Lt Gen (Ret.) B.J. Shwedo is the Senior Advisor of Strategic Communications at the Institute for Future Conflict at the U.S. Air Force Academy. The IFC provides cutting-edge assessments to cadets, active-duty military and Senior Leaders across the U.S. Government. Prior to his arrival to the Academy, he was an active-duty Lieutenant General on the Joint Chiefs of Staff as the Director for C4/Cyber.

General Shwedo has commanded at the detachment, squadron, group, wing and numbered air force levels. During these commands, his units were engaged in direct support to Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and the greater Global War on Terrorism. He was also responsible for standing up and commanding the first operational cyber warfare units (focused on attack, defend and operating “the net”). Earlier in his career, he also led an Intelligence Team to Desert Shield/Storm. His last command was 25th Air Force, where he led 30,000 personnel in worldwide operations, delivering multi-source ISR/Cyber products, capabilities and resources.

General Shwedo has served in staff positions within the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, US Cyber Command, Executive Assistant to the Deputy Director of the CIA and he was also the NSA’s service cryptologic commander for the Air Force.

Shwedo graduated from the Academy in 1987 with a Bachelor’s in Military History and he has Masters Degrees from the Joint Military Intelligence College(Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence), U.S. Air Force Air Command and Staff College (Master of Military Operational Art and Science), U.S. Air Force School for Advanced Airpower Studies (Master of Airpower Art and Science) and the United States Naval War College (Master of Arts National Security and Strategic Studies).

Joint Forces Staff College, Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Norfolk, Va. (2008)

Master of Arts National Security and Strategic Studies, United States Naval War College, Newport, R.I. (2004)

Master of Airpower Art and Science, School of Advanced Airpower Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala. (2000)

Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. (1999)

Master of Science of Strategic Intelligence, Joint Military Intelligence College, Washington, D.C. (1995)

Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. (1992)

Bachelor of Science, Military History, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. (1987)

Director for Command, Control, Communications, and Computers/Cyber, Chief Information Officer, Joint Staff, J6, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. (July 2018–present)

Chief of Information Dominance and Chief Information Officer, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. (June 2017–June 2018)

Commander, 25th Air Force, JB San Antonio-Lackland, Texas (August 2015–June 2017)

Director, Capability and Resource Integration (J8), U.S. Cyber Command, Fort George G. Meade, Md. (November 2013–July 2015)

Director of Intelligence, Headquarters Air Combat Command, JB Langley Eustis, Va. (November 2011–November 2013)

Director, Cyber Planning and Operations, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Policy, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. (August 2010–November 2011)

Commander, 67th Network Warfare Wing, Lackland AFB, Texas (July 2008–July 2010)

Commander, 67th Network Warfare Group, Lackland AFB, Texas (August 2006–July 2008)

Executive Assistant, Deputy Director–Central Intelligence Agency, Headquarters CIA, Langley, Va. (April 2005–August 2006)

Executive Assistant, Associate Director of Central Intelligence, Military Support, Headquarters CIA, Langley, Va. (July 2004–April 2005)

Student, U.S. Naval War College, Newport Naval Station, Newport, R.I. (August 2003–June 2004)

Commander, 566th Information Operations Squadron, Buckley AFB, Colo. (July 2002–July 2003)

Operations Officer, Joint Chiefs of Staff (J-39), Special Activities Division, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. (July 2000–July 2002)

Student, School of Advanced Airpower Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala. (July 1999–July 2000)

Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. (August 1998–July 1999)

Chief, Intelligence Systems, CADRE, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala. (March 1998–July 1998)

Commander, Detachment 2, 18th Intelligence Squadron, Osan AB, South Korea (January 1997–February 1998)

Chief, Offensive Information Warfare, USAF/XOI, Special Programs Division, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. (July 1995–January 1997)

Threat Support Manager, 497th Intelligence Group, Falls Church, Va. (May 1993–June 1995)

Student, Defense Intelligence College, Bolling AFB, Washington, D.C. (July 1992–May 1993)

Officer-in-Charge, Intelligence, 53rd Fighter Squadron, Bitburg Air Base, Germany, with deployed duties in support of Operation Desert Shield/Storm, Al Kharj AB, Saudi Arabia (December 1989–June 1992)

Student, Intelligence Training, 3486th Student Squadron, Goodfellow AFB, Texas (April 1989–December 1989)

Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, 82nd Flying Training Wing, Williams Air Force Base, Ariz. (June 1988–March 1989)

Assistant Football Coach, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. (June 1987–June 1988)

Summary of Joint Assignments

Director for Command, Control, Communications, and Computers/Cyber, Chief Information Officer, Joint Staff, J6, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a lieutenant general (July 2018)

Director, Capability and Resource Integration (J8), U.S. Cyber Command, Fort George G. Meade, Md., as a brigadier general and major general. (November 2013–July 2015)

Director, Cyber Planning and Operations, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Policy, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as colonel and brigadier general (August 2010–November 2011)

Executive Assistant, Deputy Director-Central Intelligence Agency, Headquarters CIA, Langley, Va., as a lieutenant colonel and colonel (April 2005–August 2006)

Executive Assistant, Associate Director of Central Intelligence, Military Support, Headquarters CIA, Langley, Va., as a lieutenant colonel (July 2004–April 2005)

Operations Officer, Joint Chiefs of Staff (J-39) Special Activities Division, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a major and lieutenant colonel (July 2000–July 2002)

Defense Distinguished Service Medal

Air Force Distinguished Service Medal

Defense Superior Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters

Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters

Defense Meritorious Service Medal

Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters

Air Force Commendation Medal

Air Force Achievement Medal

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award

Air Force Organizational Excellence Award

National Defense Service Medal

Southwest Asia Service Medal