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ALASKA CHAPTER - 01/12/2015
The chapter is comprised of two nonprofit organizations. The primary organization promotes cooperation and sharing between academia, government and industry to improve information technology in Alaska. The other organization supports science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs throughout Alaska. Each year, the STEM organization receives generous donations from industry that are in turn donated to K-12 teachers who promote STEM activities. This year, however, AT&T Alaska donated $10,000 to the primary chapter to further chapter goals and improve ongoing chapter operations. This will allow the chapter to update the technology used to run its monthly luncheons as well as send representatives to AFCEA International events to glean best practices from other chapters. The chapter appreciates AT&T Alaska's continuous support of the chapter and STEM contributions.
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ALASKA CHAPTER - 01/21/2015
Pat Shier, chief information officer and associate vice chancellor of the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA), spoke to chapter members at a luncheon in January. His talk primarily focused on the challenges of attracting and keeping science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) students at the rapidly increasing pace of technology. Alaska currently has no STEM-based apprenticeship programs and no defined pathways to educate and guide K-12 students toward STEM careers. Another challenge throughout the state is reaching out to its 15,000 home-schooled students. And once the student embarks on a STEM education at UAA, the next hurdle is to keep them in the program through graduation. Shier said that what a student learns in his or her freshman year of college may be obsolete by junior year because of the rapid changes in industry. Additionally, many students take decent-paying information technology jobs after only two years of college and never complete their bachelor's deg ... READ MORE
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ALASKA CHAPTER - 11/05/2014
Chapter President Dave Elder kicked off the November chapter luncheon with a quick announcement: The Fairbanks-area military and corporate community is in the process of chartering and establishing the Interior Alaska Chapter. Followed by this exciting news, the guest speaker for the luncheon, Noel Janda of DSI, gave an overview of the Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) Optical LAN, which is primarily used as a carrier service for the last mile, delivering to homes and offices. GPON is military grade, Joint Interoperability Test Command tested, Defense Department approved, outdoor hardened and allows for rapid deployment. While existing infrastructure can be utilized, new installations use less infrastructure, less air conditioning and less electricity. It can give the look and feel of a LAN, but with advanced security and centralized management. In support of green building technology, a large installation will lower capital costs up to 70 percent, require up to 80 percent less ... READ MORE
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ALASKA CHAPTER - 10/08/2014
The chapter, located in Anchorage, Alaska, welcomed Charles Bock from Verizon to speak at its October luncheon at the BP Energy Center. Verizon recently launched voice services in Alaska, offering four different 4G over LTE phones to customers. It is partnering with local businesses such as GCI and Alaska Communications to share existing infrastructure. Transitioning to an IP-based system called IMS, or IP Multimedia Subsystem, will support priority services like GETS, feature clearer high-definition voice services and support multimedia services. Advanced Calling 1.0 uses voice over LTE (VoLTE) to change the way Verizon carries voice traffic, distinguishing between high-definition voice and video calls and charging them separately, even when switching in the middle of a call.
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ALASKA CHAPTER - 05/20/2014 The chapter, in coordination with FBC Incorporated, sponsored the 7th Annual IT Expo at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska. The event brought vendors together to provide information on their products to the military sector in Anchorage. CISCO and McAfee provided presentations on current information technology issues, awarding continuing education units for those in attendance. The night prior, FBC hosted an evening social event for vendors and AFCEA Alaska members at the Glacier Brewhouse, a popular restaurant. Alaska Communications and Verizon started the upcoming 2015 STEM fundraising cycle by presenting sponsorship checks to Lt. Col. David Elder, USA, chapter president. The 2015 STEM event will be held in April of next year. |
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ALASKA CHAPTER - 04/22/2014 The chapter, in cooperation with the University of Alaska-Anchorage (UAA), held its annual STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] night in April at Gorsuch Commons on the UAA Campus. Bob Whicker, the director of the Consortium for Digital Learning at the Association of Alaska School Boards, was the keynote speaker. He gave an exceptional presentation on exciting real-world projects throughout rural Alaska, where students are collecting data for NASA, flying unmanned aerial vehicles, measuring ice depths, forecasting earthquakes and other participating in local projects that serve their community's needs. Whicker stated, "Kids get involved in stuff that really matters and could save lives." Lt. Col. David Elder, USA, chapter president, presented seven STEM grant checks for $1,000 each to Kathy Baker from Anchorage Christian School, Kayla Wind from Big Lake Elementary School, Bryan Schneck from Faith Lutheran School, Katie Schroeder from Mears Middle School, Gerald C ... READ MORE |
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ALASKA CHAPTER - 04/02/2014 In April, the Alaska Chapter held a "members only" luncheon at Kincaid Park to review the year's goals and accomplishments and at the conclusion of the briefing, chapter members conducted their annual vote for the 2014-15 Executive Council. The results of the vote saw Lt. Col. David Elder, USA, remaining as president of the chapter, Master Sgt. Paul Kodiak, USAF, as first vice president, and Chief Master Sgt. Stephen Burris, AKANG, as chapter secretary. After three years as chapter treasurer, Laura Bender stepped down and will be replaced by Technical Sgt. Orelvis Ibarra, USAF. The chapter also welcomed several new members to the chapter, reaching the goal of 150 members. |
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ALASKA CHAPTER - 03/12/2014
The chapter held its monthly luncheon at the BP Energy Center in March. A total of 62 attendees caught up on chapter activities and upcoming events with an overview by Master Sgt. Paul Kodiak, USAF, chapter first vice president. Lauren Seawright, an intelligence analyst from the Anchorage, Alaska, FBI field office, presented on cyberthreats and the impact for Alaska. A robust series of questions addressed the nature of cyber vulnerabilities, mitigation techniques and the need for a whole of government approach to tackle threats across the domain. InfraGard, a partnership between the FBI and industry, which shares information and intelligence to prevent hostile acts against the U.S., was highlighted as a key FBI partnership in Alaska, with a more than 100 person InfraGard Chapter in Anchorage. The chapter is looking for opportunities to partner with InfraGard.
