Newest wing staff agency protects your information

  • Published
  • By the Information Protection Office
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  Last December, the 18th Wing stood up its newest Wing Staff Agency, the Information Protection Office.

The IPO, lead by Ben Baluyot, is comprised of six Air Force civilian security specialists consisting of Personnel, Information and Industrial Security.

So, why the formation of a new office? For starters, Air Force officials recognized the need for a single entity to report information protection matters to the Air Force's senior security official - the administrative assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force.

In November 2008, the Air Force Chief of Staff, Gen. Norton Schwartz, signed a memorandum directing all major commands and wings to establish an Information Protection Office.

The memorandum also directed each IPO to establish a staff to assume duties related to information, personnel and industrial security programs. At each level, the IPO will report directly to its respective wing or MAJCOM vice commander.

The restructure is complete at the Headquarters Air Force level with the establishment of the Information Protection Directorate. The mission of the Air Force Information Protection Directorate is to develop and implement security policy, provide oversight and develop a converged, enterprise approach across the Air Force to provide guidelines on how to protect information from cradle to grave.

PACAF and all wings within PACAF have completed the restructure - including changes at Kadena which have been transparent.

The security programs were formerly part of the security forces career field. The 18th Security Forces Squadron had already made the transition to civilianize the positions. To the customers, the only difference has been the change in the office name because the IPO remains within Bldg. 705.

The future of the IPO is within its name, Information Protection. Previously, the information, personnel and industrial security programs specifically targeted protection of classified information.

The new structure expands our role and interacts with other agencies on the installation. The IPO is not taking over responsibilities of other offices, but instead, will work with agencies throughout the base to enhance the wing's ability to protect information of all levels.

The Information Systems Activity Group members are experts within the information arena who will team up to combat the attempts of advisories to exploit our information.

The Information Systems Activity Group recently conducted its inaugural meeting last month. Meetings will be conducted quarterly, but the ISAG may form anytime there is a need.

For more information on the IPO, visit the 18 WG/IP SharePoint site or contact your unit security manager to address security concerns.