South Carolina National Guard attends Cyber Boot Camp at The Citadel

Courtesy Photo | Twenty-Eight U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers with the South Carolina National Guard, from units assigned throughout the state, participated in The Citadel Department of Defense Cyber Institute inaugural National Guard Cyber Boot Camp, June 7-18, 2021 at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. For two weeks, the Soldiers pursued training in Security+ and Penetration testing. The students learned basic to intermediate security concepts and how to conduct PenTest+ testing to enhance a company’s cybersecurity program. (Courtesy photo)  

CHARLESTON, SC, UNITED STATES

06.18.2021

Courtesy Story

South Carolina National Guard

CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Citadel Department of Defense (DoD) Cyber Institute (CDCI) launched its inaugural National Guard Cyber Boot Camp, June 7-18, 2021 at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. Twenty-Eight South Carolina National Guard Soldiers from units assigned throughout the state participated in the Cyber Leaders Development Program (CLDP).

For two weeks, Soldiers pursued training in Security+ (Sec+) and Penetration testing (PenTest+). The students learned basic to intermediate security concepts and how to conduct PenTest+ testing to enhance a company’s cybersecurity program. At the end of the training, the Soldiers will have the opportunity to test for the CompTIA Sec+ or PenTest+ certification.

“There is a critical shortage of qualified cyber professionals within the Department of Defense, both military and civilian,” said Dr. Shankar Banik, CDCI Cyber and Computer Sciences professor and department head and director. “We are happy to support the cyber training of Soldiers of the South Carolina National Guard.”

This training is important because it demonstrates retention of basic cybersecurity information that can be applied to their military work roles and civilian jobs.

“It has been an exciting week with a lot of very good knowledge exchange and examples of real-world applications for topics we’re covering,” said Torry Crass, Sec+ instructor. Crass is an agency CISO for a state agency in North Carolina.

The Soldiers also made use of the Citadel’s new cyber lab with the NetLab+ framework and VMware vCloud Director allowing hands-on training to develop and enhance cyber-competency skills. The dedicated Cyber Lab with NetLab+ Framework will be used to train Citadel cadets in Network+, Security+, Certified Ethical Hacking (CEH), Forensics, Palo Alto Firewall, and VMware vSphere.

“For many of the student participants, this training is a career enhancing move - both in the military and on the civilian side - and shows mastery of knowledge in order to conduct safe and effective security of a company’s architecture,” said James Billingsley, PenTest+ instructor. “It is exciting to participate with students and I am looking forward to how they will use this knowledge.”

Billingsley is a security operations center analyst and digital forensic investigator for a power company.

“This training helps me to be more conscience of what’s out there. It gives me a knowledge of what to do and what not to do to avoid becoming a victim,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Andrew Butler. Butler works as a fraud investigator for Wells Fargo in his civilian capacity.

The Citadel and the nation’s other five senior military colleges (SMC) received approximately $1.5 million of federal money to establish a cybersecurity institute as pilot programs on their campus. The funds are part of a $10 million DoD appropriation to the National Security Agency for these institutes, included in the 2020 Consolidated Appropriations Act to help grow cybersecurity professionals in the workforce.

“The Citadel has always been a part of the South Carolina National Guard family. The opportunity to partner with them in training our Soldiers not only builds the cyber workforce capacity but really adds value to South Carolina as a whole. When you train a National Guard Soldier you are also training the civilian workforce and ultimately the community,” said U.S. Army Col. Linda Riedel, CDCI deputy director of operations and outreach.

The DoD’s 2018 Cyber report outlines three main priorities: sustain a cyber-ready workforce, enhance the nation's cyber talent, and establish a top talent management program. The Citadel is helping to achieve these goals.

The SMCs are federally appointed military colleges offering higher education combined with required military training in the form of Reserve Officers Training Corps programs, or ROTC. Unlike the Federal Services Academies such as the U.S. Air Force Academy, many graduates of SMCs go into military service, but it is not required. The Citadel is only one of two SMCs that continues to offer a full, 24/7 military structure for its on campus, undergraduate population. The Citadel along with the other five SMCs continues to expand cyber capability by addressing the critical national security need for a larger cybersecurity workforce.

• Date Taken: 06.18.2021
• Date Posted: 06.23.2021 11:19
• Story ID: 399517
• Location: CHARLESTON, SC, US