Leveraging Information: Troika Supports Marine Corps Deputy Commandant for Information
Information is everywhere, from social media and GPS navigation to mobile apps and news at the touch of a screen. As information changes our daily lives, it is also changing the character of competition and conflict. The Department of Defense recognized the importance of information in 2016 by publishing a Strategy for Operations in the Information Environment, which noted an increased sense of urgency about the far-reaching impact of social media, the widespread availability of wireless communications, and lowered barriers of entry for adversarial non-state actors. The Marine Corps, ever adaptive to new environments and adversaries, positioned itself to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing and increasingly challenging information environment by standing up the Deputy Commandant for Information in October 2017. Troika Solutions has been there since the beginning, providing expertise to the Marine Corps’ newest DC. Now, a year later, DC I priorities are as important as ever. In fact, the Joint Staff approved Information as the seventh Joint Function in July 2017. Information is an instrument of national power and influence. U.S. competitors, such as Russia and China, are already organizing their national strategies and military forces to leverage information power to better compete and win future conflicts. To stay ahead of this evolving strategic environment, the U.S. must respond and outcompete when it comes to information.
“The Marine Corps must be synchronized and postured to leverage information policies, plans, and products to ensure our warfighters are well equipped to fight, and win, on today’s battlefield,” said Scott Uchytil, a senior cybersecurity expert for Troika who supports DC,I.
Four members of Troika Solutions are integrated into the DC I team, helping to develop strategic documentation for Operations in the Information Environment (OIE) within the Marine Corps, among other tasks. “Synchronizing efforts with Marine Corps operational forces for the advancement of OIE within the Marine Corps has greatly enhanced DC I’s ability to shape the information environment for the Marine Corps,” said Stuart Nachman, Director of Business Development for Troika.
Lt Gen Lori Reynolds serves as the current Deputy Commandant for Information. The three-star billet oversees all aspects of Information and leveraging the Informational aspects of military operations within the Marine Corps In addition to establishing DC I, Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen Neller directed the creation of a Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) Information Groups (MIGs) to "coordinate, integrate, and employ capabilities for OIE."
DC I is responsible for integration, advocacy, policy development, and oversight of OIE at the service level, while the MIGs are the vehicles to coordinate and integrate OIE at the tactical level. Supporting the operationalization of the MIGs ensures that “the warfighter has the necessary capability, capacity, and knowledge to engage, and defeat, our adversary on an extremely complex battlefield,” said Uchytil.
As DC I continues to operate in an increasingly information-dominant landscape, Troika Solutions will keep offering valuable knowledge and guidance to help those on the front lines of the “information battlefield” to achieve the mission. “Troika Solutions is extremely excited to be a part of U.S. Marine Corps efforts in this new, and ever-changing environment,” said Ken Lasure, Troika’s CEO. “We look forward to expanding DC I capacities to support the warfighter.”
To learn more about Troika Solutions’ services and partners, contact Troika Solutions at info@troikasol.com.