Category: Aviation

Source: United States Air Force

WASHINGTON (AFNS) —  

The Office of the Secretary of Defense Chief Digital and AI Office, Defense Innovation Unit, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, U.S. Army Pacific Command and the U.S. Air Force will host a multi-classification hackathon open to all U.S. citizens, Feb. 5-9, 2024.

A hackathon is an innovation event commonly employed by technology companies in which teams develop prototypes in response to enterprise challenges associated with data. The BRAVO 11 Bits2Effects hackathon will occur at one of the DOD AI Battle Labs on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.

Any American citizen is eligible to apply, regardless of whether they currently work for the federal government or possess a security clearance. Applications, available online here, will be accepted on a rolling first-come-first-serve basis with the first group of acceptances taking place in mid-December. Due to past events exceeding 400 participants, BRAVO has secured an over-flow room, although organizers still expect demand to exceed supply.

Attendees are not required to hold a security clearance. However, certain spaces, use-cases and datasets may require a U.S. secret security clearance or higher. Applicants may apply as an employee for the U.S. government, a U.S. government contractor working on behalf of a federal contract or as U.S. citizen either affiliated or unaffiliated with a company. Any U.S. federal employees or federal contractors are eligible to submit potential use-cases and proposed collaborations within the application process. Sourcing a use-case to these hackathons often results in an operational prototype and feedback for the sourcing organization.

Starting in 2021, the U.S. Air Force began organizing multi-service prototyping events, known as BRAVO hackathons, to expedite learning and capability development from classified and protected operational data. This year’s BRAVO 11 Bits2Effects, the fourth BRAVO hackathon and first-held inside a combatant command, is seeking to produce solutions to combatant command challenges utilizing Indo-Pacific operational theater data. BRAVO utilizes a permissive software development environment that permits the co-mingling of classified and protected data with untrusted open-source and commercial software otherwise not approved for production systems within minutes.

Prior hackathons have produced prototypes influencing major Defense Department programs in areas including large language models, space launch, flight telemetry and biometrics, unmanned systems, personnel recovery, security classification, sensing and targeting and battle damage assessment among others.

“In the early 1920s, Army Col. Billy Mitchell assessed battleships, a top military funding priority of the Department of War, could be sunk by bombers just 1/80th the cost,” said Stuart Wagner, Chief Digital Transformation Officer for the Department of the Air Force and BRAVO AI Battle Labs Executive Agent. “To disprove widely held resourcing beliefs of senators, four-star generals and the Secretary of War, Mitchell organized the Project B exercises where bombers repeatedly sunk German-captured battleships, changing warfare by turning investments to airpower in the leadup of World War II.

The BRAVO DoD AI Battle Labs are again seeking to change how warfare is conducted by enabling innovators to develop and employ data driven effects during competition and conflict.”

Applicants looking to participate may do so in one of three roles:

The “Hacker” role is open to all applicants and expects project builders with varying skill sets and experience, including operational and warfighter expertise, software development, data science, machine learning, design and user interface/user design, data visualization and product management. Hackers may optionally supply a use case during the application process.

The “Hacker Subject Matter Expert” role is open to government and government contractors who lead one or more teams with specific expertise about a use case or dataset or supplies and administers infrastructure utilized at the hackathon. HackerSMEs will be required to supply a use case during the application process.

The “Supporter” role, open to government and government contractors, provides administrative support to the event by running security, facilitating supplies delivery, organizing social events and facilitating the delivery of science fair materials and attendee check-in.

Any federal government organization (contractor or government) is eligible to submit a use case, dataset, infrastructure or potential collaboration with the hackathon by submitting a Hacker/HackerSME application to the event. Further clarification can be obtained via saf.cn.bravo@us.af.mil. U.S. citizens and industry not leveraging an existing DoD contract for their proposed collaboration are encouraged to contact the Defense Innovation Unit at onramp-hack-bravo@diu.mil.

