ALIGNING USAF STUDENT RESEARCH WITH STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

The United States Air Force (USAF) is not effectively utilizing the student research ecosystem to contribute toward USAF strategic priorities. This project researched how the USAF can enhance student research to contribute toward senior leaders’ requirements. The USAF needs to align academic research to provide solutions toward strategic competition in a resource-constrained environment. Aligning research to problems can only enhance the resulting innovation. We submitted a survey to 1,175 USAF students at civilian institutions. Of 266 responses, 83% had a deliverable requirement, 81% did not receive information about current USAF research priorities and funding opportunities, 91% would have considered incorporating USAF research priorities into their graduate research if they had received information about them, and 95% would potentially use a mobile application that gives access to prioritized USAF research questions, command sponsorships, and funding. Not aligning USAF-sponsored academic research with strategic priorities is mainly an organizational problem. First, the USAF should improve the talent management process to match students to appropriate research fields. Second, the USAF should improve education about academic resources for aligning research, finding sponsors, and securing funding. Lastly, the USAF should connect existing AFIT/CI students across the research ecosystem via a mobile application endorsed by Air Education and Training Command.Lieutenant Colonel, United States Air ForceMajor, United States Air ForceApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited

FROM FLIGHT LINES TO HEADLINES: HARNESSING TACTICAL AIR FORCE INFORMATION WARFARE FOR STRATEGIC EFFECTS

The current United States Air Force (USAF) information operations (IO) force posture, which operates predominately at the operational level with a small portion integrated at the tactical level within Special Operations Wings (SOW), is not distributed to effectively exploit the informational aspects of military activities. This research highlights the criticality of integrating IO officers across the levels of warfare, emphasizing their potential in conventional tactical units. This research analyzes the untapped synergy of IO, Agile Combat Employment (ACE), and air advising and finds that their integration demonstrates how integrated deterrence can be operationalized. Moreover, the study reveals discrepancies between doctrinal prescriptions and operational realities, which have led to impractical and occasionally inaccurate interpretations of how IO is employed in practice. In response, this research recommends revising the roles and functions of IO officers to align more closely with operational realities. Finally, the research advocates instilling an IO practitioner mindset across the force, emphasizing the significance of cognitive resilience—the capacity to counter foreign malign influence—as a fundamental function of IO. These recommendations aim to fortify the USAF’s tactical integration of IO, ensuring a more dynamic and resilient force capable of addressing the complexities of modern conflict.Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.Captain, United States Air Forc

A Comparative Assessment of Knowledge Management Education Across the United States Department of Defense

Knowledge is a critical resource for organizations today, especially to the DoD. When organizations understand what knowledge is, they can begin to draw value from it. Drawing value from knowledge is best accomplished through the processes of knowledge management: knowledge creation, knowledge storage and retrieval, knowledge transfer, and knowledge application (Alavi and Leidner, 2001). Organizations can create an environment in which these processes flourish by ensuring the organization has the elements of a supportive leadership, structure to control and optimize knowledge sharing, technology to facilitate the KM processes, and a commitment to maximize knowledge sharing and continuously improve (Stankosky et al, 1999). KM education is the means by which organizations can successfully develop an understanding of KM, and those organizational elements required to implement and institutionalize KM. Statistical evidence shows that those organizations that do not adequately address KM education are more likely to fail with their KM systems (Koenig, 2004). Organizations desiring to capitalize on knowledge should then ensure that their KM education efforts are effective by establishing education goals, developing a curriculum to meet these goals, and continuously evaluating goal attainment. This case study research documents how the DoD is addressing knowledge management education

LEVERAGING SCIENCE AND ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT DURING INCIDENTS

On June 25th- 26th, 2019, CRRC and NOAA OR&R co-sponsored a workshop at the San Francisco State University, Estuary & Ocean Science Center’s Romberg Tiburon Bay Conference Center, in Tiburon CA. The workshop titled “Leveraging Science and Academic Engagement During Incidents”, focused on the integration of academic resources and expertise into a conventional oil spill response. The goal of this workshop was to provide focused discussion regarding lessons learned from academic engagement during oil spill response, with participants from industry, government and academia

