Air Force logs on to social media sites

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Monica L. Dalberg
  • 514th Air Mobility Wing
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  The close of April was the start of a two-week phase of opening government computer access to social media sites Air Force-wide by AF officials. 514th Air Mobility Wing members here, as well as the rest of Air Force Reserve Command, gained access to the sites from their government computers this month.

Bases in Pacific Air Forces gained access to social media sites a few weeks earlier and served as a test-bed for AF-wide access. Access to bases is broken into phases because technicians in the Integrated Network Operations and Security Centers tasked with the social media access must account for the various major command network infrastructures. They must also permit the Air Force Computer Emergency Response Team to provide required services to each major command as their access is granted.

According to Brigadier General David Warner, the Air Force Space Command
communications director and chief information officer, they are working to find a balance between maintaining a safe network while allowing Airmen access needed to get information.

"I'm excited about opening access to social media sites," said Colonel Michael Underkofler, 514th Air Mobility Wing Vice Commander. "I think it'll help us to become better communicators, enhancing our connectivity to our families and the American public, those same people we swear to protect and serve."

Senior Master Sergeant Nilda Rivera Frazier, the 514th AMW law office superintendent, was reluctant to open an account on the social media site, Facebook, so a friend, with Rivera-Frazier's permission, opened an account for her. As an official social media site member, Sergeant Rivera-Frazier identified one impact of such sites.

"It will help in communicating with our youth and, ultimately, the future of the Air Force," she said.

"I'm sure there are a lot of people interested in the military and this can be informative for them," said, Senior Airman Maricela Pichardo, 514th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron.
"Before I came into the Reserve I didn't know anything about it. If I had known more, I would have joined earlier," the aeromedical evacuation technician added.

Colonel Undekofler drew a historical parallel between social media sites and the military.

"I see the use of social media sites to be the evolution of posters that we used in the 40s to rally our Americans to make sure they knew what was going on in the war effort. If we use social media sites properly, we can make sure the average American has a connection to the military."

The commander of Air Force Space Command, General C. Robert Kehler stated the social media sites provide an increasingly important mode of communication, collaboration and conducting business.

"I'm not sure we can fathom today all the benefits we'll see from opening up the use of social media sites," said Colonel Underkofler.

AF and Department of Defense regulations provide guidance for Airmen navigating social media sites from government computers. Use must be of a reasonable duration and frequency approved by supervisors, must not adversely impact performance of official duties, overburden systems or reflect negatively on the AF.

AF personnel are prohibited from posting classified or sensitive information on social media sites. Inappropriate posting of information on the AF network and Operational Security violations are punishable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.