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ALASKA CHAPTER - 02/18/2014
Twenty-five members of military, local government and industry weathered minus 25 F temperatures in February to come out and kick off the AFCEA Alaska Interior Chapter, serving more than 15,000 Army and Air Force members in the Fairbanks region. Col. Michael Finn II, USAF, senior communicator for Pacific Air Forces, delivered the keynote speech. The new Alaska Interior Chapter will be located above the 64th parallel, only 90 miles from the Arctic Circle.
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ALASKA CHAPTER - 02/05/2014
The February chapter luncheon kicked off with chapter corporate sponsor Copper River donating $1,100 toward science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) grants and an additional $400 table sponsorship. Lt. Col. Dave Elder, USA, chapter president, then provided a quick update on progress toward the 2013-2014 chapter goals and upcoming events. The guest speaker, Hans Roeterink, chief operating officer of Quintillion Networks, spoke about emerging arctic technological capabilities to support the ever-increasing demand for global data. Quintillion is partnered with Arctic Fibre of Canada to lay a 9,600-mile international submarine fiber cable from London to Japan through the arctic region north of Alaska and Canada. By taking the northern route, the cable covers a shorter distance and will be protected from man-made incidents by the ice cap eight months out of the year. Each fiber pair within the cable transmits 80 distinct colors, 1 terabyte of data, great distances without ... READ MORE
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ALASKA CHAPTER - 01/08/2014
During the January chapter luncheon, Lt. Col. David Elder, USA, chapter president, recognized two members for their outstanding contributions to the chapter: Chief Master Sgt. Stephen Burris, ANG, chapter secretary, and Electa Kean with AT&T, who as corporate liaison reached out to dozens of companies for the chapter. The guest speaker was Charles Bock, government account manager for Verizon Wireless. Bock discussed Verizon's recent expansion into the Alaska markets to include 4G LTE in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau, as well as LTE for Rural America (LRA) in outlying communities. Verizon's robust infrastructure has built-in redundancy and a fleet of mobile backup systems (COWS, GOATS, COLTS and RATS). Bock also discussed coming improvements in Priority calls on the 3G network.
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ALASKA CHAPTER - 11/20/2013 The November chapter board meeting was hosted by AT&T and included an exclusive tour arranged by AT&T employee Electa Kean. Board members toured the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company's Pipeline Operations Center, Security Center and Network Operations Center. The board learned how information technology supports operations and security at every segment of the pipeline from the Northern Slope of Alaska to the southern terminus of the pipeline in Valdez. |
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ALASKA CHAPTER - 09/04/2013
The chapter kicked off a busy new year at a luncheon in September. New chapter president, Lt. Col. Dave Elder, USA, began the luncheon by presenting an overview of the year ahead and welcoming of the new board of directors. Two guest speakers from local telecommunications providers spoke on expansion and the way forward for infrastructure throughout the vast state of Alaska. Jeff Roe, vice president of federal marketing for General Communications Incorporated (GCI), presented the company's coverage and reach-back via satellite, fiber optic, microwave and submarine cables. He also expounded upon the current status of a project providing services for the many remote villages in Alaska. Anand Vadapalli, president and chief executive officer of Alaska Communications, gave a brief historical presentation on the evolution of telecommunications in Alaska. He then described the joint venture between GCI and Alaska Communications called the Alaska Wireless Network, providing the most extensi ... READ MORE
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ALASKA CHAPTER - 05/20/2013
The chapter, in partnership with its corporate sponsors, awarded $4,000 in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) grants to Alaska schools this year. The chapter, along with Gonzalez Marketing, awarded $1,000 to Anchorage Christian School, and Aaron Edwards, a teacher at the school, has used the funds to teach his students about robotics, mechanics and science through the purchase of LEGO Mindstorms kits. These programmable kits help the students study principles such as solar and wind power, robotics, torque, pneumatics and mechanics, helping build the scientific and technical minds of tomorrow. This is truly a success story that the chapter is proud to contribute to these programs and hopes to double its corporate sponsorship donations next year.
