Military Review English Edition March-April 2014 | Page 73

STRUCTURED ORGANIZATION

Staff Sgt. Frank Rodriguez, 22nd Chemical Battalion, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. (center), gives direction to Sgt. Matthew Eldridge (right)
and Sgt. Jerred Keeton (left) as they prepare an explosive ordnance disposal robot for a vehicle-borne improvised explosive devise exercise.
The team competed in the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team of the Year competition, hosted by Aberdeen Proving Ground’s 20th Support
Command (CBNRE) and held at Fort Knox, Ky. 13-17 August 2012 (DOD, Marv Lynchard)

create an ecosystem that knits together the organization’s existing systems, making the collaborative
environment more attractive and valuable to the
entire organization. The Army has taken advantage of
technology and knowledge management to achieve
superior results. Army Knowledge Online (AKO)
had over 2.4 million registered users and over 16
million monthly log-ins in 2011.16 Its brand name
capability, comparable to Facebook and Twitter in
Army channels, brings together active, reserve, and
retired military, as well as contractors, Army civilians, and even dependents in one online location.
Leaders should exploit socially oriented technology
and use a collaborative approach relying on leadership through personal power and influence rather
than direct command and control. Facilitating a
collaborative environment with vibrant information
exchange sets the stage for innovation and change,
but this environment also requires change leadership.

A Changing Culture
A younger workforce raised exclusively in the
Information Age presents a significant challenge
MILITARY REVIEW

March-April 2014

for today’s military leaders. To overcome such
challenges, the U.S. military must foster a culture
of change leadership where leaders are willing
to adapt and embrace organizational