AFCEA International Chapter News
ALAMO CHAPTER CHAPTER - Jun 18, 2019

Modernizing the Air Force through Enterprise IT as a Service

The Air Force Development Team (DT) met at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio to discern who the future command officers will be and to guide the development of the officer's careers. The chapter's June monthly luncheon coincided with the Air Force DT and brought together each A-6 from every major command as well as chapter members and attendees. The guest speaker was Maj. Gen. Kevin Kennedy, USAF, assistant deputy chief information officer, Digital Transformation, and assistant deputy chief of staff for Cyber Effects Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia. Gen. Kennedy began his presentation with, "Where are all the good ideas?" He explained that our world is not getting less complicated, but actually the opposite. "Our adversaries are extremely competitive and effectiveness is the first job." It is important that capabilities be laser focused on efficiency and effectiveness due to the financial obligations tied to securing the military's force. It costs an estimated $37.4 billion for IT to include weapons. "We do not want to get into a spending competition with our adversaries, which is why digital modernization is key for the Department of Defense." Gen. Kennedy described the challenges currently facing IT that include modernization, capabilities and capacity issues. The capacity issues, he explained, were human in error. "We took cuts in the enterprise before the savings or enterprise activities were fully built up." Modernization in cyber, command, control and communications (C3), artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud capabilities will enable optimization and improve operational readiness for the warfighter. Currently, the capability the Air Force provides its airmen is less than what they have in their private lives. "We have a capability gap, and it's frustrating for the chief and the secretary, and it's a retention problem." Enterprise IT as a service will shift the capability gap by providing airmen the right devices to enable mission success, so that they don't have to focus on whether or not they have the right equipment because they already will. If the Air Force is to compete, deter and win, then it must adapt to the changing landscape of its adversaries. The adversary is trying to remove mission capabilities by thinking through cyber in a risk-informed way. Risk reduction is part of the digital Air Force's effort that will impact its success or failure. "Moving forward, we will be faster, more agile and provide a better experience for our airmen."

Event Photographs:

Maj. Gen. Kevin Kennedy, USAF, assistant deputy chief information officer, Digital Transformation, and assistant deputy chief of staff for Cyber Effects Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia, discusses how Enterprise capabilities can enable core missions during the chapter's June monthly luncheon.
Maj. Gen. Kevin Kennedy, USAF, assistant deputy chief information officer, Digital Transformation, and assistant deputy chief of staff for Cyber Effects Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia, discusses how Enterprise capabilities can enable core missions during the chapter's June monthly luncheon.
Gen. Kennedy thanks a packed house during the chapter's June monthly luncheon held at Randolph Air Force Base, San Antonio.
Gen. Kennedy thanks a packed house during the chapter's June monthly luncheon held at Randolph Air Force Base, San Antonio.
Chapter Vice President of Corporate Sponsorships Tom Allen presents Debra Dennie from LMI with a plaque during the June luncheon. LMI has been a faithful chapter corporate sponsor since 2012.
Chapter Vice President of Corporate Sponsorships Tom Allen presents Debra Dennie from LMI with a plaque during the June luncheon. LMI has been a faithful chapter corporate sponsor since 2012.

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