There must have been a very long ribbon for the ribbon cutting ceremony in order to accommodate the opening of the huge new 164,000-square-foot facility on Scott Air Force Base in Illinois. The building will house the Defense Information Systems Agency’s (DISA) Global Operations Command, also known as DISA Global. The $100 million facility, which was completed on time and under budget, will centrally house approximately 950 military personnel as well as civilian and contract employees.
DISA Global Commander Army COL Paul Craft hosted the outdoor ceremony, and he said, “This event offers an opportunity to show our sincere gratitude to everyone who helped us to get here today.” In addition to DISA Global’s current and former staff, distinguished guests in attendance included Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner and Sen. Dick Durbin.
DISA Director Army LTG Alan Lynn stated, “Today’s ribbon-cutting marks the beginning of a new chapter for the DISA Global Operations Command. This state-of-the-art facility is a reflection of our commitment to our employees, our mission, and the cyber defense of our nation.”
The 31,000-square-foot cyber operations center, designed to run 24/7 cyber operations, seats more than 330 employees per shift, making it the largest of its kind in the Department of Defense. In addition to its conference and meeting space, the complex houses a fitness center and café.
Governor Rauner commented, “This is about [more than] defending democracy and defending the principles of America, but it is also about creating more opportunity for the people of America—jobs, technology, innovation, a dynamic local economy. That’s what this facility does. It protects America and creates opportunity for all Americans. It shows what can be done when people at all levels of government—federal government, state government, [and] local government—come together, to work together, to make our nation, our state, our community here in the metro-east a better place.”
Senator Durbin commented on the importance of DISA Global’s mission to provide cyber protection support and emergency response coordination to the warfighters and our nation.
Durbin stated, “There is a new war underway; it’s a cyber-war that goes on every second of every day, [and it has proven to be] just as threatening to American’s security [as more traditional forms of war].”
