ACC command team engages with America’s Cryptologic Wing

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Franklin R. Ramos
  • 70th ISR Wing Public Affairs
General Ken Wilsbach, commander of Air Combat Command, and Chief Master Sgt. Dave Wolfe, ACC command chief, visited the 70th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing, Sept. 18, to learn about the cryptologic mission. Wilsbach and Wolfe were accompanied by their spouses, Cindy Wilsbach and Dr. Doniel Wolfe.

As America's Cryptologic Wing, the 70th ISRW mission is to lead global cryptologic operations, delivering actionable intelligence and decisive options to prevail in an era of Great Power Competition.

“I want us creating dilemmas for our adversaries,” Wilsbach said. “A lot of the intelligence that you collect and disseminate is highly valuable for creating those dilemmas and creating those deterrence values.”

This immersion provided the ACC command team initial opportunity to engage with cryptologic warriors who work alongside National Security Agency professionals in support of national intelligence needs and build partnerships across the intelligence community to advance ACC, Air Force and joint force requirements. The wing, along with various mission partners, helps gather insights on adversaries, ensuring the U.S. is prepared to detect, deter and respond to any current and future threats within the competition continuum.

“We must continue to drive standards, readiness, and modernization to remain a high performing organization,” Wolfe said. “We have a responsibility to our country, allies and partners, to make sure we’re giving them the best version of ourselves.”

Wilsbach and Wolfe received an in-depth briefing on various wing modernization efforts like CyberFX, which is an Air Force capstone project within the Computer Network Operations Development Program that capitalizes on members’ expertise to tackle a cyber problem.

The three-year, joint CNODP internship program is sponsored by the NSA and U.S. Cyber Command. It is designed to build the Department of Defense’s most skilled capability developers, specializing in the application of advanced skills in hardware, software, and networks for cyber operations.

During the visit, the command team also toured the wing’s newly renovated dormitories and resilience center on the NSA campus, to learn more about how the 70th ISRW is prioritizing ACC’s vision of “People First, Mission Always.” These resilience spaces are in the same facility as the dormitories, providing Airmen with direct access to helping agency resources to assist them when needed.

Cindy and Doniel met with key support liaisons and the Code Athena team. Code Athena is a working group of volunteers, modeled after ACC’s Sword Athena, that identifies, tackles, and proposes solutions to female and family-centric barriers to readiness for the ISR units across 28 worldwide locations.

“At America’s Cryptologic Wing, we’re focused on building readiness and resilience to meet the demands of Great Power Competition,” said Col. Celina Noyes, 70th ISRW commander. “This was an opportunity to show ACC leadership some of the initiatives developed by our cryptologic warriors to provide a competitive advantage in future conflicts.”

Wilsbach and Wolfe concluded the immersion with an all call, emphasizing the critical role the cryptologic mission has in defending national security and advancing national interests.

“I’m so impressed, proud and thankful for the work that you do,” Wilsbach said. “The product that you produce saves lives, and it helps our nation achieve its objectives on the grandest scale.”