LeMay Center transforming tasking order development with Chennault series events

  • Published
  • By Phil Berube
  • Air University Public Affairs

Warfighters, operators and planners from around the world representing different services and countries gathered virtually and in-person recently to hash out a better way to design integrated tasking orders, starting with one for the recently published doctrine Annex 3-1, Department of the Air Force Role in Joint All-Domain Operations.

At this gathering, dubbed Chennault Workshop 4, participants used the Stanford Design Thinking model for the first time to empathize with warfighters and planners on their top identified problems and solutions in the development of the integrated tasking order.  The Chennault series includes workshops and wargames furthering the development of JADO emerging doctrine.

“The design model allowed for the participants to ideate freely without having to be confined to the joint planning process,” said Maj. Kyle Keith, JADO cross-functional team lead at the Curtis E. LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education at Air University here. “We had very positive comments about the design method used.”

Along with introducing a new design modeling method for developing an ITO, another intent for Chennault Workshop 4, said the major, was to challenge the concept of an ITO for Annex 3-1, which was published June 1, 2020, with an updated revision scheduled for release on Oct. 1, 2020.

“We wanted to gather warfighters, planners and joint and coalition partners together and attempt to build a framework for the concept of an ITO,” he said. “Air University cannot address these concepts in a vacuum, so we wanted to make sure we had Air Force and others participation from the start.”

Chennault Workshop 4 was held Aug. 24-25, 2020, at the LeMay Center. It involved nearly 75 members from 34 organizations around the world, with the majority taking part virtually. Virtual follow-up sessions were held Aug. 28 and Sept. 1. During the Sept. 1 session, participants provided feedback on three prototypes.

The LeMay Center serves as the chief of staff of the Air Force’s principal agent for doctrine, Air Force Lessons Learned and provides Air Force input to the joint doctrine. The center also assists in the development of concepts and strategy. For any matters dealing with basic and operation-level doctrine, Air Force organizations collaborate directly with the center. For more on the center, visit the center’s website here, for more information about JADO visit here and for more on Air Force doctrine and to read Annex 3-1, visit the doctrine website here.

The next Chennault JADO doctrine workshop will explore command relationships as it pertains to JADO and Annex 3-1. This event will be held virtually from Oct. 5-8, 2020. To learn more about the Chennault series or participation, contact the LeMay Center Doctrine Outreach Team at LEMAYCENTER.OutreachTeam@us.af.mil.