News>Air Force Cyber Command online for future operations
Photos
Capt. Jason Simmons and Staff Sgt. Clinton Tips update anti-virus software for Air Force units to assist in the prevention of cyberspace hackers July 12 at Barksdale Air Force Base, La. The Air Force is setting up the Air Force Cyberspace Command soon and these Airmen will be the operators on the ground floor. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo)
Tech. Sgt. John Webb and Staff Sgt. Clinton Tips update anti-virus software for Air Force units to assist in the prevention of cyberspace hackers July 12 at Barksdale Air Force Base, La. The Air Force is setting up the Air Force Cyber Command soon and these Airmen will be the operators on the ground floor. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo)
by Staff Sgt. Matthew Rosine
Air Force News Agency
7/17/2007 - BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. (AFPN) -- The Air Force's soon-to-be newest major command, Air Force Cyber Command, is still on track, or rather still online.
Air Force Cyber Command is creating a foundation now for the combat Airmen of today and tomorrow, said Lt. Gen. Robert J. Elder Jr., commander of 8th Air Force here and the joint functional component commander for Global Strike and Integration for U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
"What we have found for the Air Force is that everything that we do is integrally linked to what we do in cyberspace," he said.
As the birth of Air Force Cyber Command comes closer to fruition this fall, the importance of cyberspace to today's Airmen is even more important.
"Unlike other services where you can actually walk up to people and at least see them, we are doing operations globally -- we are a global service," General Elder said. "And, the way we connect all this together is through cyberspace.
"People hear quite often that we, the Air Force, believe in centralized control, decentralized execution," the general said. "It is one of the things, I believe, that makes us a very effective and efficient service in terms of how we conduct our operations. We are able to do that because our control of cyberspace is so good. For us to be able to use our precision weapons, for us to be able to do the kinds of quick responses that deal with multiple targets, for example -- it is all tied to how we work in cyberspace."
Like so many Air Force duties, cyberspace is every Airman's responsibility.
"Cyberspace is not just a computer on your desktop," General Elder said. "It is the way that we as an Air Force intend to fly and fight."
