Information Technology: How it shaped the Military Force - Research Paper Example

?Information Technology: How it shaped the Military Force 0 Introduction The military forces of the United s of America have recognized the benefits of implementing technological infrastructures by maximizing information technology systems. It is postulated that information technology plays a significant role in molding military knowledge especially on weapons skills, thus, revolutionizing war mechanisms by various military forces (Goldman, 2005, p. 1). However, aside from skills improvement, information technology has also affected these military personnel on different levels as organizational, social and personal levels. This paper then aims to discuss how information technology (IT) has changed the daily lives of the enlisted men and women serving in conflict torn areas in terms of communication, organizational security and development, skills development, housing and medical. With the aid of academic literatures, this paper also aims to define information technology as used in this paper to provide a background as to how information technology relates to the US military, and provide a historical background of the utilization of IT in the US military forces to probe on how technology has affected military forces across different eras. 2.0 Information Technology (IT) Generally, Information Technology or IT is the processing of information by the computer systems which are greatly used for communication, data security and storage (Stoyles, Pentland, & Demant, 2003, p. 4). Thus, information technology helps the people in gathering, sharing and storing of data in a convenient and fast manner. Moreover, according to Yadav (2006, p. 2), information technology includes television sets, published works, computers and the Internet (which are common technologies used at home and offices) and any other media platforms where people can acquire information. In the context of the military forces, information technology relates to the Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA) wherein information technology is used for weaponry, surveillance mechanisms, processing of information, and organizational transformations of different military units (Goldman, 2005, p. 1). These benefits center on the organizational advantage of the force. Part of the utilization of information technology of the US corps is also to provide personal benefits to the military soldiers as privatization of housing through IT, skills development and telemedicine programs. 3.0 IT and the Military: History In the early days of war fighting, various nations have adopted new technologies that brought radical changes in fighting. The end of World War II has marked the birth of atomic bombs where it was later developed to hydrogen bombs (Perry, 2004, p. 235). As people become more knowledgeable on the use of technology, the weapons and war instruments have also metamorphosed to a more advanced state. Furthermore, as the Soviet Union and the United States of America are creating war technologies based on fatal situations, both countries have developed missiles (Perry, 2004, p. 235). War weaponry continuously evolved which now includes new systems as satellites, smart sensors and new aircrafts to name a few. However, during the 1990s, as information technology slowly shapes the American society, and likewise, the US military has also acknowledged the importance of such technological advancement to further develop its strategies and principles that will ensure the dominance of the forces of the US military (Dombrowski & Gholz, 2006, p. 1). As information technology in the military forces centers on the war fighting improvement, they have implemented “network-centric warfare,” thereby providing a centralized infrastructure that allows communication, detection mechanics, commanding and controlling systems, combat information and battleground bearings among others that can be accessed by various military personnel (X. Wang, Wei, & H. Wang, 2012, p. 573). From the mechanical war instruments, the advent of more advance technologies paved way for the creation of digitized war tools that are relatively more advanced, precise, accessible to many personnel, multi-usage and convenient. 4.0 Effects and Roles of IT 4.2 Simulation Part of information technology is the development of virtual gaming systems that help in the skills simulation during military trainings. This aspect of information technology has proved its effects on the US military after over twenty (20) years that the Department of Defense has shown its interests in maximizing these computer game technologies (Herz & Macedonia, 2002, p. 6). The US military has used computer games to boost performances in the training period of the military personnel to help improve their chances of succeeding in their military operations. As stated by Herz and Macedonia (2002, p. 7), computer games such as the Jane’s Fleet Command which has been modified by Naval War College to suit the likeness of their real life operations to the virtual game. Furthermore, the game Sub Command also allows the users to navigate and manage submarines and missiles planning. Other computer games like Battlezone, which allows a “first person shooter,” is used during training to improve the coordination of the senses like the eyes and hands of the fighter (Herz & Macedonia, 2002, p. 7). These kinds of virtual games are utilized by the military institutions to improve and develop the skills of the students before they are allowed to handle the real equipment. Thus, allowing the students the ease of strategically using the war instruments to their advantage during the real battle. Secondly, virtual games are also instruments to develop teamwork among the military personnel which is vital to their military operations due to its complexity and dangers. The game Marine Doom has features that educate the soldiers on attack sequencing techniques, command succession and effective team support mechanisms among others (Herz & Macedonia, 2002, p. 7). As the information technology transgresses from one generation to another, it has helped the military in their day-today operations by providing confidence in their capabilities of succeeding in the war arena. Moreover, the limitless possibilities of the evolution of different virtual games also allow the military force to further develop their skills in war fighting. 