American servicemembers aid Iraqi communications Published Jan. 27, 2009 By Lt. Col. Daniel L. Steele Multinational Security Transition Command-Iraq deputy director of communications SATHER AIR BASE, Iraq (AFNS) -- Multinational Security Transition Command-Iraq directorate of communications officials in Baghdad currently are using Air Tasking Order concepts to shape the cyber battlefield for the Iraqi government. "We are trying to help people build a nation and create national self-sufficiency," said Col. Karlton Johnson, the MNSTC-I's director of communications. "We needed a strategy that would outlast all of us. Something enduring that we could pass on to our successors," he said. "MNSTC-I/J6's mission is to build up Iraq's (command, control, communications and computer) capacity and help them continue on without coalition support. We did not have a strategy for that, so we built one." In February 2008, the team built a 500-day plan. "Success leaves clues," Colonel Johnson said. "I've seen positive results from 500-day planning in several large military and governmental organizations including (the Defense Information Systems Agency), the Army (Chief Information Office), and a host of successful businesses." The first thing the team had to decide on was the objectives for the next 500 days. Colonel Johnson knew the MNSTC-I CG published forward four conditions to be successful in Iraq. The first condition was force generation. Force generation required that army, police, navy, and air forces could generate in time to meet Iraq's security situation and stay on track. The second condition was for Iraq to operate independently. Iraq needed to have sufficient numbers of trained leaders, soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and police assigned to ensure its security. The third condition was to have improved institutional performance. The Iraqi's needed to improve their ability to plan, program, and execute budgets and resource their force with proper manning, training, equipment, support and maintenance. The fourth condition was to strengthen professionalism. Professional and ethical leadership at all levels of the ISF and the security ministries was crucial to long-term self-sufficiency. American officials then prepared its centers of gravity, paring down the list to five strategic initiatives: coalition networks, information sharing, Iraqi information technology leadership, Iraqi networks and infrastructure, and strategic communications. The goal was to build capabilities, not dependency. The team then developed the "target" areas for the greatest effect. The combination of lists from each initiative became the master attack plan, made up of the 47 target packages. The platforms needed to achieve the desired effects of people, money, technology and expertise. Colonel Johnson then used a planning tool called the dynamic objectives in time list which, contained the target lists for each package. The tasks equate to Air Tasking Order targets, worked in continuous cycles, just like the ATO. The dynamic objectives in time list is based on a 30-day cycle, but it's virtually identical to the execution, 24- and 48-hour cycles of the ATO. There are four cycles in the dynamic objectives in time list: execution (30-day), final planning (60-day), initial planning (90-day), and long-range planning (one year). American servicemebers also created a heads up display where Colonel Johnson could track target status. It offers the team a simple way to get the daily combat assessment at the granularity to make effective decisions. Although considered an air centric planning tool, the ATO-based 500-day plan has proven remarkably effective in day-to-day management and long-range planning of theater communications for coalition forces and for the Iraq government. Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link) View the comments/letters page