JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. -- The 363d Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing hosted U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Kevin Kennedy, Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber) commander and U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Kenneth Bruce, Command Chief Master Sergeant, Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber), for a Wing visit on Oct. 13, 2022 at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
During their visit, 16th Air Force leadership received updates on the State of the Wing and the way ahead of each group within the Wing.
Kennedy, who previously served as the director of operations, U.S. Cyber Command, took command of 16th Air Force during a change of command ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas on July 21, 2022, is currently making his first trips to the wings in the Numbered Air Force.
The immersion tour kicked off with a breakfast attended by select-Airmen across the Wing. The breakfast was followed up by a briefing highlighting the Wing’s newly created Memorial Wall. The Memorial Wall honors 363 ISRW heroes who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.
Later in the tour, Kennedy and Bruce then had the opportunity to tour and received a flight on a Beechcraft King Air 350 that the 361 ISRG utilizes for training.
“361st ISR Group Airmen perform missions that are rarely witnessed by the public,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Zachary Cooper, 363 ISRW Special Operations Forces (SOF) Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) Programs superintendent and 361 ISRG advocate. “It is important to have the commander and command chief get a first-hand look at what our Airmen are accomplishing for the Air Force mission.”
The 363 ISRG wrapped up the briefings with discussions about normalization and holistic targeting. Following the briefings, the 36th Intelligence Squadron provided 3D monitor demonstrations/awareness and dynamic targeting demos for the leadership.
The visit finished with an All Call at the base theater where Kennedy shared his priorities for the wings and Total Force Airmen.
“Readiness. Resilience. Results,” said Kennedy. “This is what we are focusing on.”
During the command chief’s portion of the All Call, Bruce challenged Airmen to be purposeful.
“Don’t just be busy, be productive,” he said. “It’s cool to read all the great activities – but what are the end results.”
While fielding audience questions, Kennedy emphasized skills that he looks for in successful Airmen, which he listed as critical thinking, problem solving and self-discipline.
“The ability to think critically on a challenge that is presented to you or your team; problem solving from varied perspectives; and having the discipline to make sure that your readiness and resilience is where it needs to be, not just for you, but for your team as well, is what I look for in an Airman,” Kennedy said. “It’s also what I strive to do as an Airman myself.”
The 363d Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, conducts lethal, resilient, and ready operations in four core mission areas: analysis for air, space, and cyber operations; full-spectrum targeting; special operations ISR; and ISR testing, tactics development, and advanced training.
The Wing provides operations planning and execution support to MAJCOMs, C-NAFs and theater Air Operations Centers. Additionally, the 363 ISRW provides tailored geospatial and comprehensive threat analysis products to U.S. Air Force units employing airpower worldwide.
“This week we had a great visit with the 363 ISRW,” said Kennedy. “In a world that has become increasingly complex since I graduated from the Academy in 1990, you clearly showed what a capable force we have become to keep pace with rapid change. Thank you for the hard work you do and thank you to your friends and families who enable your service.”
Kennedy joined 16th Air Force from Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, He is a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate with more than 3,400 flying hours. His staff experience includes service on the U.S. Air Force Headquarters staff, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, United States Cyber Command and the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
As the 16th Air Force commander, Kennedy is responsible for 48,000 Total Force Airmen across the IW enterprise. 16th Air Force operates globally across nine total force wings, one center, 63 groups, 297 squadrons, 128 worldwide operating locations, and 49,000 dedicated professionals providing capabilities to generate insights on our adversaries.