4.3 Tactic Network Improvement Aside from personal skills development, information technology also allows the military force to develop their organizational tactics which focus on commands systems, communication and military network. The information technology system implemented by the US military also lies in the network centric warfare where it allows the easy transmission, information awareness, seamless flow of command, increase lethal targeting, and increase the chances of survival among others (Mait, Chait, & Sciarretta, 2005, p. 4-5). This form of information technology allows the US military in creating strategic systems that will aid them in their operations. For instance, their Global Information Grid (GIG) allows the personnel to be wired in one system to instigate data sharing process (Mait, Chait, & Sciarretta, 2005, p. 5). They also affirm other US military information system which features not only data but also allows the transmission of audio-visual materials to different channels, which is the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) (Mait, Chait, & Sciarretta, 2005, p. 5). These are only few of the information technologies that are developed and implemented by the US military that have significant impact on the lives of the military personnel by enhancing their capacities. Furthermore, although not directly, these technologies do not only mean convenience and increased tactics but as well as increasing their chances of survival in the course of doing their duties in the lives of these personnel. Figure 1.0 below, shows the network enterprise of the US military, whereby showing the elements of the network that are essential in combat (Alberts, Garstka, & Stein, n.d., p. 88). This flow chart also demonstrates the process of how the information or knowledge and awareness are being created in the battle arena. It is also important to note that this chart exhibits the benefits of the network centric warfare (which are also discussed above). Figure 1.0 Network Centric Warfare (Alberts, Garstka, & Stein, n.d., p. 89) 4.4 Housing Projects On the personal level, the deployment of military soldiers both men and women to conflicted areas has refrained them from the comforts of going home. Thus, the US government has found the need of providing these personnel with housing infrastructures that are admissible and are located near military installations (Forgionne, 1999, p. 87). Furthermore, to ensure full enjoyment of this benefit, the housing infrastructure is backed-up with a “decision support system” named “Housing Revitalization Support Office Systems” (HRSOS) (Forgionne, 1999, p. 87). As the US military forwards the privatization of the housing projects, they have maximized this system to be able to provide appropriate administration of their housing systems. The HRSOS is a consolidation of “econometrics, databases and simulations together with other decision-making support tactics” (Forgionne, 1999, p. 87). The system has aided the US military in providing good housing projects through the following procedures: (1) the HRSOS management creates and develop housing projects and how these projects can be implemented; (2) disseminate these information to various military installation areas; (3) auditing procedures are then done by the Office of Management and Budget, Department of Defense and the Government Accounting Office together with other involved government agencies to oversee the whether these projects have complied to given rules, policies, regulations and guidelines (Forgionne, 1999, p. 88). These procedures ensure that the US government can provide proper decisions in the implementation of the housing program. Through the information technology infrastructure the military personnel are given the chance to live together with their families in an acceptable and well managed housing unit. This clearly shows how information technology has affected the lives of the corps despite being in conflict areas. 4.5 Telemedicine Due to the dangers of being deployed in areas with high risks of health and other physical injuries, the US military has expanded the utilization of information technology by developing and using telemedicine programs to ensure the health and safety of the military personnel. Telemedicine is the collaboration of information and communication technology or ICT and the interconnectivity of different computer networks to address and transmit medical information from one area to another (Brown, 1996 as cited in B. Fong, A. C. Fong, & Li, 2011). An example of successful telemedicine procedure is the use of “telemedicine video imaging” in identifying and mending the fracture in the “hairline spinal” of a patient from a far-flung area by a medical expert in North Carolina University Hospital without the patient being traveled (B. Fong, A. C. Fong, & Li, 2011). Below is a simple diagram of how telemedicine works. Figure 2.0 Telemedicine (B. Fong, A. C. Fong, & Li, 2011) According to Girard (2007, p. 1017), in the US military, telemedicine technologies are used for determining injuries and sickness, and provide support during the healing process of the soldier (especially during the retirement stage of the personnel). Moreover, the telemedicine or telehealth program of the military allows the creation and updating process of the electronic records of the patient; increase effectivity through allowing computer -supported “medical instructions,” collective mission practice, and the surgical simulation systems (Maheu, Whitten, & Allen, 2001, p. 106). A specific example of an effective telemedicine technology of the US military is their teleradiology which is a component of their digital imaging technology, where it has dispense the use of X-ray films which are harder to store, and instead has used digital imaging which has higher storage life (Mun, Levine, Cleary, & Dai, 1998, p. 21.). As the military men and women are located in war torn areas, hospitals or medical care are also hours from the installation area. Thus, through the technology medical treatments, which are very essential in the military, are now easily accessed by the military personnel. The technology provides the advantage of giving immediate medical attention to the military personnel whose duties lie between life and death. Conclusion The advent of more advanced technologies in data and information transmissions has been a vital tool in improving the lives of the enlisted men and women that are deployed in conflicted areas. The technology has been utilized for organization development and increase the security of the troops, thereby providing higher chances of surviving and succeeding during wars. Also, these technologies have been so advanced that even illness treatment can be done from different areas of the world through the transmission of information. The information technology has also allowed the soldiers to be with their families even when they are out of their countries through the housing projects that are given to them. These technologies do not only help in improving the daily lives of the military in the short term; rather, these technologies are continually studied and developed to give sustainable and long term information technology solutions for the people whose lives are always at the verge of danger. References Alberts, D. S., Garstka, J. J., & Stein, F. P. (n.d.). Network centric warfare: Developing and leveraging information superiority. 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