Photo By Senior Airman Zoie Cox | Lt. Col. Hillery Anderson, 8 IS commander (left) and Lt. Col. Christina Decker, 792...... read more read more
History is made in the intelligence community as Distributed Ground System-5 has an all-female command team for the first time.
In 1987, Congress passed Public Law 100-9 designating the month of March Women’s History Month. Every March since, the Department of Defense pays tribute to generations of women who broke down barriers, shattered stereotypes and changed our society. This all-female command team for Distributed Ground Site-5 exemplifies the talent and diversity of our Air Force leaders. They show female airmen the path to reaching the highest levels of squadron and group leadership.
DGS-5 is an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance organization lead by Col Stacy Kihara, 692 ISR Group commander, Lt Col Hillery Anderson, 8th Intelligence Squadron commander and Lt Col Christina Decker, 792nd Intelligence Support Squadron commander. DGS-5 is comprised of more than 500 intelligence and cyber airmen supporting the Indo-Pacific Command and Pacific Air Forces, answering intelligence requirements to enhance deterrence and maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific. DGS-5 is one of the few weapons systems in the Air Force with a forward presence in the Pacific that can leverage multi-intelligence disciplines, cyber defense and human-machine teaming for the purpose of maintaining situational awareness on adversary force dispositions and fused custody of targets at scope, scale and speed.
To complete their mission, Anderson works alongside Decker to provide each other with a fresh, inclusive and open-minded perspectives to collaborate and bounce ideas off one another whether it is related to the mission, leadership challenges or personal experiences.
“Lt. Col. Decker is my self-described ‘battle-buddy,’” said Anderson. “Her cyber warriors are critical to ensuring we have a robust, resilient and viable weapon systems. The communication and cyber support she provides to our squadron is incredible.”
Anderson and Decker place a high value on how to come together and support the mission as a team. Each has brought a unique experience from their careers they share with their squadrons.
“There is a difference in perspective and understanding,” said Decker. “We are all shaped by our backgrounds, and our experience gives unique insight on leadership. Having a voice at the table was rare in my career. Having that voice at the table now dispels the stereotypes that I had growing up in a different Air Force that told me I wouldn’t be able to do what I’m doing today: being a successful commander, wife and mother. Col Kihara and Lt Col Anderson also help show the next generation this is possible,” said Decker.
With over 60 years of service between the DGS-5 command team, they provide their units with different perspectives from their previous commanders on leadership, opportunities and advice ranging from balancing work and family life to realistic standards for career development. The DGS-5 command team cares immensely for their troops and strives to inspire airmen so they can realize their potential. They recognize that women’s stories, and the larger human story, expand people’s understanding and strengthen their connections to each other.
“The Air Force has changed significantly from when I came in 27 years ago as a young airman and I'm proud of that change. I want our young enlisted and officers to look on any leadership wall and see their future selves and see the possibilities. We're not there yet, but our younger generations won't tolerate anything less,” said Kihara.
| Date Taken: | 03.31.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 03.31.2023 20:50 |
| Story ID: | 441744 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM , HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 2,628 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, All Female DGS-5 Command Team Makes History, by SrA Zoie Cox, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