Source: United States Air Force

WASHINGTON (AFNS) —  

The Office of the Secretary of Defense Chief Digital and AI Office, Defense Innovation Unit, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, U.S. Army Pacific Command and the U.S. Air Force will host a multi-classification hackathon open to all U.S. citizens, Feb. 5-9, 2024.

A hackathon is an innovation event commonly employed by technology companies in which teams develop prototypes in response to enterprise challenges associated with data. The BRAVO 11 Bits2Effects hackathon will occur at one of the DOD AI Battle Labs on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.

Any American citizen is eligible to apply, regardless of whether they currently work for the federal government or possess a security clearance. Applications, available online here, will be accepted on a rolling first-come-first-serve basis with the first group of acceptances taking place in mid-December. Due to past events exceeding 400 participants, BRAVO has secured an over-flow room, although organizers still expect demand to exceed supply.

Attendees are not required to hold a security clearance. However, certain spaces, use-cases and datasets may require a U.S. secret security clearance or higher. Applicants may apply as an employee for the U.S. government, a U.S. government contractor working on behalf of a federal contract or as U.S. citizen either affiliated or unaffiliated with a company. Any U.S. federal employees or federal contractors are eligible to submit potential use-cases and proposed collaborations within the application process. Sourcing a use-case to these hackathons often results in an operational prototype and feedback for the sourcing organization.

Starting in 2021, the U.S. Air Force began organizing multi-service prototyping events, known as BRAVO hackathons, to expedite learning and capability development from classified and protected operational data. This year’s BRAVO 11 Bits2Effects, the fourth BRAVO hackathon and first-held inside a combatant command, is seeking to produce solutions to combatant command challenges utilizing Indo-Pacific operational theater data. BRAVO utilizes a permissive software development environment that permits the co-mingling of classified and protected data with untrusted open-source and commercial software otherwise not approved for production systems within minutes.

Prior hackathons have produced prototypes influencing major Defense Department programs in areas including large language models, space launch, flight telemetry and biometrics, unmanned systems, personnel recovery, security classification, sensing and targeting and battle damage assessment among others.

“In the early 1920s, Army Col. Billy Mitchell assessed battleships, a top military funding priority of the Department of War, could be sunk by bombers just 1/80th the cost,” said Stuart Wagner, Chief Digital Transformation Officer for the Department of the Air Force and BRAVO AI Battle Labs Executive Agent. “To disprove widely held resourcing beliefs of senators, four-star generals and the Secretary of War, Mitchell organized the Project B exercises where bombers repeatedly sunk German-captured battleships, changing warfare by turning investments to airpower in the leadup of World War II.

The BRAVO DoD AI Battle Labs are again seeking to change how warfare is conducted by enabling innovators to develop and employ data driven effects during competition and conflict.”

Applicants looking to participate may do so in one of three roles:

The “Hacker” role is open to all applicants and expects project builders with varying skill sets and experience, including operational and warfighter expertise, software development, data science, machine learning, design and user interface/user design, data visualization and product management. Hackers may optionally supply a use case during the application process.

The “Hacker Subject Matter Expert” role is open to government and government contractors who lead one or more teams with specific expertise about a use case or dataset or supplies and administers infrastructure utilized at the hackathon. HackerSMEs will be required to supply a use case during the application process.

The “Supporter” role, open to government and government contractors, provides administrative support to the event by running security, facilitating supplies delivery, organizing social events and facilitating the delivery of science fair materials and attendee check-in.

Any federal government organization (contractor or government) is eligible to submit a use case, dataset, infrastructure or potential collaboration with the hackathon by submitting a Hacker/HackerSME application to the event. Further clarification can be obtained via saf.cn.bravo@us.af.mil. U.S. citizens and industry not leveraging an existing DoD contract for their proposed collaboration are encouraged to contact the Defense Innovation Unit at onramp-hack-bravo@diu.mil.

