Streamlined and secure information management is a critical element for the U.S. Northern Command in providing homeland defense of North America when it assumes its full operational role Oct. 1.

Army Lt. Gen. Edward Anderson III, the deputy commander of the Northern Command, based at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, said efficient communications has been an objective since the command was established Oct. 1, 2002.

"The intent is to move information out of traditional military stovepipes and to share the information with all that need it," Anderson said to an audience of military and civilian information security professionals at the Federal Information Superiority Conference in Colorado Springs this week.

"We take information from a multitude of sources and process it for a multitude of uses," Anderson said. "Information-sharing is absolutely key" to the Northern Command's mission of providing military support for local, state and federal authorities.

Managing the command's information is the responsibility of the Information Synchronization Group, which reports to Air Force Gen. Ralph Eberhart, head of the Northern Command.

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