Consider that in the 21st century, communications, media, information and information services will become 50 percent of America's gross national product — and its primary export — ranging from movies and television programs to music and computer software, according to reports from the U.S. Commerce Department.
With so much of America's financial security tied to information and information technology, not only do we have to do better in protecting and defending our information technology investments and intellectual capital, but we have to become even better at innovation to maintain America's role as a global giant in IT products and services.
Warfighter support to the combatant commands, security and innovation are the hallmarks of the Joint Staff Director for C4 Systems, Vice Adm. Nancy E. Brown, and her staff. Since the admiral returned to the Joint Staff in August 2006, she has issued several important documents in support of joint warfighting. The CHIPS staff and DON IT Umbrella Program team are honored to feature Vice Adm. Brown's interview as the centerpiece of the CHIPS' anniversary issue.
The Navy is a world leader in embracing and advancing new technologies. In late March, the participants of Trident Warrior 2007, the premier FORCEnet Sea Trial event, conducted a series of experiments involving about 80 technologies. The aim of the experiments is to get new capabilities into the hands of warfighters more quickly — not only for national defense, but for humanitarian relief efforts — whether here at home — or to assist neighbors in need worldwide. You can read about TW07 in a series of articles beginning on page 16.
In addition to Trident Warrior, the CHIPS staff attended the DON IM and IT Conference in February at the San Diego Convention Center. Look for CHIPS at the next DON IM and IT Conference June 18-21, 2007, at the Virginia Beach Convention Center.
Where were you 25 years ago when CHIPS was launched? I confess, I was using a Commodore 64 or some variant at home and a Zenith at work. Yikes! The day I got a Pentium III, I thought life couldn't get much better.
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