Source: United States Air Force

Fort George G. Meade, Md. (AFNS) —  

This week’s look around the Air Force highlights Operation Christmas Drop 2023, a humanitarian event that brings the U.S. and partner nations together to deliver essentials to remote islands in the Indo-Pacific region. (Hosted by Staff Sgt. Milton Hamilton)

Watch on DVIDS | Watch on YouTube
For previous episodes, click here for the Air Force TV page.

Source: United States Air Force

ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE BASE AMBERLEY, Queensland (AFNS) —  

U.S. Air Force 15th Wing, Royal Australian Air Force No. 36 Squadron and Royal Air Force 99 Squadron trained together during Exercise Global Dexterity 23-2 at RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland, Australia, Nov. 27-Dec. 8.

During the two-week exercise, the U.S. Air Force, RAAF and RAF integrated personnel with the goal to help develop multilateral tactical airlift and airdrop capabilities between the three nations while achieving mission success across multiple areas, including humanitarian disaster and assistance, disaster relief situation or contingency operations.

“One of the main objectives of the exercise is to allow us the opportunity to fly with multi-country crews to see the differences between techniques, tactics and procedures, but also to learn little tips and tricks that other defense forces might have that we haven’t necessarily considered ourselves,” said Flight Lieutenant Josh Wright, Royal Australian Air Force No. 36 Squadron pilot. “This exercise has given us the opportunity to conduct airdrop operations, air refueling, formation operations, low level tactical flight and general low level awareness training.”

In addition to integrating aircrews, the RAAF, U.S. Air Force and RAF maintainers worked together to ensure all nations’ aircraft were safe to train and fly daily.

 
“Not only are three countries flying our aircraft together, but the crews flying the aircraft are made up of all three countries,” said Lt. Col. Chris Gilbert, 535th Airlift Squadron director of operations. “Once we return and hand the aircraft back to the maintenance professionals, fully integrated teams work to prepare the aircraft to fly again.”

This is the first time that the RAF members have participated in this exercise working together with U.S. Air Force and RAAF members to strengthen military partnerships and demonstrate mission capabilities in wartime, peacetime and humanitarian operations throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

“It’s critical as we go forward, I think, because we have an opportunity to both learn from each other and capitalize on each of our unique capabilities that we bring and learn from each other,” said Col. Michael Lewis, 15th Operations Group commander. “It’s those things that we bring together to sharpen each other and make each other better as a crew force across the C- 17 fleet.”

During this exercise, additional training was accomplished by including Australian Defence Force cargo requirements into the mission planning and transporting ADF cargo from Momote Airport, Papua New Guinea in support of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations.

“It’s really important to work with your mates before you have to, whether it’s humanitarian assistance, disaster relief situations or a combat situation,” Lewis said. “You want to work with your mates so that you know both their capabilities, as well as the things that they can’t do whether it’s limited by government or by fleet size or by crew size. So that’s why it’s so important that we’re doing this now .We’re learning and growing together in a way that helps us in those situations in the future if we have a humanitarian disaster.”

 
Exercise Global Dexterity allows all three nations the unique experience of multilateral interoperability through blended aircrews and maintenance teams that work together from combined mission planning to execution. This partnership between nations is especially important given the changing strategic environment in the region.

“This training exercise is a fantastic opportunity not only for our countries, but for the Airmen that get to develop personal relationships with our Allies,” Gilbert said. “We achieve interoperability and integrated deterrence only when we play together, eat together, work together, debrief together and put in the effort to make each other better.”

 

Source: United States Air Force

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. (AFNS) —  

Air Force Global Strike Command recently stood up a new directorate, AFGSC/A10, the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Modernization Directorate, at Barksdale Air Force Base.

This directorate is responsible for overseeing and coordinating the activities of the Air Force in support of the deployment of the LGM-35A Sentinel ICBM weapon system and the retirement of the LGM-30G Minuteman III ICBM weapon system.

