688 CW holds Director of Operations Summit

[San Antonio, Texas] –Wrapping up 2024, leaders from across 688th Cyberspace Wing convened for the annual Director of Operations Summit. The in-person event, held at the San Antonio Museum of Science and Technology History Center in San Antonio, Texas, brought together directors of operations from across the wing’s tactical units. The globally distributed presence of the wing can pose unique challenges, and the event addressed some of those by providing an opportunity for focused collaborative discussion and strategic planning; a critical step forward amidst ongoing changes throughout the U.S. ?Air Force.

“Getting us all in the same room, we can continue addressing both current and future issues,” said Maj. Laneishea Taylor, 83rd Network Operation Sqadron. “It’s a needed melding of the minds, seeing how each of us are challenging a problem.”

The summit was centered around several emerging objectives outlined by Col. Joshua Rockhill, commander of the 688th Cyberspace Wing. The topics ranged from organization structure to future operations of the Department of Air Force Information Network (DAFIN).

Directors delved into each goal, beginning to break down the complex challenges into actionable steps and identifying potential roadblocks. A key focus was ensuring that the initiatives would have a lasting impact on the organization's long-term trajectory.

"There are actions we were able to ascertain which will get us to where we need to be over the next few months," said Maj. Brady Lucas, 26 Network Operation Squadron. “I think one reason we will be able to do that is because we were here together… we are all on the same page and can help implement this vision.”

Nuanced discussions, updated mission briefs, collaborative brainstorming sessions, and a deeper understanding of the wing’s strategic direction kept the teams engaged over multiple days.

?“We’re not going to think of every possible solution, but this gives us some good options to begin moving forward with,” said Maj. George Peterson, 690th Cyberspace Control Squadron.

As the summit concluded, directors left with a clearer understanding of requirements, a list of proposed next steps for review, and a more shared vision for the future. The insights gained and the strategies developed during this gathering will undoubtedly shape the wing’s trajectory for years to come.

“We were able to build stronger bonds, so that when we have harder problems, we can solve them easier with these relationships we built,” said Peterson. “It drew us a little bit closer together.”