MARCH 7, 2023 – The Joint Munitions Command, headquartered at the Rock Island Arsenal in Rock Island, Illinois, is looking toward the future and beyond.
Col. Landis Maddox, the commander of JMC, has a laid out a plan which does that, and it’s JMC 2030. Maddox’s vision is aligned and nested with the National Defense Strategy, Army, and Army Materiel Command’s priorities and objectives.
Data and analytics are a key component of JMC 2030, which is a futuristic and progressive approach to set munitions preparedness on a strategic and sustainable path.
What is data and analytics?
“Data and analytics refers to the ways data is managed to support all uses of data, and the analysis of data to drive improved decisions, business processes and outcomes, such as discovering new business risks, challenges and opportunities,” according to an article on the topic, published online by Gartner, which is a consulting and tech research firm located in Stamford, Connecticut.
Data and analytics allow for more accurate, faster, and relevant decisions in an ever-changing climate. With the use of data and analytics, JMC will be more predictive and proactive, which will increase response time to the U.S. Department of Defense and ally foreign partner’s needs.
Utilizing data and analytics will position JMC to influence an enterprise-wide munitions strategy, which is supported by data-driven operations and execution excellence. As JMC leverages data and analytics, the focus will be on enriching its existing process. The command will continue using fact-based analytics in a way that supports the human element of the decision-making process.
JMC is taking the steps to become a data centric organization, which includes building a strategy around data and analytics, bolstering data literacy among its workforce, implementing data governance protocols, improving analytics, and integrating artificial intelligence and machine learning into its operations.
Understanding data is critical to enable enhanced, more accurate, and timely decision- making. The inability to aggregate, compare, and truly understand data adversely affects the ability to react and respond.
“People are the cornerstone of JMC, and the command will equip the workforce with the knowledge and skills to effectively analyze, govern, and use data,” Maddox said. “Our data strategy provides different perspectives dependent on the role an individual has.”
JMC’s data strategy delivers guiding principles, essential capabilities, and goals to enable the success of becoming data centric. These data-focused goals are summarized with the acronym VAULTIS: make data Visible, Accessible, Understandable, Linked, Trustworthy, Interoperable, and Secure.
JMC is enabling its workforce to make better data-informed decisions that contribute to the success of its mission. By using data to inform their work, individuals will feel more confident in the decisions they make and better understand the impact of their actions.
At the heart of JMC’s data strategy is a commitment to data literacy. To achieve this, JMC will provide training and resources, including workshops, online courses, and access to data and analytics tools.
To further enhance its data capabilities, JMC is adopting cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning. By analyzing vast amounts of data, JMC will evolve to make better predictions surrounding the needs and trends of Soldiers and ensure they’re ready, reliable, and lethal.
“As we move into the future, we will continue to provide the lethality needed for the Joint Warfighter to deploy, fight, and win against any adversary, anytime, and anywhere,” Maddox said. “Munitions readiness is why JMC exists. It’s what we do and will continue to do to be the recognized experts for munitions and logistics readiness.”
To learn more about JMC 2030, visit: https://tinyurl.com/2p932u4c
For further information about data centric centered companies, check out: https://hbr.org/2021/06/legacy-companies-need-to-become-more-data-driven-fast
Story by Matthew Wheaton
Joint Munitions Command