The Air Force has selected Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio as the preferred headquarters for its cyber command, the 24th Air Force, pending an environmental review. The decision really puzzles me.
Lackland received the nod ahead of five other potential bases that were vying for the new cyber HQ, including Barksdale Air Force Base, La.; Langley Air Force Base, Va.; Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.; Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.; and Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
Air Force said it selected Lackland for the cyber mission because, among other things, "mission synergy" (whatever that means), which includes proximity to other cyber operational missions and access to scientific and technical expertise as well as communication and bandwidth capabilities and good transportation.
Based on this set of criteria, I'd put Lackland at the bottom of the pile, not the top. Lackland is home of the 37th Training Wing, which runs the Air Force boot camp, and certainly does not offer the "mission synergy" of Peterson, home of the U.S. Northern Command and the Air Force Space Command -- or Offut, HQ of the U.S. Strategic Command.
Langley is the HQ of the Air Combat Command. The Air Mobility Command hangs out at Scott and for more than a year Barksdale has served as the provisional HQ for the cyber command. At a glance, the five losers in the cyber command sweepstakes seem to offer more "mission synergy" than Lackland - which is maybe why it made the cut, because the Air Force intended to spread the warfighting command action around.
As far as communications capabilities go, San Antonio does not immediately jump out as the broadband hub of North America, and I bet Peterson and Scott have higher speed circuits into the Global Information Grid than Lackland.
And it's good that cyber warriors work in over air-conditioned spaces, as San Anotnio gives a new meaning to the word HOT. I spent a week there this February, and the temperatures were in the 80s. Today it's 90 degrees in San Antonio, and the temperature is forecast to hit over 100 next week - and it's not even summer.
That said, San Antonio has one of the best urban cores in the country, built around its River Walk and the nearby Market Square, which makes for a walkable downtown with a European flair.
Cyber warriors can fire themselves up with truly awesome Mexican food at the Mi Tierra restaurant in the square, which stays open 24 hours a day. I suggest they try the chilaquiles famosas. That will prime them to battle hackers around the globe.
Cyber warrior pie fans will be glad to know that the Wimberley Pie Company in (naturally) Wimberley, Texas, is a mere one-hour drive away on some picturesque country roads and serves everything from traditional apple to more exotic buttermilk and peanut butter pies.
If a cyber warrior wants the best green chile cheeseburger in the country, they can find that in San Antonio, not the San Antonio in Texas, but rather the San Antonio in New Mexico. Since this is a 10-hour drive, cyber warriors will have to take a weekend to make a pilgrimage to the famed Owl Bar and Café in the San Antonio, N.M., which serves a chile burger that in its own way also gives a new meaning to HOT.
COMMENTS
It is unfortunate that the author chose not to put any research into this article even though it deals with a topic of considerable interest to industry, government, and private citizens. The creation and bed-down of a USAF Major Command is a particularly important event with far reaching implications for both the gaining and losing communities like jobs, investment, and an influx of people in need of housing and services. All meaningful aspects the author chose to ignore. Perhaps Mr. Brewin should see if there are openings at the local paper for a food and travel columnist.
John Clemens 05/18/09 02:40 pm ET
I've read your newsletters because I believed you were somewhat of an authority on goverment IT. You disappoint with this editorial because you are misinformed. As others have pointed out, Lackland is the home of the AFISR and JIOC. Apparently, I need to read your newsletter with a little more skepticsm.
Mary Ann 05/18/09 12:18 pm ET
Lackland is actually a great place for this command as they handle Information Operations for the Air Force. The AF Information Operations Center (AFIOC) is there and is the AF center of excellence (COE) for information operations.
They handle security incident management, intrusion detection and feed information to the other facilities across the country that handle network defense.
I think its a better fit than you have assessed...
David 05/18/09 09:46 am ET
C'mon Brew - the cyber guys want a retirement home in San Antonio, too! I will agree the Owl serves up a good green chile burger but there are better. Next time you head south stop in Bosque Farms NM and get yourself a Benny Burger at Benny's. Yum, scrum!!
Bev 05/18/09 09:34 am ET
Not so hard to understand when you consider the Air Force's religious demension--The first shall be last and the etc.
Pedro Cruz 05/18/09 09:25 am ET
You need to consider that the HQ of the AF ISR Agency is located there. Based on that and knowing a bit about their mission, the mission synergy assessment is right on target and the choice to locate 24AF there was a good one.
Jim Wingate 05/18/09 09:04 am ET
San Antonio is also the home of the Air Force Information Operations center, and the Joint Information Operations Command. That is probably the synergy they were speaking about.
Marc Hayworth 05/15/09 07:54 pm ET