Network Enterprise Technology Command and Installation Managemant Agency stand up; team Signal adds third hat - Updates

FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii -- As a result of ongoing Army transformation efforts, the new fiscal year ushered in several major organizational changes within the Army, which resulted in the addition of a third hat for COL Monica Gorzelnik and the staff at 516th Signal Brigade headquarters and U.S. Army Pacific G-6.

The Department of the Army announced the stand-up of the new U.S. Army Installation Management Agency and the redesignation of the former Army Signal Command as the new U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command/9th Army Signal Command, both effective Oct. 1, 2002.

"The new IMA shifts installation-management oversight responsibility from major commands to the IMA, which should streamline headquarters, reduce layers of review and approval and allow commanders to focus on their mission," Gorzelnik told her headquarters staff at a Town Hall session Sept. 6, 2002.

"The IMA is composed of seven regional directorates, including the Pacific Region, based here at Fort Shafter," Gorzelnik explained. "As the Army's senior Signal Corps officer in the Pacific Region, I picked up my third hat as regional chief information officer."

As RCIO, Gorzelnik reports to IMA's acting Pacific Region director, Stanley Sokoloski.

Garrison commanders in Alaska, Hawaii and Japan, who used to report to USARPAC's major subordinate commands, also now report to Sokoloski. Wearing their director of information management hats, the four dual-hatted Signal battalion commanders/DOIMs report through the garrison commanders to the IMA Pacific Region.

(As battalion commanders, they still report to Gorzelnik as brigade commander).

"This new IMA process will eliminate migration of installation-support dollars, such as base communications for the Signal family, and achieve regional efficiencies and equitable services via across-the-boards standards," Gorzelnik said.

"Since we're in the first year of this new IMA organization, funding streams and other 'kinks' are still being ironed out," she added, "but this reorganization is a good thing for Army commanders and warfighters."

Before Oct. 1, 2002, the former ASC reported to Forces Command. NETCOM/9th ASC now reports directly to the Army's chief information officer/G-6, LTG Peter Cuviello.

MG James Hylton commands NETCOM from his headquarters at Fort Huachuca, Ariz. However, the command also maintains a presence in the National Capital Region--where NETCOM's deputy commander, BG Velma "Von" Richardson (see newsbrief, Page 57), is assigned--and operates regional offices at Fort Monroe, Va; Rock Island, Ill; Fort McPherson, Ga.; and Fort Sam Houston, Texas. The 5th Signal Command provides RCIO support to the European region in Heidelberg, Germany, while 1st Signal Brigade is responsible for the Korean region in Seoul, Korea.

At a Pentagon press conference Sept. 19, 2002, it was explained that NETCOM/9th ASC will operate, maintain and defend the Army's communications networks. It will be responsible for technically integrating the disparate capabilities for command, control, communications and computers Army-wide. NETCOM will provide an "infostructure" responsive to the Army's warfighting missions through one strategic-communications network to forward-deployed forces.

"By creating an enterprise-level infostructure, the Army is now postured to execute the functions critical to information management," Hylton said at the press conference. "These include functions associated with network operations, management and defense, information-dissemination management and information assurance. Centralization of authority over these functions will ensure secure, dependable and timely communications across the Army from the foxhole to the White House."

Wearing her hat as 516th Signal Brigade's commander, Gorzelnik reports to Hylton. Gorzelnik's third hat as G-6 for USARPAC remains essentially unchanged. As G-6, she reports to LTG James Campbell, USARPAC's commander.

Mr. McPherson is 516th Signal Brigade's public-affairs officer.

COPYRIGHT 2003 U.S. Army Signal Center
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