As security forces Airmen continue to transform into a combat-focused, globally deployable force, they will transfer responsibility for information protection to a newly established organization, the Information Protection Directorate at Headquarters Air Force.
The directorate emerged from Air Force officials' recognition of the need for a single entity to report information protection matters to the Air Force's senior security official, the administrative assistant to the secretary of the Air Force.
New directorate officials will develop Air Force-wide information protection policy, build a professional civilian workforce that is credentialed and work closely with major commands to build offices at both the major command headquarters and installation levels.
The directorate's main focus is on Air Force's information, personnel and industrial security programs.
"Our mission is to develop and implement security policy, provide oversight and develop a converged, enterprise approach across the Air Force to provide guidelines on how to protect information from cradle to grave," said Daniel A. McGarvey, director of the Air Force Information Protection Directorate. "We are here as the Air Force's facilitator to orchestrate this coordinated policy development across multiple functional areas to ensure the protection of information for the Air Force."
Directorate members will concentrate on creating the infrastructure, policy and training necessary to ensure commanders at all levels are informed as to how their organizations are performing on all aspects of information protection and that their organizations have all the enablers to ensure mission success.
"Before one can affect change, the right structure must exist to apply the change," Mr. McGarvey said. "Our mission is to provide every echelon with that structure. The effects may not be immediately obvious, but eventually, it will affect everyone. Information, personnel, and industrial security programs are in transition to become the core of the information protection program, and we are on the verge of restructure across the Air Force. It is complete at the Headquarters Air Force level, and restructure at all levels, from the major commands to base levels, is imminent."
In November 2008, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz signed a memorandum directing all major commands, as well as wings, to establish an information protection office and staff who will assume duties related to information, personnel and industrial security programs. At each level, the office will report directly to its respective wing or MAJCOM vice commander.
In addition, the directorate staff is working on a professional development program, which will complement the new structure and will give all security specialists the knowledge and skills to accomplish the mission. It also is creating a comprehensive security training and awareness program to provide training products and tools to promote security programs across the Air Force.
The directorate's staff is comprised of subject-matter experts in all functional areas, and implementation is under way to create parallel structures at all other commands. The Air Force Security Advisory Group will work closely with counterparts at the MAJCOM and wing levels to address concerns and policy matters.
"Today, information is the ultimate commodity and one of our most valued operational advantages," Mr. McGarvey said. "We cannot leave information unprotected and expect it to not be exploited. We must assure information protection by making security a natural part of our thought processes and actions. We need to adapt to the concept that every airman is a security officer and is responsible to safeguard information to protect the Air Force and the country."
Shadi May (AFNS)
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