Photo By Maj. Nadine Wiley De Moura | U.S. Air Force Col. Billy Pope, 688th Cyberspace Wing A 2/3 Directorate and 690th...... read more read more
Story by U.S. Air Force Capt Abby Erickson
PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. - The 561st Network Operations Squadron leveraged the annual Rocky Mountain Cyber Symposium to open its doors to cyber squadron commanders and their leadership teams Feb. 21, 2022 in Colorado Springs, Colo.
The annual Rocky Mountain Cyber Symposium is a gathering that addresses the nation’s toughest cyber challenges.
The event’s goal was to increase the transparency of these operations by providing a direct avenue to observe the mission at the 561st Network Operations Squadron.
Airmen of the 561st Network Operations Squadron are responsible for the defense of over 700,000 global network endpoints which significantly impacts the security and availability of capabilities crucial to the Air Force and Space Force.
“This forum is significant for attending communications squadron leadership to glean from Air Force Network Enterprise operations and understand how efforts such as the 688th Cyberspace Wing’s realignment to Centers of Excellence will directly impact base communities,” said the 561st Network Operations Squadron Assistant Director of Operations, Lane Lawrence.
Open house exchanges strengthen relationships between the 688th Cyberspace Wing, supported units and our mission partners.”
The open house drew 44 leaders across the cyber community and began with the 561st Network Operations Squadron mission brief.
The presentation was followed by an update on the 688th Cyberspace Wing’s mission realignment and its impact on Air Force Network operations.
At the end, the forum was opened to answer questions, solicit feedback and examine challenges facing key enterprise functions that impact missions across the Department of Defense.
“The partnership between the United States Space Force and the 561st Network Operations Squadron is crucial,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Thomas Diehl, Chief, Field Command Communications Control Center.
“The Field Command Communications Control Center is responsible for ensuring the cybersecurity compliance of the Space Force’s portion of the network which is directly dependent on the 561st Network Operations Squadron’s Vulnerability Management team.”
The Field Command Communications Control Center also coordinates outage response with other AF agencies, so understanding who owns what and who to reach out to for assistance, coordination, or support is paramount, added Diehl.
“The HQ SpOC team is extremely appreciative of this opportunity to meet face-to-face with key stakeholders and gain insight into their efforts, workload, team members, and operations.”
The event concluded with a demonstration of the Squadron’s Daily Operations Brief and a tour of the operations floor.
Leaders had the opportunity to witness Airmen in action as they executed missions on the Cyber Security and Control System weapon system as the Center of Excellence for enterprise-wide vulnerability management and client protection.
The community engagement demonstrated the value of direct collaboration and its role in advancing the Air Force’s cyber initiatives.
“The 561st Network Operation Squadron open house was fantastic and the forum provided commanders and MAJCOM’s both operational and technical insights to enable maximized efficiencies in operating and securing our networks,” said U.S. Space Force Lt. Col. Noemi Antedomenico, Chief, Cyber Resiliency Branch Cyber Mission Area Team.
Antedomenico applauded the 561st NOS’s open house initiative and recommended the Squadron continue the engagement a best practice.
“The 561st Network Operation Squadron Commander’s open house sets the stage to establish working relationships,” said Capt. Nathaniel Ewing, 561st Network Operation Squadron operations office.
“It takes a team to execute today’s cyber warfighting missions. The open house gives us, at the 561 NOS, an opportunity to provide mission partners with the plan for Centers of Excellence. Also, it provides a venue to voice any concerns or suggestions to establish and understand any mutual operational dependencies, while outlining clear objectives.”
| Date Taken: | 03.11.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 03.11.2022 13:10 |
| Story ID: | 416300 |
| Location: | COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 780 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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