Internship programs await Specialized courses offer advanced training for AIA personnel by 2nd Lt. Robert Chambers Air Force Cryptologic Office Fort George Meade, Md.
Editor's Note: This is the first article in a three-part series on Internship Programs offered by the National Security Agency/ Cryptologic Support Service for Air Force intelligence members.
A develop and maintain the technical and managerial skills required to meet today's environment and the greater challenges of the future. Several key elements in meeting these needs are part of the training programs, including internships, available to our cryptologic person-nel.
The National Security Agency/ Cryptologic Support Service, Fort George Meade, Md., has numerous internship programs open to both of-ficer and enlisted members. As the Air Intelligence Agency Intern Program manager, the Air Force Cryptologic Office at Fort Meade is chartered with ensuring these programs meet Air Force and AIA needs. The AFCO Intern Pro-gram responds to AIA's strategic goal "to promote leadership and profes-sional development." We will start this series by look-ing at intern programs for officers. Air Force intelligence and engi-neering officers may be interested in the Advanced Technologies Program. ATP focuses on working with ad-vancing technologies with the intent of developing future information tech-nology professionals. Selected Air Force officers pur-sue a three-year tour of duty during which they gain experience at the leading edge of the newest signals intelligence technologies.
especially benefit from the Junior Of-ficer Cryptologic Career Program.
This highly competitive program offers specialized education and work
center assignments to future leaders in the intelligence field.
Candidates should be career-des-ignated officers with a specialty in
cryptology; have at least one tour of field experience; and have no more
than 12 years of service at the time of selection.
Officers with a more technical background may enjoy the Resident
Signals Engineering Program. This program is intended to cre-ate
world-class expertise when deal-ing with the recovery and exploita-tion
of signals. It has recently ex-panded to include the protection of
U. S. communications. RSEP adopts a realistic approach,
seeking to create in-depth practical ex-pertise in one or more areas of commu-nications
technology, collection science, systems design, architecture and imple-mentation,
signals analysis and pro-cessing.
Specific tours and technical chal-lenges are designed to put the resident
in working relationships with NSA/ CSS's leading experts and assign them
to locations with signals-rich environ-ments.
RSEP seeks to produce a continu-ing flow of high-tech individuals with
exceptional experience and expertise in all aspects of the signal process.
Since 1992, the program has been
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opened to qualified military person-nel. Each service cryptological ele-ment
has been invited to add one resident to the program each year.
Military and civilian selection criteria are identical.
In addition to RSEP, NSA/ CSS also offers the Systems and Network
Interdisciplinary Program for officers with technical expertise.
SNIP was designed to improve the service's capabilities to secure
computers, networks and telecommu-nications.
SNIP affords a select group of technical people with the opportu-nity
to develop their skills in the ar-eas of secure system design, discov-ering
vulnerabilities and network pen-etration and exploitation.
The aim of SNIP is to develop a cadre of technical leaders who will
focus on computer, network and tele-communications security.
Each SNIP participant, in coop-eration with an assigned mentor, will
design a three-year development pro-
gram. The program will center on the individual's specific area of tech-nical concentration, and build upon that strength. Participants will also take courses and complete rotational tours to fur-ther their understanding of other core protection and exploitation technolo-gies. In doing so, they will be ex-posed to NSA/ CSS elements which have been doing pioneering work in network and system protection and exploitation. All officer interns are managed by the Air Force Cryptologic Office at 9800 Savage Rd., Suite 6202, Fort Meade, Md 20755-6202. Phone num-bers are (301) 688-6934 or DSN 644- 6934. All interns will be administra-tively supported by the AFCO and its military chain of command. Local personnel support, finance, Uniform Code of Military Justice, etc. will be provided as part of the AFCO's infra-structure.
A letter of agreement will for-malize every intern's assignment to a
The Air Force Outstanding Unit and the Air Force Organizational Excellence Awards were recently an-nounced. The AFOUA goes to the 97th Intelligence Squad-ron, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., for the Oct. 1, 1995 to Sept. 30, 1997 period and the 25th Intelligence Squad-ron, Hurlburt Field, Fla., 26th Intelligence Group, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, and the 381st Intelli-gence Squadron, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, for the Oct. 1, 1996 to Sept. 30, 1997 period.
NSA workspace with the appropriate workcenter manager. Performance reports and military responsibilities will be executed by AFCO management. Intern positions are advertised on the Air Force Per-sonnel Center Officer Assignment System electronic bulletin board. Interns will be required to pro-vide a resume as well as copies of their last three Officer Performance Reports to the AFCO. Interns will be selected by a board made up of AFCO and AIA person-nel. Selections are based on work background, education and potential for success. We hope to use these intern pro-grams to further AIA's strategic goal of building compelling implementa-tion strategies regarding the need for a better-prepared Air Force informa-tion operations workforce. Information on these programs may be found on the AFCO Intern Homepage: http:// www. lno. usaf. nsa/ sc/ Intern. html.
The AFOEA was given to the Air Force Informa-tion Warfare Center, Kelly Air Force Base, Texas, for the June 1, 1996 to May 31, 1997 period; and the Air Force Technical Applications Center, Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., for the Oct. 1, 1995 to Sept. 30, 1997 period. All assigned or attached members who served with these organizations during any part of the period of the award are authorized to wear the appropriate ribbon.
February kicks off Air Force Assistance Fund Unit/ Organization Awards Announced For Air Force people, the Air Force Assistance Fund is like an insurance policy in the event of an emergency or bad luck. When the 1998 campaign begins Feb. 25, unit project officers will be asking everyone to make a commitment to one or more of the fund's four chari-ties Ñ the Enlisted Widows Home, Air Force Village, the LeMay Foundation and the Air Force Aid Society. Listed are just a few of the reasons why donations
should be made: sAll contributions are passed to the charity of choice. sOne of the lowest administrative costs in the na-tion; 95 percent of contributions go directly to assistance. sContributions are deductible for federal income tax purposes as an itemized deduction. sLow payroll allotments are an easy way to give. As little as $1 can be made. 2