The ongoing initiatives by the US military to create apps for smartphones and easily within reach by soldiers have led to the release of their own Apps Marketplace which for the meantime will be in its prototype phase. The approved apps that can be downloaded with this prototype marketplace will be for iOS (iPhone and iPad operating system) with apps for Android based mobile phones and tablets to follow soon.

The apps will be a combination of downloadable and web-based publicity-facing apps that were developed by training schools as part of of the "Connecting Soldiers to Digital Apps" (CSDA) initiative.

There are about 12 apps currently available such as the Soldiers Bluebook which is a training guide, a social media handbook which might be a guideline on how to use social media while avoiding posting sensitive information, and a benefits guide for soldiers who want to know their benefits while in service or retirement.

Another interesting thing here, apart from having Android apps in the near future is that they plan to accept submissions from third-party developers. No details yet on how this program will work for non-army developers, such as revenues or the apps would remain just free for the servicemen and women with the budget of the US Army for this used in purchasing such apps.

I tried accessing the marketplace to learn more about the publicly available apps, but the website is down as of this writing. Perhaps when this apps marketplace is fully available shall then I will check which apps can also be useful for general public, if there will be one.

Press release from the U.S. Army below:

Army Launches Apps Marketplace Prototype

WASHINGTON (March 21, 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 (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.

The 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.