A collection of news and information specifically for the C4ISR community

Vol. 4, No. 19
May 15, 2008

d

Col. Terry Feehan

By Kevin Gilmartin
66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

Col. Terry Feehan brings a “people first” leadership philosophy to his new job as Electronic Systems Center vice commander that can be summed up with a phrase he coined as a squadron commander and has relied upon in every job since: “One Airman at a time.”

“Each individual, whether enlisted, officer or civilian, has different motivations, interests and backgrounds,” he said. “By harnessing that and nurturing and developing them, each can blossom into the best they can be. There’s no cookie cutter approach to leadership.”

Colonel Feehan, who has been selected for promotion to brigadier general, also brings an impressive set of qualifications gained over a 24-year Air Force career to his new job. He has significant leadership experience in both acquisition and base support, having commanded a training squadron, a mission support group, an air base wing and specialized center, as well as serving as wing director of the F-15 System Program Office.  (More)

JEFX team demonstrates seamless data sharing

By Bob Keeter
644th Electronic Systems Squadron

The Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2008 third quarter event, which ran April 14 through April 25, demonstrated an unprecedented level of success in terms of distributed operations.

“The Herculean efforts of my 644th ELSS team contributed immensely to the success of the experiment,” said Col. Jeff Hodgdon, 653rd Electronic Systems Wing Enterprise Integration director. “Never before have we attempted to operate in such a distributed environment. Data passed seamlessly across the major nodes, enabling decision makers to take appropriate action.”

Many lessons were learned and several initiatives showed promise, he said. “Now it is up to the entire JEFX enterprise to assess overall performance and work towards transitioning value-added tools along with tactics, techniques and procedures to warfighters.”

JEFX is an Air Force run, Air Force Chief of Staff-sanctioned experiment that is supported by sister services, coalition nations, combatant commands and government agencies. Its primary function is to assess initiatives in their ability to fulfill identified warfighter capability gaps. (More)

New command center monitors skies

American and Canadian personnel monitor activity in the North American maritime and air domains in the new North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command command center. NORAD and USNORTHCOM unveiled their new integrated command center in a May 13 ceremony at the commands’ headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.  Electronic Systems Center's 850th Electronic Systems Group, based at Peterson AFB, successfully led the $40 million dollar effort to relocate and integrate all aspects of this new command center.  (Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Gail Braymen)

Registration opens for June 2008 Integration Week

Registration is now open for the upcoming Electronic Systems Center’s Integration Week, to be held June 9 through 13.

Personnel are encouraged to take advantage of the numerous courses covering topics that range from combating government procurement fraud to acquisition management.

“One of the highlights of Integration Week will be the ESC EWI Experience course, which presents the real-life accounts of men and women who spent a term working with Sun Microsystems through participation in the Education with Industry program. This session will give you an opportunity to ask them questions about their experience and learn how to apply.” said Andrea Paquin, ESC University consultant. “The Contracting for Earned Value Management course may also be of interest to base personnel, as it counts as one of four classes required to earn a certificate in Earned Value Management.”

Additionally, retired Air Force colonel and former ESC program director Al Moseley, now on the staff of the Defense Acquisition University, will teach a key leadership course.  (More)

Gates salutes NORAD’s 50 years as guardian of skies

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates addresses the audience during the North American Aerospace Defense Command 50th Jubilee Dinner and Ball in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 12. (Defense Dept. photo by Cherie Cullen)

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates saluted North American Aerospace Defense Command’s role as the guardian of North American skies at the organization’s 50th anniversary observance here last night.

NORAD, a U.S.-Canadian military organization, was established May 12, 1958, to defend North America from air and space threats.

“Both of our nations are dedicated to protecting North Americans from air attacks, and this institution remains a vital part of the defense of the continent,” Gates said during his address at NORAD’s Golden Jubilee Ball at the Broadmoor resort.