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ALASKA CHAPTER - 04/23/2013
The chapter partnered with the University of Alaska-Anchorage (UAA) to host Alaska Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell in April, which was attended by 80 members of academia, industry and government. Treadwell spoke to the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) initiatives. He highlighted scientific and technological achievements across the state and praised the university and the chapter's initiatives regarding STEM, including the chapter's $4,000 donation in the last year to schools throughout the state. Lt. Gen. Tom Case, USAF (Ret.), chancellor of UAA, also encouraged students to pursue STEM in their studies and said he sees great opportunities for future partnerships with the chapter. In addition to the presentation, Lt. Col. Brian Hippel, USAF, chapter president, presented Gillian Dezzutto, chapter first vice president, with a certificate of significant achievement recognizing her tremendous work for the chapter over the last two years.
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ALASKA CHAPTER - 04/12/2013 The chapter co-sponsored the inaugural Arctic Communicators Ball in April held at Joint Base Elmendorf – Richardson. More than 200 military and civilian personnel from the 59th Signal Battalion, 673d Communications Squadron, 611th Air Communications Squadron, Alaskan Command and other units from throughout the joint base attended. In addition, members of industry, academia and AFCEA also enjoyed the evening of great conversation and a fine meal, capped with dancing and music. The keynote speaker, Col. Scott Moser, USAF, director of communications and chief information officer for Alaskan Command and Joint Task Force – Alaska, spoke about the prevalence and advances in communications technology over the years and some of the unique arctic communications challenges in Alaska. It was a night to remember and a tremendous chance for communicators to gather in a formal setting and enjoy the camaraderie that goes along with the critical arctic military mission. |
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ALASKA CHAPTER - 03/06/2013 At the March luncheon in Anchorage, Alaska, members voted in a new board for 2013-2014. The board will transition to a new team during the summer season, led by Lt. Col. Dave Elder, USA, currently assigned to Alaskan Command J-6. Additionally, members received a presentation on “Global Cybersecurity Threats and Trends” from Robert Gordon, cybersecurity liaison from the Alaska Department of Military and Veteran Affairs. Gordon discussed worldwide threats from state and non-state actors, as well as the supply chain threat. He covered details of trends seen within the state of Alaska, to include threats to smart phones and other applications. He mentioned that Alaska has the highest rates per capita of cyber crimes reported to the FBI. Gordon wrapped up his presentation with the strategic way ahead, sharing the importance of partnership and information sharing between the public and private sectors. |
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ALASKA CHAPTER - 02/06/2013
The chapter welcomed Will Schoen, technical account manager for Microsoft Federal Services, to present at the February luncheon. Schoen spoke to the crowd of 45 attendees about Office 365 and cloud initiatives throughout the company, and he gave a live demo of the latest collaboration software from Microsoft. In addition, the chapter, along with corporate sponsor Alaska Communications, presented teacher Mary Watts from Pioneer Peak Elementary School in Palmer, Alaska, with a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) grant for $1,000, which she will use in support of their Talented and Gifted Program. Watts will use the funds to purchase two Lego Mindstorms kits, which enables children to explore the world of engineering by building complex control systems.
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ALASKA CHAPTER - 01/07/2013
During the January luncheon in Anchorage, Alaska, Michael Grueber gave an in-depth presentation on the unique perspectives of spectrum management in Alaska and the Arctic Region. Grueber works for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS) in the Alaska region, which provides weather, hydrologic and climate forecasts, and volcanic ash and tsunami warnings for the state of Alaska and its surrounding waters. They provide weather information to the U.S. Air Force, Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Forest Service, Alaska Railroad, State of Alaska Emergency Communications and to the public. Grueber gave an overview of services provided by NWS, which range from weather communications to river, seas, ice and aviation forecasting. Grueber's work focuses on the effects of space weather on HF and LF communications. He described the levels of interference on communications by magnetic loops, solar winds/flares, geomagnetic storms and solar ra ... READ MORE
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ALASKA CHAPTER - 11/06/2012
During the November chapter luncheon in Anchorage, Alaska, Sgt. Dave Willson, Alaska State Troopers, gave an excellent presentation on computer forensics. Sgt. Willson supervises the Technical Crimes Unit, Alaska Bureau of Investigations. He discussed the challenges of collecting and protecting evidence, forensics procedures and current trends in cyber-related crimes. Additionally, he gave the audience advice on crafting solid passwords and threat awareness with regard to social media and geotagging in photos and videos. Following the presentation, the Teamsters Local 959 presented a check for $360, New Horizons Telecom Incorporated presented a check for $400 and Hot Wire Communications was recognized as an AFCEA Corporate Member.
