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OTIS AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Massachusetts - One essential characteristic that all military units have in common is the need to communicate. We communicate to share information, to share ideas and to coordinate action. Unless face to face, this transfer requires electricity and technology; to carry our messages across systems, and invisibly through space on electromagnetic wavelengths.
Here at the 102nd Intelligence Wing our missions almost completely rely on electronic communication. Providing and maintaining this critical function is the responsibility of the 102nd Communications Flight. The 102 CF is comprised of 36 military and civilian personnel committed to satisfying the electronic communications needs of our Airmen.
“Our mission is to deliver and maintain the highest levels of cyber communications to the wing, the mission and to our customers. That includes phone, radio and computer services,” explained Chief Master Sergeant Michael Ulich, 102 CF Chief Enlisted Manager. “How it applies to the intelligence missions, we’re providing them the capabilities to pull all that imagery and information in to do their jobs, and get the information back out to people.”
According to Chief Ulich the 102 CF is broken out into two main branches, Plans and Operations.
“Our Plans folks definitely are the pulse of our current and future cyber planning and programming. They organize and direct sustainment activities to maintain our current base cyber capabilities while expertly managing the implementation and project installation of future technological capabilities,” said Ulich. “Any new building that’s being built works with the Plans shop to ensure base communications architecture, configuration and integration conformity.”
Functions within the Plans section include a number of different career Air Force Specialty Codes. Client Systems specialists provide planning and programming expertise support relating to software, hardware and client-level information technology support functions, while Cyber Transport Systems specialists contribute voice, data, and video services expertise. Also within the Plan Branch are Cyber Surety specialists or “Cyber Defenders” as Ulich calls them, who focus on network vulnerabilities. Unfortunately, Department of Defense communication networks are always a target for unwanted intrusion by our adversaries.
“There’s always efforts to get into the network,” said Ulich.
While the Plans branch performs planning and implementation activities, the Operations branch is focused on mission execution, performing hands-on administration of the communication networks. With several of the same AFSCs including Client Systems and Cyber Transport, the Operations branch also has Cyber Systems Operations specialists who work directly with the network control center, Radio Frequency Transmission Systems specialists who operate and maintain the unit’s radio equipment and Knowledge Operations Management Airmen responsible for records management and replying to Freedom of Information Act requests.
In addition, the 102 CF includes a command staff function and the Quality Assurance office. QA ensures unit members are meeting or exceeding requirements by evaluating, providing guidance and references to these cyber professionals.
“QA is definitely the eyes and ears of the 102 CF Commander,“ said Ulich.
Not only does the 102 CF support two federal intelligence missions and 30 tenant organizations across Joint Base Cape Cod – they do it around the clock with the highest levels of cyber communication support. Additionally, the 102 CF assists the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with a mobile domestic operations communications services function called the Joint Incident Site Communication Capability (JISCC).
“Our JISCC is heavily relied on in Massachusetts supporting the CBRN Task Force,” said Ulich.
The JISCC provides emergency communications capabilities including radio, telephone and internet access for first responders and was used most recently this summer during the 4th of July celebrations in Boston, and earlier in the year on standby for the Boston Marathon.
Some users of the network may notice that there’s a difference between the military network and those they use in the civilian sector. Ulich explained that some of the security measures that are put in place can sometimes “slow people down,” he continued, “but it’s in the efforts to protect the network, and ultimately protect the mission. With two intel missions, that’s paramount.”
The 102 CF is a small organization with a big job – providing cyber communications service and support throughout the base. “I am constantly amazed at the professionalism, technical abilities and “can-do” attitude of our cyber professionals at the 102 CF,” said Major Rick Haddon, 102 CF Commander. “It is evident that our cyber team is preparing our customers for tomorrow’s challenges by providing excellence in cyber communications today.”
One thing’s for sure, we all rely on the vigilant work of the 102 CF to provide us a reliable network, defend us against an increasing number of cyber threats and to keep our crucial missions up and running.
| Date Taken: | 11.28.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 11.28.2018 14:09 |
| Story ID: | 301491 |
| Location: | CAPE COD, MA, US |
| Web Views: | 188 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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