Region’s cyber future virtually set with Innovation Center ceremony

Bossier City Mayor Lo Walker warmed a cold 200-plus crowd at the Cyber Innovation Center groundbreaking on Monday. The comedian inside the mayor introduced supporters on stage as he discarded the agenda. The late start and chilly weather inspired the welcomed editing. Only the headliners, Lt. Gen. Bob Elder, commander of the 8^th Air Force and recently sworn-in Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, spoke to the crowd prior to the requisite shovel-and-dirt photos.

The crowd consisted mainly of business leaders, military brass, political dignitaries and media. Most huddled inside Bossier Parish Community College until the events started because many came unprepared for the chill sweeping through our southern climate.

Gov. Jindal underlined his position that helping "stand up" Cyber Command at Barksdale Air Force Base is a “top priority” for his administration. He explained that Cyber Command was among the few things he relayed in his meeting with President George W. Bush shortly after his election last year.

General Elder described an inspiring vision for the future of the Air Force built on the wings of the Cyber Command, now established provisionally at Barksdale Air Force Base. Elder is the architect and leader of the effort to expand our country's military dominance of air and space to cyberspace, fighting wars waged in the electromagnetic spectrum.

The groundbreaking for the Cyber Innovation Center in Bossier City forges another link between the private and public sector to develop new technology to fight wars in cyberspace. Microsoft and other technology corporations are touted as being interested in setting up offices here.

The next big community moment will come when the permanent site for Cyber Command is named. The hope of future generations are betting that Barksdale Air Force Base is the inevitable choice. Listening to the general and the governor speak, the crescendo of all the hype and build-up is only months away.

Photos By Douglas Collier/The Times: 1) Bossier City Mayor Lo Walker directs a group of dignitaries gathered for the groundbreaking ceremony for the Cyber Innovation Center held at the BPCC campus in Bossier City. 2) Senator Mary Landrieu, Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu and Gov. Bobby Jindal join other dignitaries on stage.

The Barksdale Warrior Engages

The launch of The Barksdale Warrior, a new publication for Barksdale Air Force Base, hits military base stands Wednesday, Oct 3. This 10,000-circulation weekly expands coverage previously housed in The Bombardier, the base publication that closed Sept. 28.
Warrior Editor Stephanie Bemrose worked for The Bombardier. Now, she brings new ideas for content to better serve our fighting and flying warriors on the new nameplate.

Times military reporter John Prime, local retirees and national military news services will assist in providing coverage, too. In the debut issue, Prime leads a special report on Cyber Command gleaned from his recent trip to Washington, D.C. These reports will be made available on shreveporttimes.com.

Cyber Command Moment Excites

The exuberance of local officials, the community and military folks to Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne's confirmation of a “provisional” Cyber Command at Barksdale Air Force Base is understandable. Many have been working toward the promise of thousands of related jobs and the potential boost to Louisiana’s economy. The higher education infusion could be substantial (La. Tech, BPCC and LSU-S and more).

From U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu to Bossier City Mayor Lo Walker, confidence about the pending announcement abounds. The idea that Cyber Command is a “done deal” may not be too premature for people in the know. All of us see the incremental news leading us to the same conclusions they profess. The Air Force secretary’s comments Wednesday about hatching the next phase leave less to the imagination.

But the words “provisional” and “interim”, once again, are a necessary component in the process. They depict the stage as accurately as possible knowing that Defense Department and congressional reviews are to come. These entities hold some say over what will happen.

Yes, revel in news moments that secure less doubt about the ultimate home of Cyber Command (read Air Force Times article). We all await the "official" words that seal the "deal" on a new cyber-based future. Washington D.C events on the 60th anniversary of the Air Force Sept. 18 may bring more news.

It does seem time to buy bottles of champagne and to put them on ice. But don’t pop the cork too soon. And don't count your chickens before they've hatched.

Photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Cecilio M. Ricardo Jr.
Tech. Sgt. John Webb and Staff Sgt. Clinton Tips update anti-virus software for Air Force units to assist in the prevention of cyberspace hackers July 12 at Barksdale Air Force Base, La. The Air Force is setting up the Air Force Cyber Command soon and these Airmen will be the operators on the ground floor.

Air Force Cyber Command online for future operations

Cyber Command Incubates at Barksdale

The crowd at the local U.S. Air Force’s 60th birthday party Wednesday – celebrated five days early at Horseshoe Casino’s Riverdome – was buzzing after Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne (at right) mentioned Barksdale Air Force Base would house the “provisional” and interim Cyber Command (audio).

Air Force brass explained that the words “interim” and “provisional” are necessary because the Defense Department has yet to review many details before all the pieces can be put in place. From doing requisite things akin to soil samples to reviewing the full investment of personnel, the “interim” designation sets the command to materialize at Barksdale.

