8 AF ANG unit dedicates Intelligence Center Published Sept. 11, 2006 MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. -- A Kansas Air National Guard unit subordinate to 8th Air Force opened "America's Newest Intelligence Center" Aug. 16 - the largest intelligence processing center in the Guard. Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting, Senator Pat Roberts, Senator Sam Brownback, Representative Todd Tiahrt and top Air National Guard and Air Force personnel came here to participate in the ribbon cutting and dedication of the Distributed Ground System (DGS) intelligence facility. The state-of-the-art DGS intelligence facility is part of the Air Force's larger network-centric Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) of ground stations, distributed sites, collaborative work centers, and remote sites that produce strategic, operational, and tactical intelligence supporting combat operations. The DGS's permanent home will be with the Kansas Air National Guard's 161st Intelligence Squadron (IS). The 161st IS is a part of the 184th Refueling Wing there and subordinate to the 480th Intelligence Wing at Langley AFB, Va. It has been performing the DGS mission at other locations worldwide since 2003. With the addition of this full-spectrum high-tech intelligence center, those same Guardsmen will now be able to serve in their local area while still supporting the "Total Force" in the fight on terror globally. "This is a tremendous example of our Total Force at work," said Col. Howard Thompson, 8th Air Force mobilization assistant. "Consider that a Predator flown by an Air Force Reservist in Nevada, supporting a deployed Joint Force of active duty, Guard, and Reserve personnel in Iraq or Afghanistan, links to a DGS manned by Guardsmen in Kansas, in turn supporting a 480th IW and 8th AF mission. As our Secretary and Chief have said, there is no 'Future Total Force...we are a Total Force now,' and this is but one way it is engaged in fighting and winning the War on Terror." "This intelligence center and the Kansas Guardsmen that will work in it are absolutely critical to America's ability to win the war on terror," 184th Wing Commander Col. Randy Roebuck said. The DGS mission provides intelligence processing, exploitation and dissemination designed to supply actionable intelligence in near-real-time. "In a dangerous and chaotic world, it's comforting to know we have the best people with the best equipment in the best facility working day and night to protect America and our troops," Roebuck said. "No other unit in the nation has proven itself more adaptive to change and more capable of quickly developing high-level capabilities important to America's defense," said General Bunting. "This ribbon cutting is a testament to the hard work, skill and tenacity of the members of the 184th." "This is more good news for Kansas and we should all be proud of the Kansas Air Guard's ability to step up and meet the challenge to serve yet once again," said Governor Sebelius. The new facility is the first of its kind to be specifically designed for the most modern DGS intelligence equipment available. Having the most advanced equipment near their home will allow the 161st IS members to perform their critical mission more efficiently and effectively than ever before.