“Section 1638 of the [Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act] directed the establishment of the Sentinel Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Site Activation Task Force within Air Force Global Strike Command,” said Gen. Thomas Bussiere, AFGSC commander. “Brig. Gen. Colin Connor will lead the ICBM Modernization Directorate [AFGSC/A10], which organizationally consists of a Sentinel Operating Location team, a Sentinel Requirements Division, and a Sentinel Operations Division. I have absolute confidence that he and the entire A10 team will prepare the command for one of the most critical upgrades to our nation’s deterrence capabilities in history.”

Connor stepped into his role in August of this year and says he is excited about his new position, leading the new organization and the Sentinel project.

“The Sentinel project is a monumental one for the United States,” Connor said. “It aims to field 400 missiles, modernize 450 silos and more than 600 facilities across almost 40,000 square miles of U.S. territory over six states, three operational wings and a test location, to replace the Minuteman III ICBM weapon system. I am honored to be part of the team that shapes the ICBM enterprise for the future nuclear community.”

The weapon system overhaul will take place in Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, California, Colorado and Nebraska over the next 20 years. All components of the previous weapon system will be replaced, including the motors, interstages, propulsion system rocket engine, and missile guidance set. The number, size, configuration and design of the nuclear warheads provided by the Department of Energy will remain unchanged.

With nuclear deterrence as the Department of Defense’s top priority mission, the standup of the A10 directorate represents one of the first steps in ensuring the United States’ nuclear capability is strong enough to withstand any threat to the United States and its allies. The work the directorate accomplishes over the coming years will ensure the Sentinel weapon system is the most cost-effective option for maintaining a safe, secure, and effective land-based leg of the nuclear triad and would extend its capabilities through 2075.

For more information regarding the Sentinel Program, click here.

Source: United States Air Force

SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFNS) —  

Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall visited U.S. Air Force Airmen and U.S. Space Force Guardians deployed throughout the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Dec. 4-11, as part of a senior leader visit to thank Airmen and Guardians for their expeditionary service during the holiday season.

During his visit with the first Airmen to deploy under the new Air Force Force Generation model, Kendall learned about how Airmen and Guardians are delivering capabilities, developing critical relationships with allies and partners and supporting the enduring defense initiatives throughout the region.

“First and foremost, I’m here to say thank you for your service to the country and for what you’re doing,” said Kendall during an all-call with service members. “You remain focused on providing presence and stability in a critical region of the world. What you do is not easy, and it is especially challenging during this time of the year when our thoughts turn to home and loved ones. Please know my sincere appreciation, our nation is indebted to the sacrifice made by you and your families.”

During these all-call sessions, the Secretary took a variety of questions, including on the future direction of the Department of the Air Force.

“As I got to know the Air Force and the Space Force more intimately, it became more apparent to me that we need to make some changes,” Kendall said. “A major effort is underway with Chief of Staff [of the Air Force Gen. David W.] Allvin and Chief of Space Operations [of the Space Force Gen. Chance] Saltzman is to look at our current posture, how we are organized to fight, how we train and how we equip. We will be making a series of announcements regarding changes to make the current forces as capable as possible for the most difficult security challenges we currently face.”

Secretary Kendall also received updates on how the United States and regional partners are postured to defend common security interests through multilateral coalitions of competent, capable and integrated air dominance forces.

Through his visits with the 332nd, 378th, 379th, 380th, and 386th Air Expeditionary Wings, the 609th Air Operations Center, and the Combined Air Operations Center, he highlighted the value of sustaining relationships with joint and coalition partners.

“A key element of our strategy is integrated deterrence, the idea that we integrate not just U.S. capabilities but the capabilities of our partners—our success in this part of the world depends upon having strong partners that we can work with,” said Kendall. “The multi-national team at the CAOC is a striking example of the teamwork we have fostered and continue to build.”

Throughout the tour, Kendall recognized top performers for their hard work and dedication to the Air Force and Space Force missions conducting combat operations in support of U.S. national security objectives throughout the Middle East.

“You are deeply appreciated,” Kendall said. “Every day your senior leadership teams get up and head to work knowing that supporting you is our core purpose, and we will continue to do that for you.”

