Communications validation

Army Communicator, Fall, 2006 by Anthony Roper

These are critical times for our Army and for the Signal Regiment. We have validated the communications requirements within the Army and will soon receive joint validation by the end of this fiscal year.

The Training and Doctrine Command Systems Manager has begun writing doctrine and training plans for our Soldiers and leaders so our Army can continue to meet its global commitments as it transforms to better meet future challenges.

The key to this is the efforts to synchronize this effort with the Army Campaign Plan. Our key transformation task is building the network that will enable battle command of highly deployable and mobile modular forces that are increasingly reliant on information.

To give Warfighter Information Network-Tactical capabilities the time it needed to mature new technologies we believe the intermediate solution, Joint Network Node, will continue to provide capabilities.

The introduction of these interim capabilities gives us better capabilities than our present network. This allows us to provide better support to Soldiers and commanders faster. Following this path, fielding a totally new system all at once, we will introduce advanced WIN-T capabilities and components, such as Satellite Communications-on-the-Move and limited Network Operations, as they become available.

Over time, in an evolutionary manner, the network will become fully supported by WIN-T capabilities. As we proceed, we will synchronize WIN-T development with Army programs that depend on WIN-T capabilities, such as the Future Combat Systems program.

We're getting great support from senior Army leaders who clearly understand the value of what JNN and WIN-T will bring to the force.

It is indeed an exciting time to be part of the Signal Regiment.

MAJ Roper is currently serving as an assistant TRADOC System Manager Warfighter Information Network--Tactical, at Fort Gordon, Ga. Roper is currently assigned as the Warfighter Information Network--Tactical Lead since 1994.

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ACRONYM QUICKSCAN

FCS--Future Combat Systems

FY--fiscal year

JNN--Joint Network Node

NETOPS--Network Operations

SATCOM--satellite communications

SOTM--SATCOM-on-the-Move

TRADOC--Training and Doctrine Command

TSM--TRADOC Systems Manager

WIN-T--Warfighter Information

Network--Tactical