TIKRIT, Iraq , Feb. 13, 2006 – In battles fought on the frontlines today in Iraq, knowledge and communications are essential to facilitate interaction between U.S. troops on the ground, Iraqi Forces and coalition forces.

A new database is now in place to provide dynamic communications for soldiers on the battlefield.

“The quandary Army-wide is in instantaneous communications and information collaboration,” said U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Edwin K. Morris, battalion intelligence officer from the 445th Civil Affairs Battalion at Forward Operating Base Speicher.

The Combined Information Data Network Exchange, a secure internet host site, contains an engagement tool for tracking three types of entities- people, facilities and organizations. In military terms, these entities are referred to as spheres of influence.

Spheres of influence are specific entities that influence a region or population. “The engagement tool in the network exchange is designed for anyone interacting with people,

facilities and organizations,” said Morris. “It establishes a legacy product to enhance and enable organizations that are new to the operating area.”

The Combined Information Data Network Exchange is proving to be the most promising means of developing information and knowledge sharing, said Morris.

Morris has conducted training in Diyala, Salah al Din and Tamim provinces. The 445th Civil Affairs Battalion has taken the technology, given it to their troops and pushed use of the product.

Their goal is to design a winning platform that enhances the civil affairs mission by providing soldiers who are conducting spheres of influence engagements with essential knowledge.

“The antiquated method of compartmentalization of information needs to evolve for true knowledge collaboration to happen,” Morris explained. “The Combined Information Data Network Exchange not only gives the civil affairs community solid footing, but all members in the battle space a true theater-wide application for actively managing spheres of influences and developing information.”

“Traditionally civil affairs did not have a data network designed to develop spheres of influence information. The Combined Information Data Network Exchange web-based system dissolves traditional information boundaries,” he said.