Lunch and Learn Shares SNCO Perspective

November chapter guest speaker Master Sgt. James Philpott, USAF, from the 693rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Group provided attendees a deeper understanding of the ISR mission and Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS). Sgt. Philpott began by posing the question, "Do you know how you impact AF ISR?" DCGS, also referred to as the AN/GSQ-272 SENTINEL Weapon System, is the Air Force's primary ISR collection, processing, exploitation, analysis and dissemination system. Collecting data from multiple types of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), DCGS reach is global. The 693rd Group is aligned with EUCOM and AFRICOM and is the primary group executing ISR operations for USAFE-AFAFRICA. Relying on its partners worldwide, the 480 ISR WG pushes 700 gigabytes of information daily. At Ramstein Air Base, 86 CS and 1 ACOS play an integral part in data dissemination in helping meet ISR mission objectives. Sharing information within the DCGS network is easy; however, sharing with coalition partners poses many challenges. Sgt. Philpott called for security assessors to find solutions to coalition sharing, asking for security policies and procedures to catch up to capabilities delivered by commercial methods and technology to ensure real-time data and information sharing with coalition and bilateral partners. The discussion lead to European Partner Integration Enterprise (EPIE). EPIE started as a community effort in 2013 by USAFE A2 and systems formerly developed/supported by the 693 ISRG. This facility develops allied partners' tactics, techniques and procedures in collecting; processing and exploiting; analyzing; and disseminating actionable intelligence. It shifts paradigm from sharing finished ISR products to conducting ISR in a fused coalition environment. When asked what is the main thing the 693rd needed from the group right now to help its mission, Sgt. Philpott answered: "Administrative privileges!" The audience roared with laughter.

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