Q&A: Brigadier General Steven A. Hummer
Written by Jeff McKaughan
Synchronizing Information, Technology and
Business Processes for USSOCOM
Brigadier General Steven A. Hummer
Chief of Staff
U.S. Special Operations Command
Hummer served as an infantry platoon commander and a company commander in 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines in Hawaii. Following that assignment he served as a ceremonial company commander at Marine Barracks, 8th and I streets, Washington, D.C. Then, he attended the Marine Corp’s Amphibious Warfare School in Quantico, Va., and graduated with honors. Next, he was assigned as the Small Boat Company commander with 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, which was the first battalion to deploy from Camp Pendleton, Calif., in the Marine Corps’ new Marine Expeditionary Unit–Special Operations Capable (SOC) program. From there, he was assigned to the 1st Marine’s Regimental Enhanced Training School, which taught eight special operations skills to deploying battalions. His next assignment was the Marine Corps’ Command and Staff College. From there he was assigned as the operations officer to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (SOC). After 18 months, he was assigned to the III Marine Expeditionary Force Special Operations Training Group as the Special Missions Section Head for training Marines in hostage recovery, direct action and other special missions. Selected for battalion command, he transferred to 1st Battalion, 1st Marines and served not only as the battalion commander but also as the Maritime Special Purpose Force commander responsible for conducting hostage recovery, gas and oil platform seizure, and VBSS missions. After 27 months as a battalion commander, he attended the Air War College and was subsequently assigned to the Expeditionary Training Group–Pacific in Coronado, Calif., where he lead a training cadre responsible for training in close air support and Naval gunfire missions as well as computer wargaming. From there he was selected to command 7th Marines, an armored/mechanized regiment at Twentynine Palms, Calif. He commanded 7th Marines for the initial invasion of Operation Iraqi Freedom and seized almost one-third of Baghdad. Upon completion of command, he was assigned as the chief of staff of U.S. Joint Special Operation Command. His next assignment, having been selected for promotion to brigadier general, was as the deputy Marine Forces Pacific and the Marine Corps Base commander in Hawaii. From there he was assigned as the chief of staff of U.S. Special Operations Command.
Hummer’s award and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, one with V Device and two gold stars, the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with two gold stars, the Joint Commendation Medal, the Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal with gold star, the Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon, and the Presidential Unit Citation along with other unit and personal decorations.
Q: Could we start with how you became the knowledge manager for Special Operations Command as the chief of staff?
A: The chief of staff of U.S. Special Operations Command is responsible for information flow within the headquarters that moves throughout the chain of command—up, down and laterally. Moreover, he is responsible for the external information flow to the headquarters from OSD, the Joint Staff, other combatant commands, and the various agencies as well as to and from the special operations components.
In many organizations, knowledge management is a function of the J-6, communications; however, the role of managing information is much larger than the technical role of building and managing networks through which we push and pull information. The chief of staff should have the 50,000-foot view of the command across the staff, including the special staff, and should rightfully be the one held responsible for the management of the information policies that lay the conduits through which information flows for the best effect in supporting the commander and other leaders throughout USSOCOM.
Q: With that in mind, how do you as the knowledge manager define the function of knowledge management?
A: Now, that’s a great question. There are many definitions floating around out there. Many are very good. If we take a moment to just focus on information and what it actually is, we can see that information alone is not enough. We usually start with some sort of data. This can be figures or facts, but it alone is not necessarily helpful. Data is compiled to become information.
That is a step in the right direction, but more is required. Information is compiled and synchronized to become knowledge. Knowledge is something wonderful to have, but it alone cannot help leadership make decisions. Knowledge must be put into context. One can have all the knowledge there is regarding a certain topic, but only when that knowledge is put into context with the requisite background and history of that issue can one achieve understanding. That’s the key, gaining an understanding. We should actually call it “understanding management”!
Nevertheless, it is understood that complete knowledge is not achievable and therefore we must constantly question the limits of existing knowledge. Much of this process of developing understanding includes the prioritization of information. There is so much information out there, that without some method of prioritization—elevating the most relevant or important information to the top—we become overwhelmed in sheer volumes of information that may or may not be useful in making decisions.
Knowledge management is the filtering and prioritizing of information and knowledge, putting it in context, and presenting it in an appropriate format that will yield understanding toward making decisions. The challenge is doing this across a myriad of subject areas in a command as complex as USSOCOM. Understanding complex operational and strategic problems and conceiving solutions is a constant struggle.
Q: So how does information technology fit into knowledge management?
A: There are many functions that I would place in the realm of knowledge management. Task management, which is the management of the numerous tasks on which a command such as USSOCOM spends much of its time, is a key function of any headquarters.
