In the military and public safety world, information technology is often discussed in broader strategic and operational terms.
For example, in the Coast Guard, it is referred to as C4&IT--Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Information Technology.
In the Department of Defense, they often use the term C4ISR--Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance.
According to GovTech Magazine, some public safety agencies (i.e. law enforcement and firefighting) often use another version of this, namely 4CI--Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence.
The article provides some simple straightforward definitions for these (although perhaps skewed for first responders), as follows:
"- Command: The authority and responsibility for effectively using available resources, and for organizing, directing, coordinating and controlling personnel and equipment to fulfill a mission.
- Control: The ability to issue orders or directions, with the result that those directions are carried out.
- Communications: The most essential element. Communications between responders on the ground and command staff are critical to ensure that both groups have a common operating picture of the situation.
- Computers: They process, display and transport information needed by commanders, analysts and responders. Today this increasingly includes mobile devices, such as laptops and smartphones.
- Intelligence: The product of the collection, processing, integration, analysis, evaluation and interpretation of all available relevant information."
While these capabilities are all critical to mission performance, I am not sure why we have all these variations on the same theme, but at least, we all agree on the 4Cs or is it C4?
