Page 31 - FCW, April 2017

What DOD’s
The Defense Department CIO might not be among the top 10 positions the Trump administration is rushing to fill, but the role could have an enormous impact in the coming years.
next CIO
The department’s next CIO will have a towering inbox thanks to the Trump administration’s stated focus on cyber- security, DOD’s ongoing transition to the Joint Information Environment and its need to sort out organizational changes mandated in the fiscal 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
will have to deal
Former CIO Terry Halvorsen stepped down in late Feb- ruary after a 37-year career in government, and Principal Deputy CIO John Zangardi stepped in as acting CIO. The Trump administration has yet to fill a number of top DOD positions, which means it could be a while before a perma- nent successor for Halvorsen is in place.
with
FCW spoke with Halvorsen; his predecessor, Teri Takai; and Air Force CIO Lt. Gen. Bill Bender about what lies ahead for the next DOD CIO and how he or she should prioritize those challenges.
The org chart imperative
Lawmakers have been tinkering with a number of key DOD positions in recent years. In the fiscal 2016 NDAA, Congress mandated that the CIO should be expanded into a Senate- confirmed chief management officer position — essentially reversing a split that was made when Takai assumed the CIO job in 2010.
In the 2017 NDAA, however, Congress reversed course and countermanded the planned merger.
The new law also mandates splitting the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (AT&L) into two offices, each led by an undersecre- tary. One office would be dedicated to research and engineer- ing, and one would focus on acquisition and sustainment.
Additionally, Congress directed the secretary of Defense to optimize the roles and responsibilities of the department’s CIO, deputy chief management officer (DCMO) and the two new undersecretaries.
Halvorsen, however, said he does not expect any substan- tive changes to the CIO’s role or its interactions with the secretary of Defense and the acquisition offices.
Takai said that although there might not be substantial changes in the organizational chart, the next CIO should lead the way on defining the culture and working relationship between the DCMO and the new undersecretaries. “Frankly, those roles have not played well in the sandbox before, and I think that is really an important part of what Congress is trying to get to,” she said.
She added that the Trump administration has an oppor- tunity to improve IT and management efficiencies at DOD, and “I think the CIO needs to take a leadership role in really addressing the implementation piece of that.”
Bender said it remains to be seen how the breakup of AT&L will affect the next CIO. “There is some prior author- ity or at least roles and responsibilities that were definitely partnered between AT&L and the CIO,” he said. “It will be
It could be months before the Defense Department has a new CIO, and he or she will face a host of organizational and operational challenges from Day One
BY SEAN D. CARBERRY
April 2017 FCW.COM 15