MODERNIZATION EFFORTS ... - Air Force Network Integration Center

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Cover & inside page
illustrations by:
Paul Stelmach, AFCA
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FLEXIBLE, DEPLOYALBE COMM ✭ TOTAL FORCE
MODERNIZATION EFFORTS ✭ TRANSFORMATION
WIRELESS NETWORKS ✭ INFORMATION OPS
FROM THE TOP
JUNE 2007 ✭ VOLUME 48, NUMBER 6
4 Passing the efficiency test
Overcoming tactical and operational challenges
begins with flexible, deployable comm systems,
processes and people. — Gen. Paul V. Hester
6 Warriors of the Pacific
Our warriors know how to consistently deliver
superior results. — Col. Vincent C. Valespino
THE THEME
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From surf to sand
Deployments become easier knowing you work
with great people. — Chief Master Sgt. William Roby
8 PACAF networks and systems:
A Total Force Network — Capts. Reid Novotny and Victor Talamoa Jr.
The Falconer Weapons System — Capt. Jennifer Strickland
Tactical comm — Master Sgt. Anthony DiMascolo
Stepping up to the plate — Maj. Christian Basballe
12 Wireless networks Alaskan style
C2 takes a leap forward across the last frontier
with the Link-16 network. — Michael Bishop
14 Comm transforms Red Flag - Alaska
The 354th CS supports the merger of the Cope
Thunder and Red Flag exercises. — 1st Lt. Shane Warren
15 Arctic Raptor - The nation’s top cover
Airmen with the 3rd CS help the base ready for
its new F-22A mission. — 1st Lt. Melissa Osti
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PACAF warriors in Japan
10 Base modernizes to support ISR mission
Andersen AFB, Guam, shows why they’re no longer
a “sleepy hollow” installation. — Capt. Luis Claudio
Eye on the command: A photo look at PACAF
CC Speak: What’s your biggest challenge?
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21 The U.S. - Japan alliance — 1st Lt. Michael G. Cabusao
IOWG team provides insights — Capt. Christopher Corbett
22 Airmen prove combat skills — 1st Lt. James W. Daniel
23 Army strong Airmen — Chief Master Sgt. Allen Thomas
24 Combat comm transforms ops — Capt. David Abel
25 Wolf Comm gets job done — Maj. Bryan Richardson
COMM OPS
26 Time Machine: Remote comm in Alaska
30 Techno Gizmo: Virtual AF — AFCA
31 Monthly litho — Paul Stelmach
THE JOURNAL OF THE AIR FORCE C4ISR COMMUNITY
Gen. T. Michael Moseley
Air Force Chief of Staff
Lt. Gen. Michael W. Peterson
Chief of Warfighting Integration and
Chief Information Officer
Maj. Gen. William T. Lord
Director for Cyber Transformation and Strategy
Brig. Gen. James A. Whitmore
Director for Warfighting Systems Integration
and Deployment
Daniel F. McMillin
Director for Policy and Resources
Col. Robert J. Steele
Commander, Air Force Communications Agency
Len Barry
Acting Chief, Public Affairs
Karen Petitt
Editor
INTERCOM EDITORIAL STAFF
This funded Air Force magazine, published by Helmer
Printing, N. 6402 790th St., Beldenville, Wisc., 54003, is an
authorized publication for members of the U.S. military
services. Contents of the intercom are not necessarily the
official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government,
the Department of Defense, or the Department of the Air
Force. Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided
by the public affairs office of AFCA.
Submitting to the intercom
Stories should be in Microsoft Word format and should be
no longer than 600 words. Photographs should be at least
5x7 in size and 300 dpi. Submit stories via e-mail to
intercom@scott.af.mil.
Subscription requests
E-mail all mailing requests or address changes to
intercom@scott.af.mil.
Comments to the staff
Comments, and letters to the editor, may be e-mailed or
sent via the postal service to AFCA/PA, intercom, 203 W.
Losey St., Room 1200, Scott AFB, IL 62225-5222.
