Combatant Commanders Informational Series, USEUCOM.

Abstract : Organizations like the United States European Command (USEUCOM) whose Area of Responsibility (AOR) and the diverse challenges it faces require it to maintain one of the highest operational and personnel tempos of the combatant command, are limited in the opportunity of personnel new to the command to obtain detailed orientation towards USEUCOM's responsibilities, challenges, and operations. The Multimedia ToolBook, a hypermedia computer-based training product that can consolidate volumes of information including text, images, and diagrams, can help the user familiarize himself with the organization's AOR, mission, strategy, and challenges. Because it is adaptable, accessible and portable, it offers the best medium presently available to disseminate such information at relatively low costs. This research project concentrates on creating a product describing USEUCOM and its AOR. Team members conducted exhaustive research culminating in the genesis of the USEUCOM ToolBook. Sources include interviews with USEUCOM staff officers, command documents, internet home pages, traditional library searches of books and magazines, and maps of the countries in the AOR. The product itself is an article of hypertext software, featuring extensive graphics, images, and text in an interactive format. This paper presents the capabilities of the USEUCOM ToolBook, describes its sources, and their incorporation into the genesis of that product. It discusses the situation at the combatant commands and the effect downsizing plays on the Department of Defense. These cutbacks require the military to embrace innovative techniques to ensure new personnel are adequately trained in the minimum amount of time. One method is the use of Multimedia ToolBook, which can provide significant advantages as an orientation tool in enhancing personnel productivity.