Stay CONNECTED -- but be aware what you're sharing!

  • Published
  • By Brig. Gen. Nina Armagno
  • 45th Space Wing commander
Let me begin by congratulating Team Patrick-Cape, United Launch Alliance and all of our mission partners for yet another "100 percent Mission Success" launch of a Delta IV rocket carrying the Air Force's IIF-09 navigation satellite for the Global Positioning System from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station last week.

Another fabulous performance and the cleanest Delta IV count I've ever seen!

Team, what we do here is vital to our national security - and what we do here for the joint-service warfighters is vital to their safety - and our military success.

In this, The Year of Connection at the 45th Space Wing, I want you to understand what we bring to the battlefield. Here are a few 'Cliffs Notes' examples.

--The Global Positioning System (GPS) provides precise real-time, continuous, all-weather, 3-D position, velocity and timing information for military and civilian users worldwide.  In addition, the power wattage today is twice that of the previous GPS II-P program, which effectively doubles the capabilities, providing more accurate position, timing, and navigation data to the warfighter.

--The Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) provides narrowband Satellite Communications capability to warfighters around the world. 

-- The Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) provides a next generation Early Warning Satellite System, designed to replace the existing Defense Support Program (DSP) constellation. The system operates in four mission areas: improved missile warning, missile defense, technical intelligence, and battlespace characterization.  

-- The Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) provides near-worldwide, secure, survivable, and jam-resistant communications for high-priority military ground, sea, and air assets.  It provides the
President and SECDEF with protected communications as well as survivable communications for strategic missions.  As a replacement for the aging Milstar constellation, the AEHF constellation's system capacity is 10 times greater than Milstar's.

Anyone still think we're "not connected?" Think again.

As much as we continue to do for the warfighter, civilian and contractor personnel and their family members, we need to a better job of protecting ourselves, especially in the area of how we use - and sometimes abuse - social media outlets.

As I'm sure you are aware, various news outlets recently reported that ISIS posted names, images and addresses of 100 Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Army personnel to a website in an effort to incite homegrown terrorism.

Of the 100 service members, 57 were Airmen, all assigned within CONUS.  

Here is some great advice authored by Tanya Schusler, the Air Force Public Affairs Agency social media chief.

"Using social media is a personal choice, and you have a degree of control over the information you share," said Ms. Schusler. "Carefully consider how much information you make available and to whom."

"You need to protect your safety, your career and the Air Force's mission while balancing your need to connect with people," she said. "It takes just an extra few seconds to thoroughly consider what you're about to share online, but the consequences of a misstep could follow you for years to come. And again, remember 'when in doubt, throw it out.'"

Those are definitely words for the wise. 

So team, please, as we stay as connected as possible, let's be aware of what it is we are sharing.

Stay Focused, Sharks!