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IT Directorate, 72nd Com Squadron to merge

  • Published
  • By Howdy Stout
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Creating a "single point of responsibility" is the goal of an upcoming merger between the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center's Information Technology Directorate and the 72nd Communications Squadron.

The two units will join Oct. 1 to become the 72nd Air Base Wing Communications Directorate. Program Budget Decision 720 directed many changes for the communications-information career field, including centralizing communication-information activities on military installations. The new communications directorate will consist of 450 members and three divisions. Each division will have specific functions based on Air Force guidance.

The move, explains Col. Mary Gillam, director of the ALC's IT Directorate, is part of a larger Air Force reorganization to consolidate the installation's communications-information activities at the Air Force's three Air Logistics Centers. In preparation for the standup of the new 72nd Communications Directorate, the 72nd Mission Support Group commander will conduct an inactivation ceremony for the 72nd Communications Squadron Thursday. The ceremony will be held at the Tinker Club.

"As of Oct. 1, we will officially be the 72nd ABW Communications Directorate," said Colonel Gillam. "Our immediate goal is to centralize all base-wide communications-information related support into one single organization. Our plan is to align the new communications directorate's short and long-term strategy with the vision of the base leadership. Securing our networks and introducing new technologies while maintaining our legacy systems encompass a few of our ongoing missions."

Traditionally, the base communications squadrons handled the computer and IT issues for units on base while the ALC had its own IT directorate to support and maintain its diverse logistics and maintenance computer systems. It was an organizational construct unique to the three ALCs, Colonel Gillam said.

But in an effort to comply with the mandates of PBD 720 and centralize work across the base, the two functions will be combined. The Warner Robins Air Logistic Center at Robins Air Force Base in Ga. stood up its new communications directorate July 31 while Tinker and Hill are set to stand up their new directorates in October.

Stacy Cameron, squadron leader for the 72nd Communications Squadron, said the reorganization would allow the sharing of experience between both groups and allow those on base a single point of contact for help with computer and IT-related issues.

"Having one organization for all communications-related needs will benefit the entire base," Ms. Cameron said.

Colonel Gillam says the reorganization at the ALCs is part of larger changes in how the Air Force is handling communications, IT and cyber-related issues. Previously assigned to the Office of the Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon, Colonel Gillam says the move to reorganize the Air Force communications-information related organizations was a long time coming with more Air Force-wide changes in the works.

"This is just the beginning of the changes that will begin to flow," she said.

Already the Air Force is placing increased emphasis on cyber-related communications efforts. The 38th Engineering Installation Group here, which specializes in planning and installing computer and communication equipment, also reorganized recently, being renamed the 38th Cyber Engineering Group and placed under the command of the 24th Air Force, the newest numbered Air Force tasked with conducting cyber operations under the aegis of Air Force Space Command.

The Air Force's Combat Communications units - including the Tinker-based 3rd Combat Communications Group - will also fall under the new numbered Air Force.

"A lot of traditional communications and information related core tasks are being transferred to the cyber community," Colonel Gillam said. "It tells me that as Air Force professionals working in the communications-information arena, we must remain diligent in ensuring the security and integrity of our networks because cyberspace is indeed a critical enabler for Air Force operations."