Top Air Guard leader visits cyber units
Lt. Gen. Stanley E. Clarke III, director of the Air National Guard, visited Camp Murray and Joint Base Lewis-McChord on April 11 to learn about the Washington Air National Guard's cyber securtiy capabilities. Clarke toured the 262nd Network Warfare Squadron at JBLM in the morning, followed by slide presentations by members of the 143rd Cyber Operations Squadron at Camp Murray and a lunch with Airmen. (ANG Photo/Staff Sgt. Paul Ryder/Released)
CAMP MURRAY, Wash. — The national director of the Air National Guard visited Camp Murray and Joint Base Lewis-McChord April 11 to learn about the Washington Air National Guard’s cyber security capabilities. Lt. Gen. Stanley E. Clarke III toured the 262nd Network Warfare Squadron at JBLM and was briefed by members of the 143rd Cyber Operations Squadron at Camp Murray, followed by a lunch with airmen.
Squadron officers briefed Clarke on their state and federal missions and described some of their challenges. In turn, Clarke explained the challenges of budgeting for the Air National Guard in the 21st Century.
“We’re not facing threats like we did in the Cold War years where we kept throwing in money,” he said. At the same time, with limited resources and a constant need to remain relevant, he added, “We’re very effective at what we do.”
Lt. Gen. Stanley E. Clarke III, director of the Air National Guard, visited Camp Murray and Joint Base Lewis-McChord on April 11 to learn about the Washington Air National Guard's cyber securtiy capabilities. Clarke toured the 262nd Network Warfare Squadron at JBLM in the morning, followed by slide presentations by members of the 143rd Cyber Operations Squadron at Camp Murray and a lunch with Airmen. (ANG Photo/Staff Sgt. Paul Ryder/Released)
Lt. Col. Robert Siau, commander of the 262nd, highlighted the employees of leading technology and internet companies who serve in his squadron part-time. Maj. Billy Rios of the 143rd described how his squadron had conducted major assessments of cyber vulnerabilities in public agencies.
“My sense is that you take gratification in wearing this uniform for all the right reasons,” Clarke told members of the 143rd. The most important benefit of service in the Guard is not financial gain but “how you feel about yourself and what you do,” he said.
Both squadrons are part of the 194th Regional Support Wing. The 194th is “one of the more interesting Wings in the Guard,” said Clarke. Reflecting on the Wing’s federal mission and state mission to aid in domestic operations such as the 2014 Highway 530 Mudslide, Clarke said, “I will go back and talk about Airmen working in a mudslide [and] Airmen working in a cyber operation.”
Lt. Gen. Stanley R. Clarke III Director Air National Guard sits in a UH-72A Lakota helicopter as Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jay Enders explains the benefits of the new aircraft at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., on April 12, 2015. Lt. Gen Clarke visited the wing while touring the Washington State military department.
On Sunday, Lt. Gen. Clarke traveled to Fairchild Air Force Base to talk with Airmen from the 141st Air Refueling Wing. During his visit he learned about the unique mission of the 141st and also talked with Washington Army National Guard pilots from C. Co. 1-112th Aviation about the UH-72a "Lakota".