DMSO designated as DoD's lead standardization activity for modeling and simulation.

The Defense Standardization Program Office recently designated AT & L's Defense Modeling and Simulation Office (DMSO) as the lead standardization activity (LSA) to manage the modeling and simulation standards and methodologies (MSSM), DoD's newest standardization area. This milestone marks further recognition of the growing importance of standards in making modeling and simulation (M & S) more interoperable to support an increasingly wider array of DoD operations and missions, including transformational changes presently taking place in the operating forces and acquisition communities.

MSSM became DoD's newest standardization area in April of 2004. As LSA, DMSO is responsible for approving DoD standardization documents in the MSSM area, adopting nongovernment standards for DoD use, and commenting on standardization documents from other defense standardization program (DSP) areas that affect M & S. DSP policies foster broad community participation in the development and adoption of defense standards. In addition to the participating and reviewing organizations identified in the DSP, DMSO will be working with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the military services, and other DoD components to establish a cadre of reviewers sensitive to the M & S requirements of the acquisition, training, analysis, and operational communities. The DSP process also allows for participation from industry and academia.

In response to end-user and M & S community input, over the coming months DMSO expects to adopt several nongovernmental M & S standards for the department. Adoption of the documents will list them in the Department of Defense Index of Specifications and Standards (DODISS) and acquisition streamlining and standardization information system (ASSIST) databases. Listing a standard in the DODISS makes it available to be cited in contracts and other acquisition and procurement documents.

DMSO will also work in partnership with the M & S organizations of each of the Services to support standards that they wish to propose for full coordination within DoD. In addition to the development and adoption of M & S standards, DMSO, as LSA, represents the M & S community as a review activity for standards in other areas that impact M & S activities, such as information technology and communications standards.

The availability of DoD-adopted M & S standards will facilitate the incorporation of M & S capabilities into the global information grid and their use as tactical decision aids and in support of acquisition programs and test events. The goal of the M & S standardization program is to ensure that M & S standards are in place to support the current and projected needs of the user communities--operating forces, training, acquisition, and research.

For more information, contact the DMSO standardization program by e-mail at [e-mail] or through the DMSO Web site at <http://www.dmso.mil>.