25, 2011
Our atmosphere is filled with electromagnetic energy from many sources. These include manmade emissions from sensors and communications equipment, electrical power lines and generators, as well as natural emissions from lightning, the sun, cosmic radiation and other sources. The electromagnetic environment is all around us every day. For example, electromagnetic energy from the sun reflects off the moon and refracts ...
by Lynda Pierce - January 31, 2011
The Under Secretary of the Navy, The Honorable Robert O. Work, signed a memo, dated Dec. 3, 2010, addressing information technology (IT)/cyberspace efficiency initiatives and realignment in the Department of the Navy. The memo underscores the challenge from Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) Robert Gates to think about the DON's approach to IT initiatives and to centralize and consolidate efforts where it makes sense. Work ...
by Mike Hernon - January 21, 2011
Most of the buzz in the mobility world these days is about apps, apps and more apps. The growth in the number and variety of mobile applications during the past 18 months has been dramatic. This has been the result of the owners of mobile operating systems promoting their platforms to the application developer
community and providing free or low-cost development tools. Mobile devices now compete in the marketplace on ...
by Mike Hernon, Tony Soules and Bob Turner - May 22, 2010
Not a week goes by without an inquiry to the Department of the Navy Chief Information Officer or the Navy or Marine Corps Designated Approving Authority (DAA) regarding the desire to bring a commercial wireless device, usually a BlackBerry, into restricted areas where classified information is discussed, stored or otherwise processed.
by Tom Kidd - March 10, 2010
The DON CIO represented the DON at the first International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) joint seminar in September 2009. It was organized as an open forum for discussion of the ITU and WMO roles in the use of radio spectrum, space orbits and radio-based meteorological tools and systems for monitoring, mitigation and adaptation to climate change.
by Tom Kidd - March 10, 2010
While the range between 540 – 610 in terahertz (THz) is (literally) the "green" portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, that isn't what we are going to discuss here. This article introduces the concept of the electromagnetic spectrum as a critical resource in the study of climate change. The Department of the Navy electromagnetic spectrum community supports many different radio and telecommunication technologies ...
by Tom Kidd - March 10, 2010
It can be embarrassing to attempt to predict technology beyond its current development horizon. This is especially challenging when the technology has begun to accelerate exponentially. To predict the future of radio into the second half of the 21st century, we will need to look back at its development from a 19th century oddity, to a 20th century necessity, and into the early years of the 21st century.
by Mike Hernon - March 4, 2010
For years now, Navy Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI) users have jealously eyed the laptop-wielding, Wi-Fi-connected masses in coffee shops, hotels and airports as they turned idle time into productive time. Barred from full network access, NMCI users on the go had to settle for cellular phones, air cards and Outlook Web Access to provide mobile support. While these capabilities provide some fairly productive mobility tools, ...
by Mike Hernon and Bob Turner - November 12, 2009
Delivering a robust enterprise mobility capability to the Department of the Navy workforce requires leveraging various wireless tools at our disposal. One such tool, Short Message Service (SMS), or text messaging, is often overlooked but can provide significant benefits when used appropriately.
by Mike Hernon, Ken Brennan and Shirley Dolengo - August 19, 2009
The year was 1978 – the Bee Gees' "Night Fever" ruled the charts; "Mork and Mindy" first hit the airwaves; and it cost 15 cents to mail a letter, which people did a lot then because almost no one had e-mail. That year also witnessed the drafting of a Department of the Navy telecommunications policy that remains in effect today.
by Tom Kidd - August 19, 2009
Whether wireless voice, video or data, the number of wireless applications are increasing. Wireless capabilities can be as simple as a wireless doorbell system or as complex as a naval unmanned aerial system providing real-time intelligence to forward-deployed Marines and Sailors. While the use of wireless systems is certainly advantageous for mobile requirements, wired systems retain a number of inherent benefits for ...
March 2, 2009
On Feb. 10, 2009, the Department of the Navy Telecommunications Working Group was formally launched in conjunction with the West Coast DON IM/IT Conference held in San Diego. The working group was chartered by DON CIO to assist in the development and execution of strategies to deliver an optimized telecommunications environment.
February 2, 2009
The Department of the Navy is in the process of reforming its telecommunications environment. The guiding precept of this initiative is developing and implementing an enterprise management framework that will substantially improve the manner in which telecommunications are acquired, operated and accounted for. The new framework will replace the current piecemeal approach with one that adopts enterprise buying strategies ...
by Mike Hernon - December 3, 2007
The Department of the Navy is a dynamic enterprise with personnel constantly on the move between the office, temporary duty assignments and military deployments. Maintaining connectivity to voice and data services is essential to mobile workers so that they may perform their jobs as efficiently and effectively as possible. This capability, referred to as "enterprise mobility," is a critical component of the ongoing work ...