Marines C4 staff leaves shared office

The Marine Corps recently pulled its command, control, communications and computer personnel out of a shared office arrangement with their Navy counterparts, for financial reasons, a service spokesman said.

"That office space was pretty darned expensive," said Capt. Pete Mitchell, a Marine Corps headquarters spokesman. The Marines' C4 computer staff had been working in the Crystal City area of Arlington, Va., before moving to the Navy Annex in Washington, D.C.

The Navy and Marine Corps C4 staffs had been located in the same office space, and their information assurance organizations were to be integrated under a plan drawn up by Vice Adm. Richard Mayo, the Navy's director of space, information warfare, command and control, and Maj. Gen. Robert Shea, the Marine Corps' chief information officer.

Despite losing out on what Mayo hoped would be useful water-cooler discussions, the move means "They're saving millions of dollars," Mitchell said. "In terms of accountability to the taxpayer and maintaining funding, we decided this was the best move." Mitchell did not comment on what effect the Marine Corps' move could have on integration with their Navy counterparts.

After the Pentagon renovation is completed in 2014, the two organizations should be located in the same office space again, Mitchell said. In the meantime, the two organizations will continue to work closely on the Navy Marine Corps Intranet procurement and other initiatives.