Command releases concept development vision
U.S. Joint Forces Command has released a new vision for how the command will address joint concept development.
• Read the vision
By USJFCOM Public Affairs
(NORFOLK, Va. - June 2, 2009) -- The commander of U.S. Joint Forces Command, Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis, has released the command's Joint Concept Development Vision.
The vision provides guidance about how USJFCOM can develop, test and validate new concepts more efficiently, and transition those concepts quickly into doctrine that benefits joint warfighters.
In the vision's cover memo, Mattis said the objective is to set a high standard for official concepts without discouraging more exploratory conceptual work.
The memo continues by outlining some basic commander's guidance such as:
• Concept development will be based on a thorough understanding of current doctrine.
• Concepts will provide a clear and testable alternative to that doctrine.
• Concepts validated through experimentation, practical experience, analysis, and professional debate will be transitioned systematically and expeditiously into doctrine.
The vision outlines expectations from directorates across USJFCOM and subordinate commands. It involves coordination between the Joint Warfighting Center (JWFC), with responsibility for joint doctrine development, and the Joint Concept Development and Experimentation Directorate (J9), with responsibility for concept development. Supporting this effort are both the Strategy and Analysis Directorate (J5) and the Joint Center for Operational Analysis (JCOA).
According to Rear Adm. Dan Davenport, director of Joint Concept Development and Experimentation (J9), the vision is focused on developing concepts to solve compelling, real-world challenges now and in the future.
"The vision recognizes that concept development must be integrated with doctrine development to ensure that concepts focus on driving change and are transitioned to joint doctrine," Davenport said.
"With current doctrine and capabilities as a necessary baseline, concepts that are tested and ultimately validated through rigorous experimentation serve to drive doctrine, training, and other elements of the DOTMLPF (doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel and facilities) framework," said Army Maj. Gen. Jason Kamiya, USJFCOM director of joint training and the JWFC commander.
"This vision in my best judgment does three things. It establishes a disciplined, front end analysis to define the specific problem that an emerging concept is designed to solve and ensures a common understanding of that problem across multiple communities of interest.
"Second, through the establishment of such rigor and discipline, the vision also ensures that the concepts that are selected for further development are the ones that affords the most promise, adds the most immediate near, mid, and long-term value to the joint force," said Kamiya. "Finally, the vision establishes the necessary conditions for effective transition of concepts into all aspects of DOTLPF from which the characteristics and capabilities of the future joint force are derived," Kamiya said.
Since U.S. Joint Forces Command is not solely responsible for concept and doctrine development, this also will require close cooperation with other commands involved in the concept and doctrine development process according to the vision.
The vision's release comes as the command begins work this week with partners from across the government, industry and academia to take the Capstone Concept for Joint Operations (CCJO) in to a seminar wargame to refine concepts, identify implications for the joint force, and shape ways for the joint force of tomorrow.
The CCJO is a chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff vision document on how joint forces circa 2016-2028 will respond to a wide array of future security challenges.
"The CCJO wargame is the perfect example of the JCD Vision in action," Davenport said. He explained that the CCJO was drafted in response to the problems presented in the Joint Operating Environment. The JOE depicted an era of complexity and uncertainty characterized by rapid change and the CCJO outlined how the joint force would operate in response to those challenges.
"Now we're wargaming the CCJO to ensure we identify key risks and opportunities for shaping the future force and infuse insights, recommendations and lessons learned into doctrine and future joint force planning efforts. That's exactly what the vision prescribes."
The JCD vision is available for download by clicking here.
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