Source: United States Air Force

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFNS) —  

AFWERX, the innovation arm of the Department of the Air Force and a directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory is accepting applications for its upcoming spring Traditional Fellowship Program through Jan. 5.

“I would definitely recommend an AFWERX fellowship to anybody who wants a challenge and likes a fast-paced working environment,” said Chris Heckman, a current AFWERX fellow. “You get to learn about new technologies and accelerate them to the warfighter, which is very exciting.” 

AFWERX fellowships are designed to cultivate a better understanding of current industry trends, broaden innovation perspectives and expose Airmen and Guardians to programs with a DAF- level impact. The fellowships include a professional development curriculum, allowing selectees to refine their project management capabilities and expand their skill sets.   

Fellows can expect to support a range of projects, including major command outreach, accelerating and transitioning Airmen and Guardians’ ideas to the field and participating in a Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer contracting sprint.  

Traditional fellows will be assigned to one of AFWERX’s divisions for four months. Heckman, an Air Force Life Cycle Management Center HH-60 Pave Hawk program manager with five years of acquisition experience, is assigned to AFVentures because his background and skill set aligned best with that division. Its mission is to fund emerging technologies via government and private capital to deliver Air Force and Space Force capabilities and broaden access to disruptive innovation.

“It was definitely a unique experience for me and was good to learn a different side of acquisitions,” Heckman said. “The process in AFWERX is so much faster than what I’m used to and getting technologies to the field quickly will hopefully help us gain an advantage.”  

Heckman is part of the Strategic Funding Increase and Tactical Funding Increase team and is responsible for inputting contract data, creating data analysis dashboards and sending emails to contract-awarded small businesses to make sure they are meeting milestones and to offer support as needed.   

Heckman said his most memorable highlight was attending the AFWERX program management review at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, in October and meeting his co-workers in person. The fellowship experience has been so much fun that he doesn’t want it to end. 

“Once you find something that you enjoy doing, you want to keep learning more and more about it and it has kept me engaged,” Heckman added.   
  
Fellowships are open to all ranks of the Air and Space Forces, Reserve, Guard and government civilians. Both full-time and part-time fellowship positions are available, and are primarily being offered virtually, making them accessible to applicants regardless of location.

Source: United States Air Force

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. (AFNS) —  

The first Officer Training School-Victory class graduated at Maxwell Air Force Base Dec. 8.

The graduation ceremony marked the historic transformation of the Department of the Air Force’s Officer Training School, setting an elevated standard for the next generation of Air and Space Force leaders. OTS-V provides a competency-based course designed to develop warrior-minded leaders of character committed to the Air Force oath, values and creed.

The new course promotes transformative change through leadership reps and sets in the affective, cognitive and behavioral learning domains. This experiential learning includes 60 hours across 28 days of challenging mission command experiences, as officer trainees lead their teams in multiple demanding environments to achieve the commander’s intent. OTS MCEs are conducted in three primary environments: a new tactical level Multi-Domain Warfighting Lab, an innovative Combined Joint Task Force Wargame and a deployed field exercise to prepare graduates to serve and lead Airmen and Guardians through volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous challenges to accomplish difficult missions.

“All of it has changed to produce a better warfighter,” said Col. Derrick J. Iwanenko, deputy OTS commandant. “For the first time, we’re a competency-based course, executing mission command experiences. Within our condensed timeline, nobody is executing the level of reps and sets we’re able to induce for the trainees through mission command.”

OTS-V incorporates a physically, intellectually and emotionally rigorous five-module approach across 60 training days. OTS will conduct, on average, 20 classes per year with a new class starting every two weeks. The additional class start dates promote flexibility for stakeholders, reduce candidates’ wait time to attend training, and allow for increased trainee throughput. At any point, OTS will have up to five classes in session in various phases of training. The new training construct allows OTS to easily surge production to meet mission requirements in both steady state and a contingency mobilization posture.

