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home > February, 2007 issue > article
DON CIO Rob Carey learns information lessons while serving in Iraq
Three months ago, Rob Carey became the Department of the Navy’s newest CIO. When he was named to the position, Carey was on active duty deployed to Iraq.
He replaced Dave Wennergren, who moved upstairs in the Defense Department to become the deputy Defense CIO and deputy assistant secretary for information management and IT, under John Grimes.
From Iraq, Carey provided Defense Systems editor Dawn S. Onley with e-mailed responses to questions.
DEFENSE SYSTEMS: Describe a typical day working as a Navy reservist in Iraq?
CAREY: A typical day in Iraq depends on your job, of course, but in some ways it can be like a day in the office of the DON CIO in Arlington, VA. There are meetings to attend, emails to answer, plans to develop and PowerPoint presentations or Excel spreadsheets to build. For members of my construction regiment, the day starts early, some up at 0500 to exercise, then off to breakfast around 0700 and into the workspaces by 0730-0800. It is a hive of activity around here until 2100-2200 when the day winds down. There are planning meetings to attend; some folks are working on projects in our Monster Garage (fabricating attachments for heavy equipment like up-armoring road graders). Some of our teammates head “outside the wire” — a place where the danger level increases dramatically — to help with some engineering expertise required for projects. A minor difference here though is that when we hear the siren that indicates incoming mortars, it’s a “fire drill” that is to be heeded.
DEFENSE SYSTEMS: What have you learned in Iraq that can be applied to DON IT?
CAREY: I have learned many things using the IT systems here in theater and observing the tactical use of information to conduct modern warfare.
Information is at the heart of every decision we make so the accuracy and speed of access to the decision-maker is profoundly affected by information systems, applications, bandwidth, etc. Of particular note are data, data architectures, and use of the web as a powerful tool to communicate information.
I have also learned and observed that IT systems are at the heart of nearly every piece of equipment here in theater, and there is a renewed need for interoperability and standards to drive development.
DEFENSE SYSTEMS: What was your biggest challenge working with IT in Iraq? Your greatest success?
CAREY: There are many successes here in Iraq, both on and off the battlefield. The effective use of information technology, whether it be in supporting combat operations or the ability to send an email home to a family member, has revolutionized how we conduct modern warfare.
The fact that decisions can be made in the United States with real time situational awareness of battlefield conditions is a testament to the Navy-Marine Corps team. The unparalleled success of witnessing the impact of information management and information technology is awesome.
However, the success does come with a few challenges in that occasionally systems may arrive (with high expectations) that are not interoperable with other systems on the same battlefield.
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