Applied Research Exemplars

The Center for Homeland Defense and Security’s unique academic environment brings together mid- and senior-level government officials with world-renowned faculty and experts in the diverse disciplines that comprise homeland security. The CHDS classroom is a place where participants think critically about homeland security issues and work collaboratively to develop strategic solutions. Master’s degree participants research and write course papers along with a final thesis. These original works concentrate on proposing creative policies, strategies and approaches to the public safety challenges facing their agencies and the broader homeland security community

Fleet Arctic Operations Game

The United States Naval War College (NWC) in Newport, Rhode Island hosted the Fleet Arctic Operations Game (FAOG) on 13-16 September 2011. The FAOG was developed and executed under the sponsorship of Commander, Second Fleet (C2F) initially and then Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces (USFF) following the integration of the two staffs. The purpose of the FAOG was to identify gaps that limit sustained maritime operations in the Arctic and recommend DOTMLPFP actions in order to inform United States Navy leadership. After reviewing the research literature, the game sponsor and NWC Wargaming Department (WGD) jointly developed three overarching objectives based on C2F s areas of interest: Develop prioritized DOTMLPF-P maritime actions which support implementation of the Arctic Road Map; List the DOTMLPF-P gaps in maritime forces ability to conduct sustained maritime operations in the Arctic; and Develop near-term strategies to mitigate these identified gaps. These objectives were framed to consider the operational level factors (e.g., risk, time space, force composition, physical and environmental) that influence the maritime force s ability to perform its missions. Additionally, these objectives allowed for consideration of potential partnerships and interoperability issues encountered among U.S. and international forces and organizations

The AFIT ENgineer, Volume 2, Issue 3

In the AFIT in Space Special Issue: Data From Space AFIT Space History Timeline AFIT Alumni in Space Research at AFIT\u27s Center for Space Research and Assurance Space Academic Programs AFIT Women in STEM and Space Also... D\u27Azzo Research Library Named Federal Library of the Year Launch of the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Graduate Certificate Progra

Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate: Developing Technology to Protect America

In response to a congressional mandate and in consultation with Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), the National Academy conducted a review of S&T's effectiveness and efficiency in addressing homeland security needs. This review included a particular focus that identified any unnecessary duplication of effort, and opportunity costs arising from an emphasis on homeland security-related research. Under the direction of the National Academy Panel, the study team reviewed a wide variety of documents related to S&T and homeland security-related research in general. The team also conducted interviews with more than 200 individuals, including S&T officials and staff, officials from other DHS component agencies, other federal agencies engaged in homeland security-related research, and experts from outside government in science policy, homeland security-related research and other scientific fields.Key FindingsThe results of this effort indicated that S&T faces a significant challenge in marshaling the resources of multiple federal agencies to work together to develop a homeland security-related strategic plan for all agencies. Yet the importance of this role should not be underestimated. The very process of working across agencies to develop and align the federal homeland security research enterprise around a forward-focused plan is critical to ensuring that future efforts support a common vision and goals, and that the metrics by which to measure national progress, and make changes as needed, are in place

Expanding alliance: ANZUS cooperation and Asia–Pacific security

Is an alliance conceived as a bulwark against a resurgence of Japanese militarism and which cut its military and intelligence teeth in the Cold War is still relevant to today’s strategic concerns? Overview The alliance between Australia and the US, underpinned by the formal ANZUS Treaty of 1951, continues to be a central part of Australian defence and security thinking and an instrument of American policy in the Asia–Pacific. How is it that an alliance conceived as a bulwark against a resurgence of Japanese militarism and which cut its military and intelligence teeth in the Cold War is still relevant to today’s strategic concerns? The answer is partly—and importantly—that the core values of the ANZUS members are strongly aligned, and successive Australian governments and American presidential administrations have seen great value in working with like-minded partners to ensure Asia–Pacific security. Far from becoming a historical curiosity, today it’s not just relevant, but of greater importance than has been the case in the past few decades. To explore new ideas on how to strengthen the US–Australia alliance, ASPI conducted a high-level strategic dialogue in Honolulu in July this year. Discussions canvassed the future strategic environment; the forthcoming Australian Defence White Paper; budget, sovereignty and expectation risks; and cooperation in the maritime, land, air, cyber, space and intelligence domains. A key purpose of the Honolulu dialogue was to help ASPI develop policy recommendations on the alliance relationship for government. This report is the product of those discussions