Chapter News

The chapter held its scholarship luncheon to award seven deserving students in the local area with scholarships totaling $8,500. The chapter's top scholarship recipient received $2,000 in honor of one of its lifetime members. Col. Douglas E. Moody, USAF (Ret.), was the chapter's vice president of education until 2019.

The chapter is proud to support and promote STEM academic endeavors with scholarships and grants. The chapter president spoke on the importance of STEM and the need to encourage the youth of today to pursue STEM degrees and careers. Olethia Calhoun, educational leader, thanked the chapter for its generous contributions to both STEM grants and scholarships and looks forward to partnering with the chapter in future endeavors.

In April, in addition to discussing today's complex security environment and current reserve component competencies, Brig. Gen. Reid Novotny, ANG, National Guard Bureau A2/6, spoke on the importance of integrating the military cyber community with industry expertise through organizations such as AFCEA International.

The chapter presented $7,500.00 in scholarships to six deserving students to continue their education in STEM-related fields. Following a stellar year in fundraising, the chapter is excited to be able to raise the overall dollar value and number of scholarships presented this year. The chapter continues to honor Col. Douglas E. Moody, USAF (Ret.), with the top scholarship awarded in his honor.

The chapter held its quarterly luncheon in May to highlight scholarship opportunities and to recognize its Emerging Leader Capt. Caleb Bruce, USAF. The chapter also discussed its upcoming golf tournament to raise money for scholarships in October.

In August, the chapter was proud to present four scholarships to area students to assist in their pursuit of STEM-related degrees. The chapter, in partnership with local industry and Air Force members, takes pride in offering scholarships to deserving students to help them achieve their goals of higher education.

The chapter's Monthly Luncheon was held in conjunction with the 5th Mob Annual Rodeo and featured a Q&A session on the Future of Cyber with Lt. Gen. Mary F. O'Brien, USAF, deputy chief of staff for Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Cyber Effects Operations.

Also, Airman 1st Class Frank P. DioLosa Jr., USAF, was presented with a certificate and chapter coin as the chapter's Emerging Leader for the month of April. Chapter President Col. Thaddeus "Firewire" Janicki, USAF, covered key chapter business, including the upcoming Golf Tournament on August 19.

A $300 grant was awarded to the Technical Student Association (TSA) at Houston County High School for use at the state-level competitions this year. STEM projects are created in both the engineering classes and the TSA Club. Chapter officers were on hand to present the check to Trish Peters, club adviser, and club members.

The chapter recently hosted the "Young AFCEAN Academia and Industry Tour" in November at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It was a great success with a turnout that included students, local academia and industry professionals. Attendees obtained information about base technical activities, spoke with engineering and information technology professionals and engaged in discussions of future career opportunities. The event included a tour of the Air Logistics Complex, 402 Commodities Maintenance and Software Maintenance Groups. A social was held to conclude the event with representatives from the 78th Communications Directorate, Special Missions Division, and the Air Force Life Cycle Management/Engineering group. Academia attendees included Middle Georgia State University's Johnathan Yerby, dean of the IT Department, and Kem Lingelbach, assistant professor, IT Department. The chapter looks forward to promoting the tour to Young AFCEANs as a recurring annual event.

The chapter held its inaugural golf tournament in May at the International City Golf Course in Warner Robins, Georgia. The tournament was held to raise money for the chapter's education fund. The event had more than 50 golfers with eight corporate sponsors. The event raised over $3,000 for the fund and the money will be used to provide science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) scholarships for local students. Maj. Gen. John Maluda, USAF (Ret.) was on hand as the special guest master of ceremonies.

The chapter invited Lt. Gen. Michael Peterson, USAF (Ret.), and AFCEA board executive member as a guest speaker for the October luncheon. Gen. Peterson sparked the crowd's interest by discussing recent cyber attacks. He emphasized the importance of the fight in cyber and how the government needs to work with industry to find solutions to cyber attacks. Gen. Peterson brought up the Office of Personnel Management breach reported to the public earlier this year. The luncheon coincided with the biannual Information Technology Forum and Expo hosted by Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command Communications and Information Directorate, 78th Communications Directorate, and the 116th Communications Squadron. The expo featured 22 technical vendors, of which six vendors were chosen to present on topics ranging from cybersecurity to cyber defense. Close to 200 people attended the seminars earning continued education credits. More than 120 cyber professionals and vendors attended the luncheon, making it the largest AFCEA event for the chapter. The chapter closed out the luncheon by donating $100 to the National Prisoner of War Museum in Lt. Gen. Peterson's name. The National Prisoner of War Museum was a prison during the Civil War in 1864, located in Andersonville, Georgia. The prison was liberated in 1865 and then opened up in 1998 as a memorial to all prisoners of war.

