APL Colloquium

January 9, 2004

Colloquium Topic: Force Transformation

The OSD Office of Force Transformation serves as the advocate, focal point, and catalyst for transformation across the Department of Defense. The foremost goal of the office is to ensure transformation links directly to the broad elements of national and military strategy. VADM (ret) Cebrowski's presentation will discuss the role of defense in national security, the corporate strategy for transforming defense, transformational warfare elements, and specific examples of concept/technology experiments currently being sponsored by the Office of Force Transformation.



Colloquium Speaker: VADM Arthur K. Cebrowski

Vice Admiral Arthur K. Cebrowski, USN (ret), was appointed by the Secretary of Defense as Director, Force Transformation effective 29 October 2001, reporting directly to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense. The Secretary of Defense called for the creation of this new office in support of President Bush's broad mandate to transform the Nation's military capabilities. The transformation process challenges the status quo with new concepts for American defense to ensure an overwhelming and continuing competitive advantage for America's military for decades to come. As director, Admiral Cebrowski will be advocate, focal point, and catalyst for transformation. He will link transformation to strategic functions, evaluate the transformation efforts of the Military Departments, and promote synergy by recommending steps to integrate ongoing transformation activities. Among his primary responsibilities, Admiral Cebrowski will monitor Service and Joint experimentation programs and make policy recommendations to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense. Admiral Cebrowski was born in Passiac, New Jersey. He is a 1964 graduate of Villanova University, holds a Masters Degree in Computer Systems Management from the Naval Post Graduate School and attended the Naval War College. He entered the Navy through the Reserve Officers Training Corps in 1964. He is a Naval Aviator and commanded Fighter Squadron 41 and Carrier Air Wing EIGHT. He commanded the assault ship USS GUAM, the aircraft carrier USS MIDWAY and the USS AMERICA Battle Group. He has combat experience in Vietnam and Desert Storm. His Joint assignments included service as the Director, Command, Control, Communications and Computers (J-6), Joint Staff. Admiral Cebrowski retired from the Navy on October 1, 2001 with over 37 years of service, after serving as the President of the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.