Cyber Protection Brigade looks to retain its top talent through Training with Government program

Photo By Shatara Riis | The Army Cyber Protection Brigade recently selected Staff Sgt. Laura Machado, a Cyber Operations specialist (17C), as the “Hunter Brigade’s” first Training with Government program participant. Machado began working with the FBI in September 2022. After her 12-month stint there, she will return to the “Hunter Brigade.” (Photo Credit: Shatara Riis)  

FORT GORDON, GA, UNITED STATES

10.11.2022

Story by Shatara Riis 

U.S. Army Cyber Command

You may have heard of the Training with Industry program as a retention incentive?

Now, the Army Cyber Protection Brigade puts its own spin on it with a new Training with Government initiative as a draw to keep the talent the “Hunter Brigade” has cultivated on the team.

TWG gives CPB Soldiers an opportunity to embark on developmental assignments with other governmental agencies, then bring what they learned there back to the Army.

“In many ways, TWG is very similar to TWI. Soldiers work in partnered government facilities while still on active duty,” said Master Sgt. German Marrero II, CPB Senior Career counselor.

The training, skills and certifications they earn to function in their TWG assignment may be brought back and applied to Army missions and processes.

A Soldier selected for TWG works with a partner agency for a calendar year. During that time, the Soldier’s salary continues to be paid by the Army, while any work-related travel or training is funded solely by the partner organization, Marrero said.

Staff Sgt. Laura Machado was recently selected as the CPB’s first TWG participant and began working with the FBI in September 2022. After her 12-month stint there, she will return to the “Hunter Brigade.”

A native of California, Machado enlisted in the Army in 2013 as a Cryptologic Cyberspace Intelligence collector/analyst (35Q) and later reclassified as a Cyber Operations specialist (17C).

“While exploring my retention options, Master Sgt. Marrero presented the Training with Government program (to me). He said, I would be the first Soldier from the CPB to participate,” Machado said. “I have always had an interest in law enforcement and criminal justice; it seemed like a perfect opportunity to explore that interest.”

Machado said she looks forward to enhancing her cyber skills working with the FBI.

“I am very excited about this opportunity,” she said. “I hope to gain some experience with new and different analytical tools, gain insight into the law enforcement perspective of cyber analysis and defense, and develop relationships and connections with a variety of people in the cyber community.”

“Participation in TWG enables Soldiers to learn the ways different agencies battle their enemies in cyberspace,” Marrero said. “They can get a feel for different systems which can possibly affect change to how the Army operates.”

The goal of the program is to keep talented CPB Soldiers on the Army Cyber team. The minimum term a Soldier can reenlist covering a 12-month stabilization time is three years, Marrero said. That means the Army gets to keep TWG participants in the ranks an additional two years and capitalize on the skills learned in the program.

TWG was created by the CPB and is only available for Soldiers currently assigned to the unit.

• Date Taken: 10.11.2022
• Date Posted: 10.11.2022 13:29
• Story ID: 431077
• Location: FORT GORDON, GA, US