Canada has long been a valued friend of the United States, Gates said, noting he shared the podium with Canadian Minister of National Defense Peter Gordon MacKay.  (More)

Joint Forces Command unveils new command and control vision

By Robert Pursell
USJFCOM Public Affairs

An Army unit on patrol takes gunfire from the third house in a row of five.

In the heat of battle, the unit spots civilians in the first house scattering for cover.

The unit can't get to the house so the ground commander calls on his Air Force joint terminal attack controller (JTAC) embedded with the unit for air support. He must be accurate in passing the coordinates to minimize the loss of innocent lives. He sends the information to a pilot in an F/A-18.

The Navy pilot, whose mission grants him the authority to strike, confirms the target through the use of infrared video that he can share with the Air Force JTAC on the ground via handset to confirm the intended target.

The pilot locks onto the target and fires. The streets go quiet and still, except for the innocent civilians who slowly come out of the untouched first house.

You have just read the essence of command and control (C2) according to a new U.S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) document.  (More)

Blog: Air Force aims for 'full control' of 'any and all' computers
-- Wired Blog Network
The Air Force wants a suite of hacker tools, to give it "access" to -- and "full control" of -- any kind of computer there is.

DOD unveils plans for sweeping military roles an missions review
-- Inside the Air Force
The Pentagon has unveiled its plans for a high-level review of military roles and missions, a congressionally mandated assessment that could give the Bush administration’s Office of the Secretary of Defense a parting opportunity to realign the defense bureaucracy.

Young clears Air Force to award GPS III contract
-- Defense News
Pentagon acquisition executive John Young announced May 9 that he has cleared the U.S. Air Force to award an estimated $1.8 billion contract to build satellites for the military under the closely watched GPS III program ...

Gates warns DoD of ‘next-war-itis’
-- Associated Press
The Defense Department must focus on current war demands, even if it means straining the U.S. armed forces and devoting less time and money on future threats, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday.

Tools to make sense of sensors
-- Government Computer News
Agencies deploy more sensing devices every day, but the data they collect often doesn’t have the impact it could.

Northrop Grumman gets 2 pacts valued up to $300 million total
-- CNNMoney.com
Northrop Grumman Corp. (NOC) received two Air Force contracts, valued at a combined $300 million, to complete non-recurring engineering and flight test/ certification, as well as beginning production of new engines ...
 
editorials and opinion ...
Use of these articles does not reflect official endorsement.  Reproduction for private use or gain is subject to original copyright restrictions.

Preparing for cyber warfare: US Air Force floats botnet plan
-- Ars Technica
Back in the Cold War era, the military's plans for developing the next generation of war-fighting capabilities were always a closely guarded secret; programs for developing cutting-edge bombs and missiles were highly classified ...

command comments ...

I just returned from Europe, where American Airmen have flown with our Allies in peace and combat since the days of the Lafayette Escadrille during World War I. I toured Normandy, where courage and triumph still echo along D-Day's beaches, cliffs, and furrows. The trip reminded me how attention to mission is fundamental to the success of American Airmen -- past and present.

Know the Mission. One lesson of Normandy is that everyone must know the mission. At every level of action, mission success requires clear goals, defined objectives, and an innate grasp of how those objectives are to be achieved.

Knowing the mission extends beyond daily "to do" lists. It requires recognizing how your actions affect others --including members of the Joint team. It requires comprehending how your work adds value to the Nation's security. It requires seizing every opportunity to improve how the Air Force provides Global Vigilance, Global Reach, and Global Power.
 ...
 

-- Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne

The Integrator is a weekly product of the 66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Office designed to give ESC decision makers a snapshot of news affecting the C4ISR community.  This e-publication is approved by Kevin Gilmartin, Chief of Public Affairs, (DSN) 478-4110 or commercial (781) 377-4110.  Back issues are available online.  To facilitate service, please select a link for your e-mails:  
Subscribe -- Unsubscribe -- Offer Comments.

Having trouble viewing The Integrator? Click here, http://integrator.hanscom.af.mil/2008/May/05152008/05152008.htm