IP office safeguards Aviano’s information

  • Published
  • By Staff Reports
  • 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy --  A new directive issued earlier this year by Air Force leaders has equipped Aviano's Information Protection office with all the tools needed to help protect the Aviano Team's information, personnel and industrial security programs.

"The IP office has been designed to give installations a single focal point for industrial, information and personnel security matters," said Edward Coufal, 31st Fighter Wing IP officer. "This design also calls for the forming of a security advisor group where key experts are brought together to facilitate problem solving through an enterprise approach."

Regardless of rank, Mr. Coufal explained that everyone has Information Protection responsibilities.

"Anytime you work with sensitive information, from dealing with a classified contract that requires monitoring to processing a security clearance, you need to know how to control that information," Mr. Coufal said. "The placement of IP on the installation's Wing staff highlights another integral key in elevating security awareness."

One of the services the IP office offers to Airmen and their families is fingerprinting for new employment at Aviano, adoption paperwork, teacher certifications, volunteering, and security clearances. In addition, the IP office provides subject matter expert guidance to base security manager and assists geographically separated units in their industrial, information, and personnel security needs.

Dan McGarvey, the IP director, hopes Airmen and their families will understand the importance of IP.

"Our goal is not only to protect sensitive information, control unclassified information and classified information, but to ensure that the total force understands and can perform IP responsibilities" said Dan McGarvey, Information Protection director.

IP refers to the collective policies, processes and use of risk management and mitigation actions instituted to prevent the compromise, loss or unauthorized access of information over its life cycle, regardless of physical form or characteristics.

The Aviano IP office is located in Building 1413, room 229. For more information, call 632-4113.