AMC staff sergeant earns 'Best OPSEC NCO in Air Force'

Photo By Capt. Amber Kelly-Herard | Staff Sgt. Robert Perecko, from the 618th Air Operations Center (Tanker Airlift Control Center), is shown near an operations security poster at the Headquarters Air Mobility Command building at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., April 20, 2012. Perecko was named the 2011 Air Force Operations Security Non-commissioned Officer of the Year. He works as the information operations fused communication NCO in charge at the 618th AOC (TACC).  

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, IL, UNITED STATES

04.23.2012

Story by Senior Airman Amber Kelly-Herard 

Air Mobility Command

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Managing a command-wide operations security program was just one area that led to Staff Sgt. Robert Perecko earning the 2011 Air Force Operations Security Non-commissioned Officer of the Year. It was also his effort to make it a team approach across Air Mobility Command.

Perecko, the information operations fused communication NCO in charge with the 618th Air and Space Operations Center (Tanker Airlift Control Center), is the OPSEC planner subject-matter expert responsible for OPSEC initiatives for 13 wings and eight air operations center divisions.

"His innate abilities as a leader and team member truly represent his outstanding qualifications for this well-deserved recognition," said Perecko's supervisor, Master Sgt. Rebecca Longfellow, overall manager of the 618 AOC (TACC) operations security program. "He is directly responsible for the robust OPSEC training and education program within the 618th AOC (TACC). His humble expertise and superb communication skills facilitates protection of critical information, an invaluable contribution to the overall success of this organization."

As an OPSEC planner, Perecko is responsible for training members of the 618th AOC (TACC) and monitoring OPSEC discretion action.

"I think I was selected for this award because of the amount of people I trained," said Perecko, a native of Gloucester, Va. "I am one of the first people everybody sees when they in-process. They get to put a face to the name that goes with OPSEC.

"I also improved big processes like OPSEC disclosures," he continued. "The disclosures used to be sent out on the Secret Internet Protocol Router Network [or SIPRNET]. I took a survey and found out not everyone was getting the reports because not everyone has access to SIPRNET or they don't access it all the time. I changed it so the reports now get sent out on the Non-secure Internet Protocol Router Network [or NIPRNET] as 'unclassified, for official use only' and encrypted so everyone who needs to see them, see them in a timely manner."

Among many accomplishments, Perecko analyzed 337 critical information disclosures protecting Air Mobility Command operations, briefed threats and countermeasures to 121 students and authored the 618th AOC (TACC) OPSEC policy letter outlining eight directorate's responsibilities. He also tries to make people aware of the vulnerabilities, risks and threats of social media in a person's personal and professional life.

"I was pleasantly surprised," Perecko said. "Everyone's heard of OPSEC, but I have a real passion for it. I have a lot of good people around me who noticed the things I did. We're a good team, so it's really all of our award. I thank my supervisor, Longfellow, everybody in my section for their support and my family," he continued.

Perecko was also named the 2011 Air Mobility Command OPSEC NCO of the Year.

• Date Taken: 04.23.2012
• Date Posted: 04.23.2012 10:28
• Story ID: 87175
• Location: SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, IL, US