Abstract This paper explains how to participate in Information- Technology (IT) standards organizations for employees of the Departments of Defense (DoD) and Homeland Security (DHS). When these commercial tools are acquired or de- veloped for first responders or war fighter, these tools will interoperate with other tools and will meet the require- ments if the tools are designed according to industry, na- tional, and international standards. An example of how to apply standards is described as a case study in integration and interoperability. It describes first-responders’ require- ments for a net-centric, integrated, interoperable command and control system that organizations at multiple levels can use while operating in concert during disaster-relief ef- forts. 1 INTRODUCTION This paper describes the architecture, requirements and standards of an integrated system to support the command- and-control requirements of the DoD and DHS during crisis prevention, disaster relief, and other critical opera- tions. The architecture is based on emerging science and technology under development in information manage- ment. Lessons learned in the implementation of decision- support systems for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive (CBRNE) defense, standards, spi- ral-systems integration, implementation, and web-service- centric computing, contribute to the design. Efficient disaster response needs to be improved, particu- larly from first responders, who require unified and coor- dinated C 2 , the success of which depends on sharing in- formation in a timely manner. This interoperability across multiple levels of government, agencies, and organiza- tions, in turn, depends on how well the components of the C 2 system are integrated and how well they adhere to common and open standards. The departments of the ex- ecutive branch of the federal government strongly encour- age involvement in external open-standards organizations. This paper is organized as follows. Sections 2 through 5 describe various aspects of participation in standards or- ganizations. Sections 6 through 8 describe a case study in the architecture of an integrated and interoperable C 2 sys- tem to support first responders. Section 9 concludes the paper with directions for future efforts. 2 RATIONALE FOR FOCUS ON STANDARDS Standards applied in the right place during systems inte- gration can make the difference between success and fail- ure of the integration process. This is important when many diverse agencies rely on a single, integrated system. Federal law requires agencies and departments use techni- cal standards that are developed and adopted by voluntary- consensus standards bodies, unless such use is impractical or inconsistent with law. (For a full list of laws and poli- cies that authorize and encourage standards participation, see the resources on website in [16].) Open standards are preferred over military- or federal-specified standards where feasible. For example, Department of Defense (DoD) policy supports the United States National Stan- dards Strategy, allows for dual-use technology, supports DoD acquisition goals, conserves DoD resources, im- proves DoD mobilization and supports DoD transforma- tion objectives. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) needs to interoperate with DoD in disaster relief. DoD and DHS participation in relief efforts for earth- quakes, tsunamis, and other disasters have underscored the importance of interoperability and the standards that en- able interoperability enables. The Executive Agent (EA) for Information Technology (IT) Standards has been helpful, organized and supportive. With informative documentation, collaboration tools, and support for membership fees, the EA and staff are cham- pioning DoD's re-engagement with the IT standards or- ganizations. DoD and DHS employees can begin with a phone call or an e-mail message. This paper is a brief in- troduction to the standards process and the standards do- main. Participants gain important knowledge and sharpen their skills by working closely with the world's leading experts in various domains of interest. DoD and DHS par- PARTICIPATION IN IT-STANDARDS ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTS MULTI-AGENCY FIRST-RESPONDER COMMAND-AND-CONTROL SYSTEM Jeff Waters, Kevin Adams, Sandi F. Lehan, Marion G. Ceruti 1 , and Stuart H. Rubin Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific (SSC Pacific) 53360 Hull Street, San Diego, CA 92152-5001, USA Tel. 001 (619) 553-4068 1 , FAX 001 (619) 553-3931 kevin.adams@navy.mil, sandi.lehan@navy.mil, jeff.waters@navy.mil, marion.ceruti@navy.mil 1 , stuart.rubin@navy.mil 162