B.J. Shwedo is the President of the Pentagon Federal (PenFed) Credit Union Foundation for Military Heroes. The Foundation champions our military through investment, advocacy and outreach by supporting service members, veterans, and their families as they transition to civilian life, empowering them to realize their potential through financial assistance, education, mentorship and access to capital. He is also PenFed’s Senior Vice President for Special Programs working issues associated with cyber, insider threat, fraud and risk analysis. In addition, he is also a Senior Advisor and the Risner Senior Scholar at the Institute for Future Conflict (United States Air Force Academy) providing cutting-edge assessments to cadets, faculty, active-duty military members and senior leaders across the U.S. Government, Allied Partners, Industry and Academia. Prior to his arrival to PenFed, he was an active-duty Lieutenant General on the Joint Chiefs of Staff as the Director for Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Cyber/Chief Information Officer (CIO).
General Shwedo was also the Chief Information Officer for the United States Air Force supporting 77,000 personnel and cyber operations across the globe with a portfolio valued at $17 billion. Earlier in his career, General Shwedo was also responsible for standing up and commanding the first operational cyber warfare units (cyber organizations focused on attack, defend and operating “the net,” delivering worldwide effects) for the United States Air Force.
He 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 providing worldwide Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR) and Cyber operations. He also led an Intelligence Team to Operation Desert Shield/Storm. His last command was 25th Air Force at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, where he led 30,000 personnel in worldwide operations, delivering multi-source ISR and Cyber products, applications, capabilities and resources.
Lt. General Shwedo has served in staff positions within the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, U.S. Cyber Command, Executive Assistant to the Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and he was also the National Security Agency’s (NSA) service cryptologic commander for the US Air Force. In addition to the CIA and NSA, Lt. General Shwedo has had numerous assignments within the larger intelligence community.
B.J. Shwedo is a 1987 graduate from the United States Air Force Academy and he has four Masters Degrees focused on National Security and Intelligence.