In a process that began in earnest last November, the U.S. Army is tackling a monumental task: overhauling its digital and technical services. The command officers involved are pushing aggressively for completion by this fall.
The New York Post reported the overhaul could offer anticipated savings of $89 million. But the price may not be as important as streamlining decades-old and antiquated systems and procedures that support personnel still must learn and navigate — even for things as basic as retrieving accurate veteran and family records.
According to the Post, Army Chief Information Officer Leonel Garciga said the Army still relies on an "outdated," hands-on-paper process for those personnel records, at a cost of about $43 million a year to maintain and utilize.
Garciga told the Post that an Army review of its digital infrastructure showed it had close to 1,000 different business systems in use five years ago. That number has since dropped to less than 300. And 80 more may be eliminated within another year.
The Department of Government Efficiency has been helping with the Army systems overhaul, which Garciga said has worked well. "They have definitely been a great asset in helping us think through some problems."
The Pentagon's Digital Defense Service also has a hand in projects like this. DDS Director Jennifer Hay recently posted a podcast on the subject, and how "Technology should empower, not hinder, the mission, and with an emphasis on a user-centric approach."