Coalition Information Sharing

The Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) is a struggle that pits the world community against violent extremists. This struggle is much more than a military campaign and requires cooperation between the US and its coalition partners. The ability of the US and its partners to share classified information is vital to this cooperation. However, the reality is that true coalition information sharing remains elusive.The DoD must identify improved coalition information sharing as a strategic priority. There are many factors preventing the DoD from effectively sharing information with its allies and partners. However, restrictive policy and gaps in leadership are the primary causes resulting in limited progress. Therefore, US warfighters are often required to provide their own solutions within their area of responsibility.This research paper establishes the need for improved interoperability and proposes a framework to drive enhanced information sharing at US Central Command (USCENTCOM). This framework includes a two phased proposal based on changes to policy and US law.