- Department of War Chief Information Officer Kirsten Davies has mandated DISA to migrate combatant command common use IT as part of the Fourth Estate Network Optimization Initiative
- DISA was designated in 2019 by then-Deputy Defense Secretary David Norquist as the Department of War’s single-service provider
- The effort will cover common use non-classified and secret internet protocol router networks
Kirsten Davies, chief information officer of the Department of War and a 2026 Wash100 awardee, has issued a memorandum to implement the migration of combatant command common use IT services to a single-service provider, the Defense Information Systems Agency.
In a memo released to the public on June 12, Davies directed DISA to execute the transition of common use non-classified internet protocol router networks as well as secret internet protocol router networks to next-generation IT systems. DISA will coordinate with the DOW and the Joint Chiefs of Staff J6 Directorate to carry out the migration from fiscal years 2027 to 2028. The effort is part of the Fourth Estate Network Optimization Initiative, or 4ENO.
What Will Be the Responsibilities of DISA and J6?
Davies gave DISA 90 days from the issuance of the memo to provide a comprehensive planning and execution plan for the transition. DISA will launch requests for information to combatant command support agents to determine the best approach to the migration, including service delivery models, and personnel and funding requirements. J6 will be responsible for communicating progress to DOW leadership.
In 2019, DISA was appointed as the SSP for the Fourth Estate Agencies by David Norquist, then-deputy defense secretary and 2019 Wash100 winner. The 14 Fourth Estate agencies were transitioned to the unified Department of Defense Network, or DODNet, between 2020 and 2025.
What Did Kirsten Davies Say About the Migration?
Davies underscored the importance of the CCMD migration to DOW’s enterprise modernization and the resilience of its mission-ready networks. “The SSP Environment ensures CCMDs operate within a zero-trust enabled cybersecurity environment and within a uniform experience across all commands,” she remarked.