Filled with holiday spirit, the chapter members played a vital role in the 461st Air Control Wing's "Christmas for the Kids" event that transformed the Methodist Home for Children located in Macon, Georgia. More than 400 people attended the event with the children, including chapter members, community leaders and Robins Air Force Base personnel. In its rich 140 year history of service to Middle Georgia, the Methodist Home had the "best Christmas ever," exclaimed its director. This $60,000 celebration focused on the 82 orphans and culminated with the dedication of an Air Force Heritage Room. Chapter volunteers along with volunteers from Robins Air Force Base completely renovated a 700 square foot traditional game room. After two intense weeks of work, the room had dazzling new paint, a repaired ping pong table, a custom built basketball return, hand painted Air Force legacy murals, a Nintendo Wii gaming center and a custom built combat communications area complete with camouflage netting. Each of the 82 children received a $50 present from their sponsor off of their list to Santa. Additionally, volunteers and sponsors donated and delivered more than $25,000 of gifts for Christmas morning. For one special night, the gymnasium turned into a winter wonderland complete with holiday table arrangements, place settings, twinkling Christmas lights and Santa's workshop. Students from the Atlanta Georgia Culinary School provided the “icing on the cake” by serving a traditional southern Christmas meal. More than just a home for children, the Methodist Home for Children provides a variety of different programs and services, building a crucial link between the children and the local community. The tremendous generosity of the chapter members coupled with the base and local community gave the irreplaceable gift of a Christmas to children without a family, adolescents spending their first Christmas alone, elementary school kids who still believe and teens who are hoping for a new life. The chapter members and local community revived 82 children's hope by showing they care.

In November, the chapter hosted an Air Force Chiefs Panel. With more than a century worth of military experience, the cyber professionals received an inside look into the roots of the military profession. The chiefs captivated the audience with their stories from entering basic military training and becoming a front-line supervisor to the embodiment of the core values and cultural shifts in the digital age. Their shared personal leadership philosophies resonated with audience members, who actively participated in the discussion and engaged with a variety of questions. Regardless of the topic, the chiefs had a keen way of delivering a message to enhance the audiences' perspective and develop their leadership tool kit. Panel members included Chief Master Sergeant Perry Schultz, USAF; Chief Master Sergeant Shawn Wise, USAF; and Chief Master Sergeant Shawn Ashley, USAF, all from the 5th Combat Communications Group. At the close of the event, the chapter thanked the speakers for enlightening attendees with their personal experiences and opinions.

In October, the 5th Combat Communications Group hosted the chapter luncheon at Gator Airbase, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. Luncheon attendees received an inside look at tactical deployable communication during a field exercise with the 51st Combat Communications Squadron. Participants experienced the warrior ethos embedded in the 5th Combat Communications culture by changing the luncheon into an outdoor setting and eating Meals Ready-to-Eat in tents. During the tour, individuals were exposed to how combat communication deploys their mission of delivering critical voice and high-speed data communications to operational users with small fly-away communications packages to rapidly deploying entire theater air base communications packages. By the end of the luncheon, military guest and industry partners internalized the group's motto: “Let's Go!”

During the chapter's monthly luncheon in March, Col. Mark Ware, USAF, director of cyberspace plans and operations, 24th Air Force, addressed attendees on the way ahead for cyberspace. "Cyberspace is a domain; a place we conduct missions," said Col. Ware. "Keeping the right aspects of the network up and running to accomplish the mission." The mission of the U.S. Air Force is to provide sovereign options for the defense of the United States and its global interests to fly and fight in air, space and cyberspace, explained the colonel. The 24th Air Force is the operational warfighting organization that establishes, operates, maintains and defends the Air Force network and conducts full-spectrum operations in cyberspace. It ensures warfighters can maintain the information advantage as we execute military operations. The unit is responsible to conduct the full range of cyber operations. During the luncheon, the chapter was presented with a check for $775 toward their local education scholarship fund. Mr. Pete O'Neill presented the check on behalf of Rockwell Collins, a leader in the development and production of advanced communication and aviation electronics for the air transport, regional, business and military markets.

Lt. Gen. John Bradley, USAF (Ret.), former commander, Air Force Reserve Command, was the chapter's keynote speaker for the May meeting. The general believes many of the Air Force's older aircraft still in use create challenges for dedicated air personnel. He stated that the reliance on unmanned aerial vehicles will continue to grow. Gen. Bradley shared that communications, avionics and information technology experts offer the most cost-effective solutions to meeting future threats. Budget constraints and changing views of what constitutes a threat mean new systems will be developed. Unmanned aircraft, including Reapers, Predators and Global Hawk, already are a vital force in Iraq and Afghanistan, and unmanned systems will shoulder more of the load in the future, the general said. He concluded his remarks by stating, "I feel very good about the future. We have great technology. But in the end, it's all about airmen doing their job for the good of the Air Force and the country."

The chapter coordinated with the local chapter of the Logistics Officers Association to invite Lt. Gen. Robert J. "Bob" Elder Jr., USAF, commander, 8th Air Force (Air Forces Strategic), Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana; commander, Joint Functional Component, Global Strike and Integration, U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM), Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska; and commander, nuclear bomber and reconnaissance Task Force 204, STRATCOM, to be the November meeting's guest speaker. The general provided a discussion on "Global Operations and Mission Assurance in a Contested Cyberenvironment." More than 220 local communications, electronics and logistics professionals attended the meeting.

Kenneth B. Heitkamp, assistant U.S. Air Force Chief Information Officer for Life-Cycle Management, provided the presentation for the chapter's July luncheon. He discussed the Air Force's Information Technology Commodity Council's mission and its focus areas, including savings, security, standardization and streamlining. Heitkamp also provided insight into the U.S. Office of Management and Budget's Federal Desktop Core Configuration, the Air Force's Digital Printing and Imaging advancements, and encouraged the practice of "green" or environmentally-friendly purchasing.