Photo By Shanita Simmons | Army Capt. David Maestas, director of J-6, updates Army Brig. Gen. Gregory Zanetti,...... read more read more
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By Spc. Shanita Simmons
Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs
GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba – One of the first things most Joint Task Force troopers do once they arrive to work is access their network accounts by inserting their identification cards into the card readers on JTF network computers. Although accessing individual accounts is a relatively easy process, maintaining a network with more than 2,400 workstations is no simple task for the J-6 Command and Control, Computer and Communications Systems Directorate.
Army Capt. David Maestas, the J-6 director, leads a staff that includes civilians and military personnel whose primary goal is to ensure that all information systems are working properly.
"Our mission is to support all troopers from the JTF unit commanders to troopers working everywhere else within the command," said Maestas. "We lead in identifying and resolving military aspects of information based issues that are of national and strategic importance to this mission."
The J-6 military staff focuses on mission-based projects such as current and future operations as well as the asset management of tactical and handheld communications such as two-way radios, cellular phones and landlines. Contractors who work for J-6 perform various functions including help desk support, purchasing, network security and network and system administration. While the contractors are not involved in planning or specific mission operations, Maestas said they do maintain the networks and possess the institutional knowledge of information systems necessary to train incoming military personnel.
"All personnel within the J-6 organization have tremendous pride in their jobs, and we work very closely together on many aspects of the jobs we do," said Maestas, who brings over 14 years of civilian information technology experience to the mission. "With the military rotations, the contract personnel remain as the subject matter experts and are consistently helping military staff come up to speed on tasks and mission requirements."
Most troopers communicate with J-6 staff members when they are having problems assessing or performing functions on the network. During such instances, a trooper can connect with the J-6 help desk to seek assistance with their computer problems. Although J-6 personnel are willing to assist with all networking issues, Maestas urges troopers to route all computer issues to their information technology representatives before contacting the help desk.
"Each section should have an individual designated as an Information Technology Officer who is trained to resolve basic networking issues, and is given unrestricted access to perform low-level administration on computers such as installing printer drivers," said Maestas.
One way that troopers can assist the J-6 staff is by complying with the restrictions that have been placed on JTF computers. Maestas mentioned that all troopers signed a disclosure statement when they first arrived on island stating that they would not download personal pictures or mp3 videos onto the network. Not only is committing such acts unauthorized and therefore punishable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, downloading such materials also takes up space on the network. Maestas added that many restrictions that prevent troopers from using thumb drives or burning data to compact disks are also implemented for security reasons.
| Date Taken: | 03.24.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 03.26.2008 09:47 |
| Story ID: | 17758 |
| Location: |
| Web Views: | 273 |
| Downloads: | 235 |
This work, Information Technology Keeps JTF Guantanamo On-track and On-line, by Shanita Simmons, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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