December 12, 2014
Kaiserslautern American
HAVE YOU READ YOUR KA TODAY?
December 12, 2014
Page 1
Volume 38, number 49
Chapter closes after 54-year journey Story and photo by Senior Airman Jonathan Stefanko 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs Finally reaching the end of his career, the exhausted medical officer cleared his office, starting with the photos he collected throughout the years. Each picture frame was carefully lifted off the once decorated wall. He held each frame firmly in his aging hand and ran a finger along its smooth edges, not to wipe the accumulation of dry, insignificant dust that had collected over the years, but to recall a 54-year journey that has engrained itself within the relic. The memories were of a young childhood filled with hope and death for the sake of becoming a football star, which, oblivious to John Mace all those years ago, would only be the start to a much greater future. “I have always loved sports,” said Mace, who worked as a special operations medical officer for the 86th Medical Group. “Even as a young boy I knew football was my passion, and I was willing to do anything to be a pro-star.” Growing up in a small town outside of Morganton, North Carolina, the young Mace John Mace, 86th Medical Group special operations medical officer, holds a handful of coins he has collected throughout his 54 years in the military Dec. 8 on Ramstein. Mace is scheduled to retire today after spending 25 years in active duty and 29 more in civil service.
See JOURNEY, Page 3
Tool to safeguard PII scheduled for AF-wide December rollout
According to German road traffic rules, motorists are not authorized to idle their engines during winter as a way to warm up the interior and avoid scraping ice. Idling causes noise and pollution. Disobeying this rule can result in a high fine.
Airmen plow through first snowfall, Page 8
Unfortunately, the attack does not stop there. Once an attacker has acquired enough information, he can simulate user accounts or even pass off communications on behalf of the service member, who is likely still unaware that his information has been compromised. Those false communications could be leveraged to gain digital access to Air Force systems, or even physical access to installations and personnel. Obviously, the See ROLLOUT, Page 2
LIFESTYLES
Tip of the Week
a status update to unit members on pending unit movements. Unknown to the sender, hackers have compromised email transport infrastructure between the sender’s desktop and one of the destination, “non .mil” desktops. Hackers intercepting this unencrypted email traffic can utilize the newly acquired personal information to form specifically targeted attacks, known as spear phishing, to acquire additional information such as account numbers or passwords.
FEATURES
it’s a total-force problem, and DSET is an effective tool the total force can use right now to help reduce inadvertent PII breaches.” Beyond potential identity theft, PII breaches can lead to significant compromises in operational security. For example, a well-meaning member working to meet an operational deadline sends an unencrypted email, containing PII on several unit members, to a “non .mil” email account. The sender could be attempting to get ahead on a project or be providing
FEATURES
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIOLACKLAND, Texas — The Digital Signature Enforcement Tool is scheduled for Air Force-wide integration Dec. 5, providing Microsoft Outlook email users with an interactive, automated virtual assistant to help ensure the security of personally identifiable information. “I can’t overstate the operational importance of preventing PII breaches,” said Maj. Gen. B. Edwin Wilson, commander of 24th Air Force and Air Forces Cyber. “It’s not an IT problem,
AF JTACs sharpen skills, Page 14
History of the Christmas tree, Page 17