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Information Technology in the federal enterprise does not work like it does in Hollywood. Although there are plenty of success stories to go around, federal IT is more limited and constrained than we would all want, for lots of reasons. Some of the reasons are just do to complexities and limited budgets. Some of the reasons are for security. Some of the reasons are because of the way the government funds its agencies and manages programs. And some of reasons are because we humans have designed things using the wrong models and implemented them to serve workflows that are flawed to begin with.

SIGNAL welcomes Dr. Linton Wells II as the new Incoming columnist.

What does the United States need to make its efforts in Afghanistan successful? According to Dr. Linton Wells II, the answer is sharing unclassified information.

The problems presented by information technology acquisition pale in comparison to those of cybersecurity acquisition. Challenges range from rapidly changing requirements to outmoded criteria for the security work force. And, these challenges coalesce against the backdrop of an ever-increasing cyberspace menace that is growing in both size and sophistication worldwide.

Improving the way we share unclassified information is essential to the success of the president’s strategy for Afghanistan. The reason is straightforward: The United States and its coalition partners must engage effectively with the populations they are trying to influence to achieve the social, political and economic goals for which their military forces have been committed. In Afghanistan, these populations include governments at various levels, security forces, businesses and the Afghan people. Unclassified information is the path to most of these audiences. It also is a key channel for them to help us understand their needs and the knowledge they have.

Your family’s whereabouts are a military secret. Well, not really. However, treating them like they are can help keep you and your loved ones safe from the people who are constantly searching the Internet looking for information that would allow them to take advantage of an empty house.

"The days of the linear battlefield are long over with. In today's asymmetrical environment, it's probably more important than ever to know not only where the bad guys are, but where the friendlies are."--Maj. Theo Kang, USA

SIGNAL Magazine and AFCEA wish everyone a safe and happy New Year!

If a recipe has more than three ingredients or doesn't require a can opener, I'm lost. Kitchen savvy I'm not, but I do like to eat, so I have to learn some cooking skills to keep my stomach happy. The Betty Crocker Mobile Cookbook can help hungry folks like me learn to create edible, even tasty, recipes.

On January 12, AFCEA's Small Business Committee will be hosting "Federal Legislative Overview" as part of its Small Business Toolkit Series. The guest speaker for the event is Gregory Willis, counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.