Records management is another. It’s been stated that information doubles every 18 months; moreover it is estimated that information is growing at such a rate that by the year 2012 information will double every two hours. What we save and what we delete is a real challenging question. The countless PowerPoint briefs and Word documents with which we deal daily must be managed.
My vision of successful records management is a “Raiders of the Lost Arc” digital warehouse in which documents are archived but with a robust retrieval capability. Information security is also important. USSOCOM has many networks with varying levels of classification. How information is managed within each network as well as how information is managed between networks is critical to the appropriate protection of valuable information.
Personnel databases, into which critical personal information is categorized, is another. Our business processes within the command and between components form another valuable domain. There are countless business processes upon which the command thrives. They are living, moving processes that require supervision and oversight; many, if not all, are designed to move and configure information for the intended user and to undergird potential decisions by command leadership. Information technology is the hardware and the software that supports the digital manipulation and storage of information.
In many cases, information technology provides for the automation of information. However, information technology does not stand outside of the realm of knowledge management. So, to answer your question, all of the functional areas above, including information technology, rightfully fall under knowledge management. In many cases, knowledge management is the design and information technology is the engineering of the design—but they are complementary. Oh, and did I fail to mention power? The hardware required to support knowledge management requires power—backup power and uninterrupted power depending on the information being supported. So, electrical power is also critical to knowledge management.
Q: Since humans are the ones handling information, what is the human element in making knowledge management work?
A: One of my sayings is, “Human communication is bad at best!” In the digital world there are many ways to communicate— an individual face-to-face conversation, e-mail, VTC, telephone, text messaging, meetings, “snail mail” and more. Exchanging information is having a conversation—developing a shared understanding. Information flow in the headquarters and across components is about having many conversations. Being human and all of us coming from our own backgrounds and experiences, all means of communication are not equal. Face-to-face communication is probably the best with the next being meetings, VTC, then telephone, e-mail, text messaging and snail mail.
Members of any staff are “information brokers,” and how they handle the means of passing information is critical to reaching understanding. Education and training are key. Not only must staff members understand how to use information tools, they must also understand command business processes, how to store and retrieve information, how to respond to a task, how to use a networked portal, and how to tee up information to their leadership for a decision. Because information is always moving, business processes are frequently being adjusted, and new tasks replace completed ones; the education and training of staff members is continuous.
Q: What do you see as the way ahead for Special Operations Command in the area of knowledge management?
A: It’s the commander’s intent to communicate better. I believe that means better collaboration of information. In a collaborative environment it’s not good to be different. Therefore, we are developing enterprise solutions to knowledge management between the headquarters and the components. The headquarters does not have all the answers and much of what we do is discovery learning at the pace of new developments in the information technology and knowledge management fields. In that light, the headquarters has held several knowledge management conferences with the components to capture their insights and to develop a better understanding of what direction we as a SOCOM enterprise should go.
To date, the components have developed and purchased their own tools to conduct their headquarters business. With their assistance and input, SOCOM will develop a robust enterprise based on a variety of tools, which will encompass the actions and effects we all desire. I’m energized with the response received to date from the components in developing a collaborative enterprise. I also envision the theater special operations commands linking into our collaborative enterprise sometime in the future.
Q: Much of what you tell us seems to be staff-oriented; is there an operational aspect to knowledge management?
A: Absolutely, there are processes, business rules, technology applications and decision-making processes for operational commands, which fully rely on the management of knowledge— operational knowledge management.
Lessons learned are a prime example. In past wars, most of the learning was done before and after the war. The body of lessons learned represents decades of experience to be absorbed and applied as relevant. Real-time learning during combat is a must. We know that the enemy is learning and adjusting continually; they are an intuitive learning organization. Learning mechanisms are crucial for coping with an asymmetric rival. The quicker that lessons or other information can be “pushed” to our forces and commanders, the quicker the learning and decision cycle becomes. The quick-cycling and pushing of lessons learned during a very short conflict or engagement only becomes more important.
Operational knowledge management and the enabling functions inherent to it are imperative in contemporary warfare and should characterize it.
Q: Is there anything that you would like to add?
A: Expertise in an area such as knowledge management is, and will continue to be, a challenge. It’s like being an expert on the Internet. But, regardless of the technology and the automation, the human element is paramount. Business processes have to be managed, the tools of technology have to be managed— automation doesn’t mean automatic. There is no auto pilot in knowledge management. In the end, it’s the individual behind the information and knowledge who makes the difference— from the special operator furthest from the headquarters to the executive officer for the commander.
Thanks for the opportunity to discuss such a critical function to all of us. ♦