2006
Best Internal Magazine
Blue Pencil Award * National
Association of Government
Communicators
2005
Best Magazine
DoD’s Thomas Jefferson
Awards program & Air Force
Media Contest
Best Internal Magazine
Clarion Award * Women in
Communications
MAGAZINE AWARDS
2003/2004
Most Improved Magazine
Clarion Award * Women in
Communications
Award of Excellence
- Internal Magazine
NAGC Blue Pencil
Competition
Best Online Newspaper
Air Force Media Contest
Best Designed Publication
DoD’s Military Graphic Artist
Competition
FROM THE EDITORIAL DESK
Final ‘intercom’ issue
published in August
By Col. Robert J. Steele
Air Force Communications Agency
commander
It’s with regret that I must advise
you that intercom magazine will cease
publication as of August.
As we all know, the Air Force is
currently under great pressure to
downsize and economize, and this is
one result of that effort.
With the mandated redistribution
of our public affairs positions to
other Air Force organizations, it’s not
feasible for AFCA to keep producing
this award-winning publication.
However, readers will still be able
to find past issues of the intercom,
AFCA history, the Air Force Comm
and Info Hall of Fame, and other
information on the AFCA Public
Web page.
In the meantime, the July issue
FINAL CALL FOR STORIES/PHOTOS
will feature the Air Force Special
Operations comm and info warriors
as scheduled. Our final farewell issue,
in August, will highlight the heroes of
comm and info.
Special thanks go to our editors
for the past four years — Karen Petitt,
Jim Verchio, Lori Manske —
whose work has resulted with intercom
being recognized as best in Air
Force and DOD, and well respected
among their civilian counterparts.
Thanks also to all who had a part in
editing, proofreading, advising, and
most important, submitting articles
— your support contributed directly
to its success.
Thanks for your understanding,
and I’m sure that in the future, there
will still be creative ways to tell our
stories and recognize our people for
the remarkable contributions they
make every day to our Air Force.
FAREWELL TRIBUTES C&I WARRIORS
DEADLINE JUNE 8 DEADLINE JUNE 15
The intercom staff will
publish your feedback, letter
to the editor or short note
regarding the end of this
forum that showcases the
C&I world. This has been
part of our community for
46 years. We’ll be taking a
look back through those
years, and your comments
will be a fun addition to our
farewell issue.
Send submissions to: intercom@scott.af.mil
The final issue will be a
photo tribute to comm
and info warriors around
the world. Please send a
portrait or on-the-job
photo and short write
up of your C&I warrior.
We are also highlighting
the superb work of our
photographers, so please
feel free to send in your
best photo(s) as well.
JAG IN A BOX
Restricted access
I can’t access MySpace.com or
YouTube.com from my government
computer any more. What’s up?
Yes, it’s true, the plug has been
pulled. In mid-May the DOD
blocked access to these and 11
other sites. Initially,
the public
thought it was
done to censor
our troops
from talking
about or sharing
photographs
and videos of
Operations Iraqi
Fritz Mihelcic
and Enduring
AFCA Deputy
Freedom. While Chief Counsel
the Defense
Department did recently change
one of their policies, requiring
the troops to have approval from
their commanders for any blogs
and videos they send from their
government computers, that’s not
what this is about. We’ve always
been concerned about what we
used to call EEFIs—Essential
Elements of Friendly Information.
The fragments of information on
thousands of blogs may not mean
much individually, but when
looked at as a whole, it may give
the enemy insight into our operations.
It isn’t censorship, it’s operations
security. Yet, the real truth
behind all of this is simply bandwidth.
The military bandwidth
demand is huge. Blogs, videos,
and photographs are “bandwidth
hogs,” and we can’t afford to have
any degradation in our networks.
Think of the consequences of a
failed mission because somebody
tied up the official network with
personal videos! For now, accept
the ban, conserve bandwidth and
support the troops.
Send your question to:
AFCA-JA@scott.af.mil
or call DSN: 779-6060
intercom✭ June 2007 C4ISR ✭Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance
Online ✭public.afca.af.mil
intercom ✭ June 2007