Energy CIO returning to Air Force

John Gilligan, chief information officer at the Energy Department, is returning

to his Air Force roots to fill the service's new principal deputy CIO position.

The Air Force is creating the new position — the principal deputy assistant

secretary for business and information management and deputy chief CIO — in part because Air Force CIO Lawrence Delaney and his deputy wear too many

hats to really focus on the CIO job.

Gilligan will be responsible for fulfilling the day-to-day CIO duties and

will control the Air Force's multibillion-dollar information technology

budget. The service's IT budget totals $3.7 billion in 2001, according to

Air Force figures.

The service will require CIOs in all major commands to report acquisitions

through Gilligan, who will advise the service leadership.

Gilligan already has Air Force experience, having been the program executive

officer for battle management; deputy chief of staff for command, control,

communications and computers; director of C4; and director of studies and

analysis, among other positions within the service.

Gilligan has been CIO at DOE since 1998 and has received numerous awards,

including the Joint Chiefs of Staff Distinguished Civilian Service Medal.

Gilligan served as head of DOE's CIO office during a particularly difficult

time for the department. In the past few months, the Los Alamos National

Laboratory, run by DOE, has been shaken by security lapses and the indictment

of civilian Wen Ho Lee in connection with security violations.

Gilligan also has worked to tighten security and rectify problems at the

nation's nuclear sites.

He served a critical role in making sure the nation's nuclear weapons plants

were Year 2000-compliant.