WASHINGTON — The Army’s chief technology officer, Alex Miller, visited Joint Task Force-District of Columbia (JTF-DC) on July 26 to assess the systems supporting the Make DC Safe and Beautiful mission and identify improvements ahead of large-scale events, including the Freedom 250 Grand Prix.
Working with senior leaders and members of the task force’s J6 communications and technology directorate, Miller moved beyond the briefing slides and demonstrated how his recommendations could be applied to the task force’s systems and processes.
“You get all the praise at the Pentagon,” Miller said. “When I talk to the National Security Council, they think super highly of you. It’s awesome. Keep doing the right thing.”
The J6 keeps JTF-DC’s people, systems and information connected. Its responsibilities include supporting radio and digital communications, securing necessary equipment, addressing communication dead zones and giving leaders a shared view of activity across the task force. By moving information between service members in the field, operations centers and senior leaders, those systems support better-informed decisions and reduce the time Soldiers and Airmen spend reporting.
Part of Miller’s review focused on the System Integration and General Information Leveraging team, led by 1st Lt. Ash Slagle. The team develops digital tools intended to simplify routine work and make mission information easier to understand and use.
Within 40 days of its formation, Slagle’s team delivered a common operating picture — a shared digital view of the mission — and smaller tools for other staff sections, with additional applications awaiting review. Using existing resources and knowledge gained from a single four-day course, the team focused on what JTF-DC personnel needed rather than building technology for technology’s sake.
“You don’t want your frontline troop to spend an hour filling out a form,” Slagle said.
Automating portions of the reporting process also reduces repeated radio traffic after service members have moved to another location or begun responding to a different situation, giving them more time to focus on their assigned duties.
The same approach could help JTF-DC expand its systems for future large-scale events. During the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, leaders will need to follow changing conditions while personnel operate across multiple locations across the district.
Slagle said the team hopes its work can eventually benefit organizations beyond JTF-DC. Its tools and development process could offer a model for other National Guard organizations seeking to improve how they collect, share and act on information.