People leaving the party, including businessman Tem McElroy and Bossier Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lisa Johnson, all were talking about how excited they were to hear the surprise announcement from Secretary Wynne. While the word “interim” might have taken an edge off, it was U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu who gave it back.

It seems Landrieu knew something was up as the mention of the designation came together.

"It took a combination of extraordinary coordination and effort on the part of many local officials and the congressional delegation," she told Times reporter Margaret Martin. Landrieu praised Lt. Gen. Robert J. Elder’s vision and shared, "All the stars were aligned."

The civilian and military audience rejoiced in the afterglow of the surprise announcement about the command taking shape here (photo gallery). "Provisional" home designation is the nod we needed.

Gen. Elder clearly was a hero for many Wednesday night, heralded for his leadership in putting Barksdale in the catbird seat for this military mission. When all is said and done, Cyber Command's birthplace is tasked with being the incubator for the formative years.

Our community has plans to build on that dream.

New Business Reporter Starting

Please join us in welcoming Tarah Holland to The Times and shreveporttimes.com as our business and general assignment reporter. She takes reporter Velda Hunter's previous assignment. Hunter shifted to the Shreveport City Hall beat in late July.
Education: B.S. in journalism and mass communication from North Carolina A&T in 2004.
Previous assignments: News & Record (Greensboro, N.C.) sports and general assignment reporter and The Roanoke Times government reporter (Virginia).
Local connection: Brother stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base.

Take Time To Remember 9/11

Images of 9/11 flashed through my mind at the same Ellerbe Road intersection I was at 6 years ago. Reports of the 9/11 terrorist attacks were ringing through the radio the same way memories of that day were today.

As the enormity of the news registered in 2001, I was talking with former Times editor Judy Christie. She was scheduled for a morning flight. I vaguely remember saying, "You aren't going to Washington D.C. today."

Shreveporttimes.com went into overdrive as we confirmed President Bush would address the nation from Barksdale Air Force Base (photo right) . 6 years ago...

Take time to remember:

• Remembrances around the nation.
• A photographer reflects.
• An archive to review.
  September 11, 2001 photo: President George W. Bush walks with Lt. Gen Tom Keck, Commander of the 8th Air Force, at Barksdale AFB . Bush later departed Barksdale AFB for an undisclosed location after making a statement on the recent terrorist acts. Photo by Win McNamee/REUTERS

B-52’s Bark Warns Real Bite

It is hard to escape the reach of Barksdale Air Force Base forces. The re-creation of a 70-year-old mission flying 1950s era airplanes (three B-52s) equipped with new technology demonstrates how old dogs with a big bark can still bite. Fancy flying of the behemoths over 4,000 miles detailed by Times Military reporter John Andrew Prime underscores, “Threaten us and you will pay the price, for we can find you even in the vast emptiness of the ocean and destroy you.” The B-52 continues flying past predictions of its retirement. “The airplane is a bundle of contradictions,” he writes. Multimedia: Audio; Video; Photo galleries (1 and 2); And B-52 links (1, 2 and 3).

Rotary Club of Shreveport speaker
Colonel Michael R. Shoults, director of staff of Air Combat Command’s 8th Air Force, offered an overview of Cyber Command at today’s lunch: What it is, what it means and how partnerships with the community might work. He explained how the re-created mission – mentioned above –helps demonstrate cyber ops already undertaken by the 8th Air Force. He relayed a sense of hope that the major command might land here, and explained how that looming decision probably won’t impact the already-engaged cyber ops work at the base.

The Barksdale Warrior is ready and engaged

When the final edition of the Barksdale Air Force Base publication, The Bombardier, closes shop on Sept 28, a new military publication takes off.

With the same spirit The Times put forth in the campaign to bring Barksdale here in the 1930s, The Barksdale Warrior (prototype front to the right) debuts Oct. 5. The transition from one weekly to the next will sync with the existing newspaper and mirror distribution to base homes and stands: 10,000 copies. The Times stands ready to continue serving our military community with this new weekly edition.

Stephanie Bemrose, presently a reporter for The Bombardier, will lead the new publication for The Times. Her familiarity and experience with Barksdale and the military offer readers a great deal. We will keep many of The Bombardier features while adding more to coverage of deployments, readiness, military families, activities, benefits and retiree issues. You will continue to find content produced by military personnel inside.

This change will also include content from new military news sources and other bases when needed. Times Military Reporter John Andrew Prime will contribute, as will retirees committed to sharing news. Colonel Steve dePyssler, USAF Retired-1978, will write a column and share notes on events.

History note: The Times was a key player in bringing Barksdale Air Force Base to the community. Our editor and publisher at the time, former U.S. Army Capt. John D. Ewing, led a campaign to get the base here. Read Images of America: Barksdale Air Force Base by Shawn M. Bohannon, John Andrew Prime (Times reporter) and H.D. “Buck” Rigg.