ARLINGTON, Va. - A National Guard Bureau information technology specialist received the 2024 Department of Defense Chief Information Officer Award at the Pentagon Dec. 3. The award recognizes individual and team excellence in information technology and cybersecurity across the Department of Defense.
Shawn Achziger, with the NGB’s Command, Control, Communications, and Computers/Cyber Directorate, or J6, was honored for his contributions in migrating the obsolete Joint Information Exchange Environment system to an updated Common Operating Picture enterprise environment system. The COP, used primarily during emergency response operations, is a cloud-based tool that provides leaders with real-time information updates to help them make faster, better decisions.
Achziger is an outstanding branch member who continually seeks to improve cyber and computing processes used by the Guard throughout the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia, said U.S. Army Maj. Daniel Taylor, chief of the directorate’s Information Management Branch.
“His knowledge and drive for supporting NGB and the 54 is why he was submitted for the award,” he said. “He was pivotal in sunsetting the legacy Joint Information Exchange Environment and transitioning to the new National Guard’s Common Operating Picture.”
The COP improves situational awareness and coordination between the Guard and state and federal agencies during emergencies, said Taylor.
“Shawn has been a huge resource for our team and is dedicated to supporting the National Guard’s needs in shared situational awareness,” he said.
U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Paul Stanton, director, Defense Information Systems Agency, highlighted Achzinger’s work.
“This award reflects the incredible impact you have made by solving complex problems and creating solutions that matter to the mission,” Stanton said.
Achziger credited his team and leadership for his achievement.
“I’m honored to be selected for this prestigious award,” he said. “This role, by its very nature, is highly visible and very demanding. Any success I have achieved is because of the dedicated support from my team, my immediate supervisor, and the NGB J6 leadership.”