Readers will recall I lambasted the new Air Force Cyberspace Command for publishing a classified publicity photo. A few others have since blogged on this snafu.

Now — more than a year after the photo made its debut on USAF’s website — I received an email telling me it’s the focus of a contest at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan. The person who identifies the most boo-boos in the photo will earn a gift certificate for two large pizzas at the local food joint.

Don’t worry: my source knows to avoid plagiarism in his entry. He even offered to share the pizzas with me if he wins. Hmmm, where did I put my passport?

I surmise this contest is the brainchild of either Kadena’s Intel­li­gence Branch or (more likely) the base Com­mu­ni­ca­tions Squadron. Good for them! Airmen can learn things the easy way by studying others who learned the hard way. Let’s hope Kadena hangs the winning entry next to this motivational poster.

“A contest, Rob? It seems a bit cruel to the people in the photo.” I agree. And a mother cheetah is equally cruel when she brings live prey to her cubs so they can learn to hunt. If USAF wants to hunt the enemy in cyberspace, then a pizza contest is a small price to pay for the skills they’ll need.

I don’t know how you can enter the contest, but I do hope we get to read the winning entry. Stay tuned…