The U.S. Air Force has reinstated the intelligence mission of the 102nd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group (ISRG) following a suspension due to the unauthorized disclosure of classified information by Airman 1st Class Jack Teixeira. The unit will resume its operations in support of Distributed Ground Station-Massachusetts on June 1, 2024, as confirmed by Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek.
The 102nd ISRG’s mission was halted after Teixeira leaked sensitive documents, including details about the war in Ukraine, on the Discord platform in 2023. Teixeira, who has agreed to plead guilty, faces up to 16 years in prison. An investigation revealed that his unit and its supervisors were negligent in their duties, resulting in significant disciplinary actions.
The Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall ordered the suspension of the 102nd ISRG’s operations and initiated an inspection to assess the unit’s adherence to classified document safeguards. This resulted in the dismissal of the unit’s commander, Col. Sean Riley, and disciplinary actions against 15 other members of the National Guard.
The recertification process involved an extensive review by the Air Combat Command Inspector General. The evaluation addressed previously identified deficiencies and implemented a new organizational structure to improve oversight. The Massachusetts National Guard expressed its commitment to preventing future breaches, highlighting the lessons learned from the incident.
The Pentagon has since emphasized stricter enforcement of the “need to know” principle and enhanced monitoring of personnel handling classified information. This comes after the investigation revealed that some airmen accessed information without proper authorization, ignoring prohibitions on viewing unnecessary classified data.
The Air Force has permanently removed prior commanders involved in the investigation and has taken steps to ensure robust security measures are in place. The Massachusetts National Guard has stated its readiness to contribute to identifying and rectifying any flaws in Air Force processes that might compromise the handling of classified information.
Jack Teixeira, an IT maintainer in the 102nd Intelligence Wing, had access to the Pentagon’s Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System. He faces additional charges in the military justice system and is awaiting a recommendation on whether he should be court-martialed.
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