DISA Joint Service Provider makes presence known at AFCEA TechNet Cyber

By Amy Agenbroad 
Joint Service Provider
May 31, 2022 

Pictured (left to right) Sajeel Ahmed, DISA Joint Service Provider vice director, Stephen Wallace, DISA’s chief technology officer, Raju Shah, Enterprise Engineering and Operation Governance director, Jason Martin, DISA’s component acquisition executive, and Matt Centner, Software Defined Networking – Network Configuration and Control Management system Replacement project manager lead talks during the Leveraging Automation panel at AFCEA TechNet Cyber in Baltimore, Maryland, April 27, 2022. (DOD photo by the Defense Information Systems Agency Office of Strategic Communication and Public Affairs)

Cyberattacks continue to increase worldwide, and as technology evolves and networks expand, these attacks happen more frequently with attempted assaults on political, economic and security assets.

Defending cyberspace is a top priority for the Defense Information Systems Agency as it remains committed to being the trusted provider to connect and protect the warfighter in cyberspace.

At the end of April, DISA Joint Service Provider representatives attended AFCEA TechNet Cyber 2022 hosted in Baltimore, Maryland.

The three-day event provided an opportunity for military, industry and academia to come together and devise new strategies and innovation to improve cybersecurity and unite in support of this year’s event theme, “Partnering to Win – Trust | Velocity | Agility.”

Marking a return to normalcy, this year’s event was held in person, bringing face-to-face interactions and collaboration to life. With a record-breaking number of shared vendors and personnel, the event reached over 4,700 people, more attendees than in previous years.

Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert J. Skinner, DISA director and Joint Force Headquarters-Department of Defense Information Network commander, kicked off the event and set the tone for exchange between the DOD, vendors, and DISA, with professional and engaging opening remarks communicating where DISA’s engagements and Lines of Effort are focused and where they are headed to support the DOD.

Navy Rear Adm. Brian Hurley, Joint Service Provider director, participated in the media roundtable and Meet the Seniors events.

Panels and discussions gave attendees the opportunity to collaborate and create an actionable path forward.

Not only did TechNet Cyber hold sessions and panel discussions on how to remain at the forefront in cyberspace, it provided a space where vendors could showcase their latest cyberspace efforts.

“It was impressive to see how the vendors coordinated with DISA to make sure the event was synergized to cyber tech and the way ahead,” said Hurley. “Part of DISA’s effort is Thunderdome, which is part of the DOD chief information officer’s zero trust effort. The vendors attending were aware of this effort and a lot of solution sets presented resonate down this zero trust path. DISA’s needs and desires for DOD were well known and presented.”

The event provided an opportunity for a more personal engagement and dialogue.

“We have already started engaging potential solutions for our customers to enable every mission, and it continues to happen as we think through different solutions,” added Hurley.

Joint Service Provider works each day to enable every mission to strengthen the security and resilience of the U.S. cyberspace.

Hurley noted, “technology is critical to getting the Pentagon Reservation IT to where we need it to be and to continue to improve enabling our customers and the leadership of the DOD to effectively support all forces around the world. We take that mission seriously as we work with industry and DISA to improve that environment for the good of the customers.”

Joint Service Provider is focused on the path forward to enable every mission and remains committed to enhancing network security in support of the DOD’s mission success.