MAPPING TOOLS IN THE DII COE CONFERENCE On March 7, 2000, AFCEA International, the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), and the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) are joining forces to present a one-day conference on "Mapping Tools in the DII COE" -- a conference for anyone interested in the current and future direction of military mapping tools. What follows is a conference overview. A detailed agenda, program updates, directions, and secure on-line registration are available at http://www.afcea.org (click on "Events" and then "Mapping Tools"). If you prefer, you may call (703) 631-6250 for registration material. CONFERENCE BASICS: Theme: "MAPPING TOOLS IN THE DII COE." Date: March 7, 2000; Location: Mitretek Auditorium, 7525 Colshire Drive, McLean, VA. A WORD FROM THE CONFERENCE CO-CHAIRMEN "Mapping Tools in the DII COE" is a conference for government developers, military users, and commercial vendors interested in the current and future direction of military mapping tools. We have joined the resources of the Defense Information Systems Agency and the National Imagery and Mapping Agency and AFCEA International to bring you this conference and to foster a constructive dialogue about providing mapping tools through the Defense Information Infrastructure Common Operating Environment (DII COE). Mapping toolkits are fundamental, plentiful, "unstandardized," and they seem to invoke near-religious fervor in their adherents. Our hope is that through the different perspectives presented by our distinguished panelists and speakers, we will be able to determine the best solutions for supporting our Department of Defense customers. In the process, we believe members of industry will gain insights into present and future business opportunities. We hope you will join us in what we believe will be a very productive conference. LTG David J. Kelley, USA, Director, Defense Information Systems Agency; and LTG James C. King, USA, Director, National Imagery and Mapping Agency. PROGRAM-AT-A-GLANCE. SESSION ONE: "Mapping Requirements: The Warfighters' Perspective." In this session, a panel of operational experts will discuss their needs for mapping tools and relate their "real-world" experiences using the products currently available across the Department of Defense. Discussion topics will include operational limitations on map architectures, common tasks performed on maps, usability issues, and general recommendations about the tools currently in use. The focus of the panel will be to ensure that operational use of maps is consistent with the broad understanding of mapping tool developers. This panel will help to "calibrate" the other conference sessions by reinforcing the notion that the primary goal of mapping tools developers is to ensure that their products are relevant and available on demand for the warfighter. SESSION TWO: "The Current State of Mapping: The Perspective from DISA and NIMA." Government leaders responsible for providing the DII COE Joint Mapping Toolkit (JMTK) will discuss the rationale that led to the selection and continued development of a Government-Off-the-Shelf (GOTS) solution. In particular, cost and interoperability concerns will be discussed. The session also will address Commercial-Off-the-Shelf (COTS) mapping products and the fiscal and acquisition limitations associated with providing a common solution. Additionally, speakers will talk about the Commercial Mapping Compliance Program, the mechanism that the government will use to provide an orderly transition to commercial mapping products within the DII COE. SESSION THREE: "Mapping Standardization: The Industry Perspective." Key commercial mapping vendor representatives will discuss the status of efforts within the commercial mapping community to standardize interfaces. The discussion will include an assessment of the state of the commercial mapping industry, with special emphasis on industry initiatives that support government goals. Participants also will look at the status of industry efforts with regard to the Commercial Mapping Compliance Program. Of particular interest will be progress toward compliance and general feedback on the government's approach. This session will provide an understanding of how the commercial mapping industry views the government's requirements, what industry thinks about the current government initiatives, and any initiatives that industry is undertaking to help the government meet the defined mapping requirements. SESSION FOUR: "Mapping the Future." In this closing session, a panel of recognized experts will discuss technical directions that can be expected to define the problem of military mapping in the coming years. Of particular interest, speakers will focus on technologies and initiatives that will address the government goals of interoperability and affordability. In doing so, the panel will present a balanced perspective of industry, academic, and non-military mapping research and development efforts. The panel will close the conference with a discussion of future business opportunities, what the community should be planning for, and the timelines associated with current and near-term solutions. CONFIRMED CONFERENCE SPEAKERS: Mr. Kurt Buehler, Vice President and COO, Open GIS Consortium; Mr. Don C. Eddington, Commander, Advanced Information Technology Systems Joint Program Office, Defense Information Systems Agency/Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency; Mr. Doug Gardner, DII COE Engineering Office, Defense Information Systems Agency; Ms. Dawn Hartley, Chief Technical Officer, Defense Information Systems Agency, Mr. Richard Kadel, Chief Technological Officer, DTAI; LTG David J. Kelley, USA, Director, Defense Information Systems Agency; LTG James C. King, USA, Director, National Imagery and Mapping Agency; Mr. George Lukes, Program Manager, Information Systems Office, DARPA; Professor Alan M. MacEachren, Director, GeoVISTA Center, Penn State University; Dr. Mark T. Maybury, Executive Director of Information Technology Center, Mitre Corporation; Dr. Frank Perry, Technical Director, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command; Mr. Christopher C. Priebe, Software Engineer, DTAI: Brig Gen Gary L. Salisbury, USAF, Commander, Joint Information Engineering Organization, Defense Information Systems Agency; Mr. Melvin L. Wagner, Systems Engineer -- Tools Program, National Imagery and Mapping Agency; Mr. Ken Wheeler, DII COE Chief Engineer, Defense Information Systems Agency. FEES, REGISTRATION, AND QUESTIONS: Government/Military: $125. Industry AFCEA Member: $175. Industry Non-AFCEA Member: $225. After February 21, 2000, the rates increase $25 for government/military attendees and $50 for all others. (CONFERENCE FEES INCLUDE PROGRAM SESSIONS, CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST, BREAK REFRESHMENTS, AND LUNCH.) REGISTRATION OR QUESTIONS: You can register secure on-line at http://www.afcea.org (click "Mapping Tools in the DII COE"). For questions: E-mail "intelligence@afcea.org" or call (800) 336-4583, ext. 6250, or (703) 631-6250. SPECIAL NEEDS: AFCEA supports the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Attendees with special needs should call (703) 631-6250. SEATING IS LIMITED; PLEASE REGISTER EARLY AND SAVE TOO! WEB: Click here for conference details and to register on-line, http://www.afcea.org. E-MAIL: Click here to ask questions via email, intelligence@afcea.org. Posted 01/26/00 (W-SN419008).

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