Air Force Cyberspace Mission Alignment Published Sept. 9, 2009 By by Michael B. Donley, secretary of the Air Force, and United States Air Force WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As part of cyber security efforts across the government, the Secretary of Defense approved the establishment of a Department of Defense (DoD) sub-unified command called the United States Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM). Your Air Force is taking critical steps to support the DoD cyberspace effort and to define the key role you will play in these developments. Cyberspace pervades every other domain and transcends traditional boundaries. Without question, cyberspace is vital to today's fight and to the future US military advantage over our adversaries. It is the intent of the United States Air Force to provide a full spectrum of cyberspace capabilities to Joint Force Commanders whenever and wherever needed. To this end, we have positioned the Air Force to confront the cyber-related challenges of today and tomorrow with the following actions: - Designating Air Force Space Command as lead USAF Major Command for the cyberspace mission - Establishing Twenty-Fourth Air Force (24 AF) at Lackland AFB, recommending it become the Air Force service component to USCYBERCOM, aligning authorities and responsibilities to enable seamless cyberspace operations - Granting the commander of 24 AF authority over the Air Force network - Assigning the 67th Network Warfare Wing, 688th Information Operations Wing, and 689th Combat Communications Wing to 24 AF - Inactivating the 608th Air Force Network Operations Center, and activating the 624th Operations Center, which is assigned to 24 AF - Realigning the Air Force Network Integration Center (formerly Air Force Communications Agency) and Air Force Frequency Management Agency under Air Force Space Command These are important organizational steps, but they are just the beginning. To make significant progress we must also change the way we think about the cyberspace domain, and accordingly change our culture. Like air and space, we must think of cyberspace as a mission-critical domain where operations are characterized by rigor and discipline, and are executed with precision and reliability. We must recognize the unique demands of operating in the cyber domain. We must establish close and continuing relationships with our joint partners, industry, and academia. We must develop a personnel strategy with compelling cyber career and training pathways. And in doing so, we must leverage the inherent strengths and talents of the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command. Cyberspace is a contested domain, and the fight is on--today. Every Airman holds the key to success, and every Airman must become a cyber defender, whether acting as part of a team or individually on Air Force networks. We must all conduct ourselves as "Cyber Wingmen," recognizing that our actions and activities on the network affect every other Airman and impact our ability to execute the broader Air Force mission. We will, in short, deliver on our promise to fly, fight and win ... in air, space and cyberspace.