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ALASKA CHAPTER - 10/03/2012
The chapter enjoyed an excellent turnout for its October luncheon, as approximately 55 members and guests attended to hear from Kurt Marshall, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), on the Alaska Satellite Telecommunications Infrastructure (ASTI) modernization program. Marshall is a senior engineer at the FAA's Alaska Regional Office. He discussed the program phases to upgrade 59 remote sites with redundancy, diversity, reliability, durability, and remote monitoring and management. This satellite network covers Alaska's 586,000 square miles with remote, unmanned sites located in some of the most rugged terrain and harsh weather in the United States. Additionally, Lt. Col. Brian Hippel, USAF, newly elected chapter president, kicked off the meeting with an overview of the chapter's mission, vision and goals. Ed Ryglewicz, regional vice president, presented the chapter with a $1,000 STEM grant, and Steve Gonzalez, president of Gonzalez Marketing, presented the chapter with a $1,000 cor ... READ MORE
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ALASKA CHAPTER - 02/01/2012
Jeffery Roberts, Alaska Aerospace Corporation, presented "Using Highly Elliptical Orbits to Provide Satellite Communications to Northern Latitudes" at the chapter's February meeting. Alaska's location in the northern latitudes and dispersed population centers present numerous challenges for conventional communications architectures. Terrestrial-based systems are not feasible because the majority of Alaska towns and villages are not connected by a road system. Geostationary satellites are only within the field of view of the lower half of the state. Low Earth Orbit satellites have low bandwidth and latency problems. However, satellites in highly elliptical orbits (HEOs) present a potential solution for northern latitude communications. Highly elliptical orbits are characterized by a long period of apogee dwell over northern latitudes. There are two major types of HEO orbits: low HEO orbits (approximately 400 km altitude at perigee and 12,000 km at apogee) are close enough to the Eart ... READ MORE
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ALASKA CHAPTER - 02/01/2012
In January, the chapter presented three $1,000 science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) grants along with a certificate to General Communications Incorporated (GCI) for its new corporate membership. Heather Pelletier and Leslie Bunch of Palmer Junior Middle School run the Science Olympiad/Robotics Club comprising 50 students. Currently, the club shares one NXT Robotics kit. The AFCEA STEM grant will be used to purchase an additional NXT Robotics kit for the club. Additionally, the grant will purchase a Mindstorms NXT enterprise license for the school computer labs, ensuring an entire class of students will have tools to develop their programming skills. The remaining funds will be used to purchase supplementary training and teaching kits for programming activities. By providing a second robotics kit and the supporting materials, the club will enable the students to divide into smaller groups and improve the individual contribution and involvement in the roboti ... READ MORE |
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ALASKA CHAPTER - 03/16/2011
In March, the chapter hosted Krag Johnsen, director of rural broadband development for General Communications Incorporated (GCI), an Alaska-based communications service provider, for a presentation on the company's Terrestrial Broadband in Southwest Alaska (TERRA-SW) project. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and GCI/United Utilities Incorporated jointly fund the project. TERRA-SW provides the first ever high-speed fiber optic and microwave connection to Southwest Alaska. This middle-mile project will extend terrestrial broadband services to 65 communities and more than 9,000 households in the Bristol Bay and Yukon Kuskokwim Delta regions of Alaska. Additionally, Brig. Gen. William J. Scott, USA, commanding general, 311th Signal Command (Theater), provided a brief update to changes in the Defense Department and the U.S. Army Signal Corps and thanked the more than 50 attendees for their participation in the chapt ... READ MORE
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ALASKA CHAPTER - 09/29/2010
In September, chapter members gathered for a luncheon to hear from the joint military communications community serving at Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson on "The State of Armed Forces Communications in Alaska." Lt. Col. Charles Parker, USA, chapter president, provided the opening remarks and information on the capabilities and future missions of 59th Signal Battalion, as the transition to joint basing in Alaska becomes a reality (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson activated on October 1). Lt. Col. Mike Brown, USA, J-6 Alaska Command, provided an overview of the joint and interagency communications plan for Alaska. Lt. Col. John Woyte, USA, deputy chief of staff information management, Alaska Army National Guard, provided information on the communications capabilities of the Army National Guard throughout Alaska. The meeting provided the members a clearer understanding of the joint and interagency military communications capabilities and opportunities throughout the region.
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