On 12 May 09, representatives of Spectrum attended the Joint Warfighting 09 Conference luncheon held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. This conference is an annual event sponsored by the Armed Forces Communications and Electronic Association (AFCEA) and the U.S. Naval Institute, in coordination with U.S. Joint Forces Command. Spectrum proudly sponsored a table at the luncheon and several Spectrum employees attended the event. Also at the table were three of our important customers from the Intelligence Integration Division Joint Transformation Command-Intelligence office.

This year’s conference theme was Building a Balanced Joint Force: How Best to Meet Demands of the Future Security Environment. The luncheon was hosted by QinetiQ and the guest speaker was General Martin E. Dempsey the Commanding General for the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command. General Dempsey, a combat veteran, focused on the need to quickly adapt to the ever-changing dynamics of our enemies organizations. In particular, he discussed the concept of centralized versus decentralized organizations and the ability for a decentralized enemy group to operate without the need for higher command authorities. This ability to adapt allows decisions to be pushed down to the lowest levels affected on the battlefield. This very concept is what the Joint Forces is trying to develop as they adapt to a new breed of warfighter and a new breed of organizational structures. Improvisation, on-the-fly adaptation, and short lines of communication will help as the battlefield evolves from all-out war to insurgency-type operations. He emphasized the need to train the warfighters in a much quicker cycle than we do today and to make that training as realistic as possible.

This event provided an opportunity to host our customers, discuss ongoing issues, and hear the vision of a leader shaping the future of Joint Force operations. Spectrum is a proud sponsor of AFCEA events and is active in the local chapter.