AF Nukes, Cyber Commands Shift

AF Nukes, Cyber Commands Shift

By Colin Clark Wednesday, October 8th, 2008 6:24 am
Posted in Air, Cyber Security, Policy

The Air Force leadership, eager to restore balance and accountability, decided to move cyber command to Space Command and will create a major command (MACOM) focused on “nuclear and deterrence missions.”

“Our goal is a more stable Air Force, focused on our core missions, as a key member of the joint team,” Gen. Norton Schwartz said about the service’s annual Corona meeting this week. It was held Oct. 1-3 at the Air Force Academy.

Nukes dominated the discussions but joint issues were a near second. For example, the service decided to assign senior Air Force officers to joint forces commands to direct air support. On top of that, the Air Force will train more airmen to support tactical air control systems. And they agreed to integrate Marines, Navy and Army personnel into Air Force command and control units.

Cyber command will become a numbered air force within Air Force Space Command, not a separate command as had been the plan under the previous Air Force leadership. It looks from this as if the Air Force is finally agreeing it will not try to become the lead DoD service for cyber operations. “The conduct of cyber operations is a complex issue, as DoD and other interagency partners have substantial equity in the cyber arena,” Air Force Secretary Michael Donley said, stressing the service’s cooperation rather than its dominance. “We will continue to do our part to increase Air Force cyber capabilities and institutionalize our cyber mission.”

The Air Force leadership did not grasp the political nettle of where to locate the cyber and nuclear commands, saying it required more deliberation.

Join the Conversation

DensityDuck October 8th, 2008 at 7:20 pm

At StratSpace today, Gen. Deppe (Vice Commander, AF Space Command) claimed that this move “answered some of the concerns of the Young report”. He didn’t say whether this was a direct response to that report, though.

Waterboy17 October 9th, 2008 at 4:46 am

Been retired far too long to grasp all the reasons for this action, but communicators have been on a power grab for nearly 30 years. First, they gobbled up data automation, then information management, taking the cream of the crop, leaving mundane stuff for bases to manage. It doesn’t take a genius to see they could have eased in and expanded to take in the cyber aspect, but chose instead to make another blunt power grab, still looking for that 4-star they began seeking on nearly 30 years ago.

goldengoose October 14th, 2008 at 9:43 am

Just like Waterboy 17 I have been retired over 20 years. I was one of the ones gobbled up back in the early 80’s by the communicators. Although I had a Masters Degree in Inofmation Technology they told me my next job was to command a comm site in Turkey. What a waste of my education and experience. I simply left the 51 career field to get out from stupid upper management decisions. I wouldn’t have minded the remote but puting me in charge of something I had absolutely no education and experience in made no sense. Their response was your a Captain and making you a Commander will look good on your record. After retirment I tried to go back into the field but I wasn’t a ring knocker and technology changed so much and because many of the civilan leaders came from the top brass in the Air Force they blocked me on every attempt. As the VP of a rather large company I can tell you the communicators want that 4th star position and really don’t hide what they are trying to do.

1837th Eagle October 14th, 2008 at 11:03 am

I, also have been retired for a long period of time, and cannot grasp the communicators comments from other participants. The figther mofia did away with the SAC, MAC, TAC, Alaska Command, Electronic Security Command, and the Air Force Communications Command, as one of thier first actions and placed all Comm and Intel, people under the host wings. This was a political and monetary power grab by and for fighter pilots. The Fighter Mofia also want complete control of the Air Force budget process and the creation of ACC as the major war fighting command achieveed this goal.

The fighter Mofia is why the SAC was disbanded also, The fighter Mofia had to break the World War II Bomber Legacy in order to gain control of the Air Force. General McPeak was the BIGGEST MISTAKE the Air Force EVER MADE. That man thought fighter pilots sat at the right hand of god. One of the BIGGEST #$$holes I ever met in my life. I was ashamed when he was appointed as the Chief of Staff.

I spent my entire career in AFCC with the last 8.5 as a Engineering and Installation Team Chief. ACC (The Old TAC) is who is responsible for the destruction of the United States Air Force. AFCC was never on a power grab, becuase they never had any power to begin with, the leaders of the Major commands (four Star’s)set the force structure of AFCC and others, Air Staff added and subtracted from the AFCC Mission as they saw fit. As far as goldengoose is concerned, he fails to understand what a Communications Officer’s is supposed to do, first you do what is best for the Air Force, and not what is best for you. I was in invovled in the Information Technology field from its early days of 1980 through today, and staying current was always my responsibility. Grow up, there is no communicators anymore, Cyber Command was another wet dream of another Figter Mofia General trying to make another power grab in DOD. Thankfully SECDEF saw through this and fired the Fighter Mofia and replaced them with our current Chief of Staff. When we has SAC we had accoutability and structure, with ACC all others are second class citizens, which was brought to light with the Nuke problems.

rilke67 October 14th, 2008 at 12:56 pm

I too am retired and agree, McPeak should never have made LC let alone genral. The man had no clue and he is advising BO. Now that is something to think about.

BOB GRESHAM October 14th, 2008 at 2:01 pm

MY SON WAS IN SPACE COMMAND. HE HAD OUTSTANDING “OER’S” AND WAS PROMOTED EARLY UP THRU MAJOR. NOW HE IS A SERIOR MAJOR AND WAS SUBMITTED ONE YEAR BELOW THE ZONE AND DID NOT MAKE THE LIST. HE NOW IS UP TO THE THIRD YEAR OF REVIEW. HE AS MENTIONED ABOVE HAS OUTSTANDING REVIEWS AND NOW HAS BEEN PASSED OVER TWO TIMES. WHEN I LOOK AT THE PROMOTION LIST I SEE A LARGE NUMBER OF PROMOTIONS IN OTHER CREER FIELDS. MAYBE THIS WILL AID OTHERS TO GET THE RESPECT THEY DESERVE. I RETIRED FROMTHE ARMY WITH 38 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS TYPE OF BASIS.

Ross Kelly October 17th, 2008 at 6:17 am

As a recently retired Army SF (Reserve) 0-6, I don’t pretend to know the politics that severed responsibility for nukes to separate commands, but I do know that both the AF and the Army recently heaped a lot of s*** on some generals who are probably scapegoats for the results of actions years ago by Gen McPeak, among others. I do nuclear security work in my civilian capacity, and how the AF has approached security for its different types of nukes has at times had me concerned. From the issue here and the comments of the gentlemen much closer to it than I am, I don’t know if the recent reorganization is the right move or not. I can only hope.

Gary Brand October 17th, 2008 at 11:49 am

As a former SAC B-52 crewmember and on the initial HQ cadre for the standup of ACC, I always felt that there was a deteriation of nuclear emphasis/oversight that was lost when SAC went away. I applaud the return of “SAC” and hope we can get our nuclear focus back.

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