554th Electronic Systems Wing becomes directorate Published July 1, 2010 By Jason Bishop 754th Electronics Group MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- While they will continue their current mission, the men and women of the 554th Electronic Systems Wing were reorganized Tuesday under a new name. The 554th ELSW is now a directorate called the Program Executive Office Enterprise Information Systems and will continue to have components at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, Ala., Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, Hanscom AFB, Mass., and Randolph AFB, Texas. Although the wing has gone away, the mission has not, and a stand down and stand up ceremony was held Tuesday. According to a servicewide memo sent out by Air Force Secretary Michael Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Norton Schwartz, the change is part of a reorganization taking place in the Air Force Materiel Command, which will convert the command structure from wings, groups and squadrons to directorates, divisions and branches. The move supports the Air Force's Acquisition Improvement Plan, and the goal is to establish clear lines of authority and accountability. The memo goes on to say that along with changing wings to directorates, the Air Force is also creating several program executive officer positions that provide a greater number of experienced senior leaders to oversee the execution of major Air Force acquisition programs. That will also address the span-of-control concerns associated with all Air Force weapons systems programs. Coming to lead the new PEO EIS at Gunter will be Brig. Gen. Craig Olson, who has extensive operational, flight test and acquisition experience. His acquisition tours include the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, Joint Program Office, the Air Staff Special Programs Directorate and the Navy-led V-22 Joint Program Office. Col. James Dendis, PEO EIS's acting deputy director, said most of the major programs formerly managed by the 554th ELSW will continue under PEO EIS. The new directorate will continue to support the Air Force through efforts such as the Defense Enterprise Accounting Management System, Global Combat Support System - Air Force; Network Centric Solutions, the Air Force's Information Technology Commodity Council, AFWay (the Air Force web-based system for IT purchasing) and the Capabilities Integration Environment. "We are, and always have been, committed to acquiring, delivering and sustaining secure, integrated and effective IT capabilities enabling combat mission support," Colonel Dendis said. "In today's information age, the Air Force and DOD depend on crucial hardware, software, products and services to fly, fight and win, and that's what we'll continue to deliver and sustain." Colonel Dendis said the new directorate will also feature a detachment headed by a lieutenant colonel. The detachment's responsibility will be to manage all the administrative functions within PEO EIS and will report directly to the Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom.