What You Need to Know About Changes to the Army CIO/G-6

By the end of August, the Army will split the chief information officer (CIO/G-6) role into two separate positions — CIO and Deputy Chief of Staff (DCS) of the G-6. Each role will have separate headquarters, each with its own supporting organization. In terms of staffing the new organizations, the Army is primarily focused on utilizing the resources and funding that they currently have. As a result, a major shift in new names and faces is not anticipated at this time.

The CIO Role

Lt. Gen. Bruce Crawford, the current CIO/G-6, will maintain his role until he moves on to his next assignment. Upon his transition, when that comes, the new CIO will be another three-star general and a member of the secretariat.  

The CIO will be the principal advisor to the Secretary on the effects of information resource management and information technology on warfighting capabilities. As the technology subject matter expert, the CIO will also have the responsibility for creating policy.

The DCS G-6 Role

The DCS G-6 role will be filled by another three-star general who will be responsible for supporting planning and strategy, along with oversight of the Army’s enterprise and tactical networks. The DCS G-6 will be the principal military advisor to leadership on network communication issues and the effects on warfighting capabilities and will also be responsible for implementing CIO policies.

Why Split the CIO/G-6 role?

The splitting of the CIO role is anticipated to bring additional focus on IT modernization, policy and the utilization of data as a strategic asset. The last time these roles were altered was when the CIO and G-6 positions were moved into one organization — which was almost two decades ago.

Having a streamlined approach for policy is essential for the successful integration and development of emerging technologies and the Army will take a three-pronged approach. The CIO will be responsible for the development and oversight of policy, the DCS G-6 will be responsible for the strategy and implementation and the Army Cyber Command (ARCYBER) will continue their role in execution.

The department is focused on reforming their processes to enable the shift from the Industrial Age to the Information Age. For the next couple of fiscal years, there will be an enhanced focus on cultivating an environment that is conducive for the Army to reach its technological goals, leading  the way to greater focus on emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and 5G capabilities.

The new role of the CIO and DCS G-6 in the Army will bring additional focus on the information domain and the formation of guiding policy. Expect to see a heightened focus on emerging technology in the upcoming fiscal years.

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