“I’m extremely grateful and honored to have had the privilege to serve and to be a part of our OTS transformation,” said Col. Keolani Bailey, OTS commandant. “I’m sincerely appreciative of the entire OTS team for their innovation, passion, and commitment to the mission, each other and our trainees. Our OTS professionals are the best in the leader development business! I am also thankful for the officer trainees who invest their best to develop themselves, their peers, and our staff as we continually improve to become the premier leader development institution within the profession of arms. As warrior-minded leaders of character, our graduates emerge committed to living with honor, lifting others and elevating the performance of their teams to deter, fight and win our nation’s wars.”

Source: United States Air Force

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —  

Chief Master Sgt. David A. Flosi was selected Dec. 11 to be the 20th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, adding a deeply experienced and proven Airman to the top echelon of Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin’s emerging leadership team.

In announcing the selection, Allvin noted Flosi’s experience, leadership and achievements across his Air Force career and said Flosi brings qualities to the job that are especially important when the Air Force is navigating one of the most challenging moments in its history.

“Our Airmen deserve the best leaders possible – and that’s Chief Flosi,” Allvin said. “He is a phenomenal leader and wingman who will empower our Total Force. His unique experiences, attitude and commitment will prove essential as we re-optimize our force for Great Power Competition. I am excited to work with him as we follow through on our efforts to meet today’s pacing challenge.”

Flosi emerged as the clear choice from a group of the most highly respected, experienced graduated command chief master sergeants from across the Air Force’s global operations, officials said. These leaders were selected based on breadth of experience, recommendations from senior commanders and performance across each candidate’s Air Force career.

“I’m honored and humbled to represent all Airmen as your 20th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force,” Chief Master Sgt. David A. Flosi said. “We are serving at a time of great consequence where success hinges on our ability to optimize this team toward the changing character of war. I’m excited to serve the Total Force supporting the SECAF and CSAF’s priorities. We have heard the call for action from General Allvin … it is time to follow through!”

With Flosi’s selection, the current Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, JoAnne S. Bass, will soon close out her tenure as the service’s highest ranking noncommissioned leader. Bass has been in the job since August 2020. She was the first woman in Air Force history to be named CMSAF, and the first woman in Department of Defense history to serve as a service-level Senior Enlisted Advisor.

“Chief Flosi is an incredibly strong leader who has proven himself in every role at every level,” Bass said. “I have no doubt he will continue building and developing our Air Force to be the future force our nation needs to compete, deter and win in any domain.”

Department of the Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall offered praise and his endorsement, as well.

“The Department of the Air Force relies on our Senior Enlisted Advisors to represent the needs and perspectives of all our enlisted Airmen and Guardians, the majority of our force,” Kendall said. “I have high confidence that Chief Flosi will build upon the great example provided by his predecessors and serve with distinction as our twentieth Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force.”

Flosi moves into his new job from Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, where he serves as the command chief master sergeant. That role is similar in many respects to the role he will assume at the Pentagon. At Materiel Command he is the senior enlisted leader and the primary advisor to the commander on all matters regarding the readiness, training, professional development and effective utilization of the command’s 89,000 total force Airmen.

Prior to his tour at Wright-Patterson AFB, Flosi served as the command chief master sergeant at the Air Force’s Sustainment Center at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma.

Flosi began his Air Force career in 1996 as a nuclear weapons specialist. That focus expanded over the years to include various leadership duties in conventional and nuclear munitions, as well as missile operations, program management and test and contingency operations.

Like his predecessor, Flosi has a deployment history, including tours in support of operations Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, Inherent Resolve and Freedom’s Sentinel.

Also, like previous CMSAFs, Flosi will be the public face for Air Force personnel to those in all levels of government. He will be a personal adviser to Allvin and other senior leaders, both military and civilian, and will be expected to provide insight on issues regarding the welfare, readiness, morale and proper utilization and progress of the Air Force’s entire cadre of Airmen.

Through his leadership, Flosi will provide direction for the Total Force and will represent the interests of all Airmen. A link to Chief Master Sgt. David A. Flosi’s biography can be found here.

