Army launches apps marketplace prototype

By Army CIO/G-6March 23, 2012

Army Apps
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Personal Phones, Tablets
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WASHINGTON (March 23, 2012) -- The newly launched Army Software Marketplace prototype now delivers 12 mobile training applications for Soldiers to use on personal phones or tablets.

The publicly-facing apps were developed by Army training schools in the Connecting Soldiers to Digital Apps, or CSDA, initiative. The apps, now approved for Army-wide use, are available online via www.marketplace.army.mil. The CSDA community is continuing to submit apps.

When fully implemented, the Marketplace will deliver web-based and downloadable applications to all devices approved for use within the Army's Common Operating Environment on the Army network.

"The Apps Marketplace is at the center of Army efforts to radically reduce the time to deliver applications across the force," said Lt. Gen. Susan Lawrence, the chief information officer/G-6. "This prototype is a first step in establishing and exercising new submission and approval processes that will eventually enable Army members, organizations and third-party developers to release applications for Army-wide distribution."

The Marketplace prototype brings together key Army stakeholders to focus on implementing industry-proven agile software-development practices--such as increasing collaboration early on between end-users and developers, and delivering software to users in short release cycles.

Currently, the marketplace prototype supports publicly-facing apps on personal iOS devices. Soon, the marketplace will also support publicly-facing apps on Android devices. Among the apps available now are: The Soldiers Blue Book (initial entry training guide), Army Values, Army Social Media Handbook and Developing a Performance Work Statement.

"Training aids, planning tools and other apps in the Marketplace give Soldiers easy access to information we need to keep current," said Sgt. 1st Class Nanette Williams, a member of the Army Executive Communications Team at the Pentagon.

Army CSDA Director Brig. Gen. Wayne Grigsby Jr. said the prototype allows CSDA to begin distributing training and leader development content to the Soldier at the point of learning. Grigsby is the Director, Mission Command Center of Excellence at Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

Related Links:

CIO/G-6

Apps for the Army, 2010-2011

Army.mil: Science and Technology

STAND-TO!: Connecting Soldiers to Digital Applications

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