The Air National Guard intelligence unit involved in a significant classified documents leak by an airman last year has been recertified and will resume its mission on Saturday after months of investigations, improvements, and inspections, according to the Air Force.
The 102nd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group was suspended in mid-April 2023 following the arrest of a Massachusetts Air National Guard member for leaking highly classified military documents related to the war in Ukraine and other national security secrets.
Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, head of Air Combat Command, approved the recertification of the unit after a final review by an inspection team. A team from the 480th Intelligence Wing at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, observed the unit's operations for two weeks as the final step in the review process.
The ISR group is part of the 102nd Intelligence Wing based at Otis Air National Guard Base in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. As part of the recertification process, the Wing implemented a new organizational structure to enhance oversight of the group's operations, made necessary changes in security procedures, and addressed other issues identified in an investigation by the Air Force inspector general.
An investigation into the leaks revealed security failures, including the ability of a single airman to remove documents undetected, lack of security procedures to prevent such incidents, and documents remaining online for an extended period without detection. The military has strict rules for handling top-secret information.
The inspector general's report, released in December, highlighted various security lapses and determined that multiple officials failed to act on the airman's suspicious behavior intentionally. The Air Force took disciplinary action against 15 personnel, ranging from removal from command posts to other non-judicial measures.
The airman, who worked as a cyber transport systems specialist, pleaded guilty to six counts of willful retention and transmission of national defense information under the Espionage Act. He admitted to illegally collecting sensitive information and sharing it on Discord, a popular social media platform.
As part of the plea deal, the airman faces a minimum of 11 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for September in Boston.
