Army Chief Information Officer (CIO) Maria Roat Garciga has wasted no time in making her mark on the organization. Since assuming her role in October 2020, Garciga has focused on simplifying the Army’s approach to cloud computing and software development, with the goal of increasing efficiency and effectiveness in delivering technology capabilities to soldiers.
One of Garciga’s key initiatives has been to streamline the Army’s cloud strategy. In an effort to centralize cloud adoption and management, Garciga has implemented a single cloud services contract, known as the Enterprise Cloud Management Agency (ECMA), to provide a standardized approach to procuring and managing cloud services. This move has not only reduced the bureaucratic hurdles that often slow down cloud adoption in large organizations, but has also allowed the Army to leverage economies of scale and negotiate better pricing with cloud providers.
In addition to simplifying the Army’s cloud strategy, Garciga has also focused on improving software development practices within the organization. Recognizing the importance of agility and flexibility in quickly delivering software capabilities to soldiers, Garciga has championed the use of DevOps and agile methodologies to streamline the software development process. By breaking down silos between development and operations teams, Garciga has enabled the Army to rapidly iterate on software applications, respond to changing requirements, and deliver value to end-users more quickly.
Garciga’s efforts have not gone unnoticed by Army leadership. Army Chief of Staff Gen. James C. McConville has praised her for her leadership and vision in transforming the Army’s IT organization. “Under Maria’s leadership, we are building a more agile, responsive, and effective IT organization that is better positioned to support our soldiers and mission,” McConville said in a recent press release.
Garciga’s tenure as Army CIO has only just begun, but her early successes in simplifying the Army’s cloud and software development practices are a promising sign of things to come. As she continues to drive innovation and modernization within the organization, soldiers can expect to see more efficient and effective technology capabilities that enable them to carry out their missions with greater agility and effectiveness.
