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Doug Rodgers |
Innovative Thinking in Omaha
Doug Rodgers
August 2008
One of the many things MITRE provides sponsors and customers is a broad perspective—the ability to see things from many different angles and come up with solutions to their problems. This is particularly true at some of MITRE's locations where our employees have the benefit of working onsite with their customers while also drawing on the knowledge and experience of staff throughout the company. Doug Rodgers, an information systems engineer at our Omaha, Nebraska, site, does just that in his work supporting the Global Innovation and Strategy Center (GISC) at the U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM).
Established in 1992 and headquartered at Offutt AFB just outside of Omaha, USSTRATCOM provides an integrated approach to national defense primarily through "global deterrence capabilities and synchronized DoD effects." The GISC, which was established in 2005, works within USSTRATCOM by leveraging expertise from the military, academia, and the private sector to produce global strategies and solutions in support of USSTRATCOM's mission.
Global Strategies
A former Air Force officer, Rodgers came to MITRE in 2005 after retiring from the military and spending two years working for a major defense contractor. His broad range of experience in planning and project management—from operations to planning to acquisitions—taught him how valuable a well-defined framework can be for developing appropriate solutions and strategies for large, multi-faceted organizations. He uses this knowledge every day in his work at the GISC.
Since Rodgers came to MITRE around the time the GISC was established, much of his early work supported the organization's development. "My primary role to date has been that of consultant and analyst," he explains. "The work so far has been divided into two categories: development of the GISC and GISC projects. The first category supported the initial stages of the GISC from its beginning in mid-2005 until now. The GISC was created to deal with some of the very tough issues facing USSTRATCOM and has accomplished this by taking on projects, the second aspect of my work."
MITRE's Omaha, Nebraska, site
Established in the early 1970's, MITRE's Omaha, Nebraska site is made up of 22 staff. The US Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), at Offutt AFB, is the site's primary sponsor. |
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He continues, "In the early years of the GISC, I worked on a number of different things, including: process and activity modeling, facility design, collaborative technology recommendations, ergonomics and visualization, knowledge management and collaboration, and various technology assessments. My current activities are geared more to supporting the GISC's efforts to develop and implement a broad and comprehensive metrics program that includes a concept paper, implementation plan, and a pilot metrics system."
His project-based work has been more specific. "A couple of years ago I supported the design and implementation of a pandemic influenza website for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services," he explains. "For another project, I was on a team studying the efficiency and effectiveness of USSTRATCOM's oversight of one of its primary mission areas. And my current project is supporting the Command Assessment project team, which is developing, and will later implement, an overall command assessment concept focusing primarily on planning and operations."
Omaha Amenities
Originally from Pennsylvania, Rodgers first came to Omaha in the 1970s when his father was stationed at Offutt AFB. He returned on an Air Force assignment himself in 1997. Later, when it was time to retire from the military and begin his post-military career, it was an easy decision to stay in the Omaha area. "I think this area is a tremendous location for raising a family," he says. "The schools are excellent and the lifestyle is very supportive of families." Omaha, once known as the "Gateway to the West," was named by Newsweek as a high-tech haven in 2001. It has many features of a big city but has also been able to retain much of its Midwestern charm.
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Commercial participants (L to R), all from the Omaha MITRE Office: Denise Bunting (retired), Doug Rodgers, Alida Lentz (retired), and Hank Weverka.
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Rodgers enjoys many aspects of Omaha but one of his favorite things about the area is a specialty food called the "runza," which is a traditional Nebraska pastry originally baked by German immigrants. "Besides being the name of a sandwich, Runza is also the name of a well-known local food chain," Rodgers explains. "Their main product is the Runza Sandwich, which is a blend of fresh ground beef, cabbage, onions, and special spices, all baked inside homemade bread. I remember loving that sandwich when I lived in Omaha as a kid. It is without a doubt my favorite food.
"Last year my wife entered me into a contest sponsored by the company to find loyal customers, and I was chosen to be in one of their commercials. Later, when it was time to do the filming, the producer asked me to bring along some friends to participate. So I brought along several MITRE colleagues. The commercial aired across the state last winter."
—by Kay M. Upham
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