Source: United States Air Force

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —  

The Department of the Air Force released its report on the results of an Air Force Inspector General investigation in response to the unauthorized disclosure of classified information by an individual at the 102nd Intelligence Wing, Otis Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts.

The Secretary of the Air Force directed the investigation of compliance with policy, procedures and standards and the unit environment at the 102 IW. The investigation also included organizations and areas outside the unit. The IG investigation was separate from the criminal investigation into the actions of Airman 1st Class Jack D. Teixeira being led by the Department of Justice.

Report of Investigation

According to the IG investigation report, the cause of the unauthorized disclosure remains the alleged actions of one individual, A1C Teixeira, who has been indicted on six counts for the unauthorized disclosure of national defense information, and is awaiting a trial date. 

The IG investigation found individuals in Teixeira’s unit failed to take proper action after becoming aware of his intelligence-seeking activities.  However, the investigation did not find evidence that members of Teixeira’s supervisory chain were aware of his alleged unauthorized disclosures.

Indirect factors that enabled Teixeira’s unauthorized disclosure include the failure of commanders to adequately inspect areas under their command, inconsistent guidance for reporting security incidents, inconsistent definitions of the “Need to Know” concept, conflation of classified system access with the “Need to Know” principle, inefficient and ineffective processes for administering disciplinary actions, lack of supervision/oversight of night shift operations and a failure to provide security clearance field investigation results. 

Finally, the IG investigation found 102 IW leadership was not vigilant in inspecting the conduct of all persons who were placed under their command.  The IG investigation specifically found the 102 IW leadership did not effectively prioritize the immediate mission security by not taking the required actions to accomplish security program responsibilities fully and effectively.

“Every Airman and Guardian is entrusted with the solemn duty to safeguard our nation’s classified defense information. When there is a breach of that sacred trust, for any reason, we will act in accordance with our laws and policies to hold responsible individuals accountable,” said Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall. “Our national security demands leaders at every level protect critical assets, ensuring they do not fall into the hands of those who would do the United States or our allies and partners harm.”

Accountability Actions

Beginning on Sept. 7, 2023, Air National Guard leaders initiated disciplinary and other administrative actions against 15 individuals, ranging in rank from E-5 to O-6, for dereliction in the performance of duties. The actions ranged from relieving personnel from their positions, including command positions, to non-judicial punishment under Article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

Col. Sean Riley, 102 IW commander, received administrative action and was relieved of command for cause and Enrique Dovalo, 102d Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group commander received administrative action for concerns with unit culture and compliance with policies and standards.

Previously suspended commanders from the 102d Intelligence Support Squadron and the detachment overseeing administrative support for Airmen at the unit mobilized for duty under Title 10 USC were permanently removed.

The 102nd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group was taken off mission when Teixeira was discovered as the source of the unauthorized disclosures.  The group’s mission remains reassigned to other organizations within the Air Force.

Department of the Air Force-Wide Security Improvements

As a result of a department-wide security stand-down conducted within 30 days of the unauthorized disclosure, Airmen and Guardians reviewed security procedure compliance, attended security training and were surveyed on enterprise-wide information security practices.

The Department of the Air Force has implemented several reforms to improve procedures related to need to know and classified access, in addition to improving accountability for protection of classified and sensitive information. Clearance approval levels and need-to-know are two fundamentally distinct concepts. 

Additional reforms include: improving need-to-know enforcement for electronic and hard-copy classified information; providing additional guidance on layered physical security protections for facilities and systems; increasing clarity on the responsibility of individuals and commanders to report behaviors of concern; ensuring hand-off and receipt occurs within personnel security systems when individuals transfer to other assignments; increased emphasis on cyber hygiene; and improving security training content and delivery. 

The need to balance information security protections with the requirement to get the right information to the right people at the right time is a national security imperative and remains a critical focus as Airmen and Guardians work to implement corrective actions and replicate best practices.