At the Army LandWarNet conference in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., this summer, for example, one of the plenary sessions featured a number of executives from companies involved in Army information technology. What was especially interesting was that session organizers took the time to ask staff members in the Army Chief Information Office/G-6 what questions they would most like to ask industry. The questions were:

• How could industry support the requirement to take modular capabilities and deploy them anywhere, with immediate connectivity and access to network-delivered capabilities, without the need to modify systems or configurations? How would industry create an environment that supports the “fight on arrival” imperative, global plug and play, and train as we fight?
• What is industry’s role in achieving the Army’s thrust to integrate generating and operating force into one cohesive force in support of total joint requirements, and what is needed from the Army to make this a reality?
• From what you know of the Army infostructure today, what three areas should the Army focus on—why and how?
• What lessons learned or areas of improvement—IT, communications, information assurance or network management—have come from overseas contingency operations? What specific areas can the government partner with industry to better support joint warfighters?
• The Army fights today in a coalition construct, which presents challenges within the U.S. military, and even more without international partners. What is U.S. industry doing to bridge this gap?
• In an era of increasing demand for new technology and flat or decreasing IT budgets, what approaches should the Department of Defense take to keep pace with the rate of technology change?

While the answers given by industry executives on the panel were good, the questions themselves provided valuable insight into what’s on the minds of those creating the Global Network Enterprise Construct.