Exclusive Interview with Army Lieutenant General
Michael Oates, Director of JIEDDO, Featured in MT2

Rockville, MD (February 26, 2010) – KMI Media Group, the leading independent publisher of military and defense industry-focused magazines, today announced the publication of an exclusive interview with Army Lieutenant General Michael Oates, director, Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization.

The improvised explosive device (IED) is the most lethal asymmetric weapon encountered by U.S. forces in Afghanistan and Iraq. While Oates assigns a “passing” grade to the U.S. DoD in its campaign to defeat IEDs, he discusses challenges and opportunities in the fight ahead.

From a policy perspective, Oates asserted, “The DoD, if it gets a whole of government approach, can render the IED less attractive and less effective as a strategic weapon.” He noted that a whole of government strategy transcends the armed forces – and enlists the departments of State, Treasury and other offices. “So, really, everyone in government has a part in this fight,” Oates added.

Technology solutions remain a foundation of the defeat IED strategy. Lt. Gen. Oates remarked, “At the top of my interest level is the detection of homemade explosives. My area of priority is Afghanistan.”

The far-ranging interview with Lt. Gen. Oates has been published in the JIEDDO Who’s Who supplement in Military Training Technology (MT2) issue 15.1 (February 2010). MT2’s online version, with the JIEDDO Who’s Who supplement and the entire Q&A, may be viewed at http://www.mt2-kmi.com .

ABOUT KMI MEDIA GROUP

Founded in 1996 by Jack Kerrigan, President and CEO, KMI Media Group is the leading independent publisher of targeted information about military requirements, technologies and operations. Serving as a unique forum for senior military and Department of Defense leadership, KMI’s publications focus on distinct and essential communities within the defense industry. KMI’s titles include Geospatial Intelligence Forum, Military Advanced Education, Military Information Technology, Military Logistics Forum, Military Medical/CBRN Technology, Military Space & Missile Forum, Military Training Technology, Special Operations Technology, and U.S. Coast Guard Forum. Additional information is available at http://www.kmimediagroup.com .

Back to Top