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If information is power, then members of the 1st Air and Space Communications Operations Squadron are the guardians of power. And, it’s not just any information they are guarding, it’s top secret.
The 1st ACOS is responsible for operating the U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa’s top secret communications capability, the Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System.
“JWICS is a system utilized to handle and transfer top secret information for the intelligence community within the DoD,” said Maj. Raymond Spohr, 1st ACOS commander. “JWICS provides commanders with the ability to receive and make decisions in near real-time to existing or emerging threats.”
The information that is handled by JWICS is crucial to decision makers and the intelligence community as a whole.
“JWICS is entrusted with securely distributing some of the most sensitive intelligence information requiring the highest level of protection for the integrity of our nation’s security and interest,” said Master Sgt. Kevin Young, intelligence systems infrastructure section chief. “It’s the ‘cyber nervous system’ within the intelligence community.”
Not only are they providing the USAFE-AFAFRICA command with secure access to sensitive information while at home station, they also provide these same capabilities in deployed environments. Currently, the 1st ACOS is the only unit in the Air Force that has a deployable version of JWICS.
“From a tactical view, it provides unit-level commanders the ability to utilize the system for mission planning or the ability to coordinate on direct mission actions,” said Spohr. “From an operational view, it affords higher level commanders the ability to collect and analyze theater intelligence information prior to making decisions.”
For those who aren’t computer savvy, a DJWICS is essentially a suite of different technologies. Top secret and sensitive compartmented information computers, voice over Internet protocol phones and video conferencing units work together to create a system for providing the transfer and security of sensitive information.
“What sets us apart from other deployed units is that we also provide the domain authentication and file storage units on site, allowing the deployed user to have real-time access to the same data they would have on their desktop at home station,” said Tech. Sgt. John Clark, expeditionary JWICS NCOIC.
In the past, a forward deployed unit would have to rely on personnel at their home station to analyze the TS-SCI data to determine what could be released at a lower classification. Information that was cleared was then relayed back to the deployed unit, creating a time delay in the decision-making process.
“We were able to eliminate the time associated with waiting on home station,” said Clark. “Using deployable JWICS, the forward deployed cell is able to work in real time with their home units at the proper classification, eliminating the time delay.”
In an environment where every second counts, the 1st ACOS is doing its part to ensure commanders across USAFE-AFAFRICA and in deployed locations have the minutes needed to win fights.
