Why Is KM Important to the Military?

Operating in an environment of growing complexity and uncertainty, today's Soldiers need the ability to rapidly access information, transfer knowledge and win the learning competition with 21st century adversaries. "The side that learns and adapts the fastest gains important advantages."

Knowledge Management (KM) supports the creation, organization, application and transfer of knowledge to facilitate situational understanding and decision making. It is a structured approach to transfer Soldier experiential knowledge in order to give commanders and Soldiers a major tactical advantage on the battlefield.

KM enables effective collaboration by linking the various organizations and Soldiers requiring knowledge. It reduces the fog of war and enhances rapid adaptation in dynamic operations. KM combines analysis and evaluation to create knowledge. Since a broad range of knowledge potentially affects operations, the commander’s information requirements may extend beyond purely military matters. Defining these requirements is an important aspect of KM.

The ultimate goal of knowledge management is to facilitate experiential knowledge transfer between Soldiers. Everything else will be second and third order effects resulting from this transfer. KM must provide the technical and human means for Soldiers to connect to other Soldiers both online and offline so they can learn from each other through a combination of social learning and social networking.

What a Soldier or leader can reasonably expect from military KM:

·                    Reduce the time needed to resolve specific technical or leadership problems and challenges.

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          Significantly shorten the learning curve by providing access to relevant online subject matter experts and mentors.

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          Help create innovative/breakthrough ideas and tools for the benefit of all.

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          Transfer best practices from one individual to another in near real-time.

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           Decrease negative outcomes for first-time real-world contact experiences.

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           Reduce the cost of mission accomplishment through superior knowledge transfer.

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          Fill the knowledge gap between doctrine and TTPs learned at Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) schools and the practical application in a fast changing environment.

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          Harness the collective minds of the military profession to generate “on the fly” knowledge as needed. 

http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/bcks/WhyKMImportantArmy.asp