224th COS expands capabilities of training mission

Photo By Ryan White | Airmen of the 224th Cyber Operations Squadron, Idaho Air National Guard, conduct cyber training. (courtesy of MSgt. Mark Wasfy, Idaho Air National Guard)  

BOISE, ID, UNITED STATES

12.01.2023

Story by Ryan White 

124th Fighter Wing

Boise is about a four-hour drive from Idaho Falls, which is a long commute for a drill weekend. However, it’s a commute many Idaho National Guard Airmen of the 224th Cyber Operations Squadron know well. The 224th COS has a number of members who live and work on the eastern side of the state, where specialized jobs in tech pay well.

Members of the 224th COS, an operational unit within the 124th Fighter Wing, Idaho Air National Guard, serve as cyber defenders, using the latest technology to protect vital military assets. Their jobs require constant training to prevent and overcome cyber threats.

Recently, the squadron set up a remote Virtual Private Network to allow its Airmen to log in remotely. The VPN helps Airmen enhance their skills to detect and overcome cyber attacks, just as if they were training in-person on Gowen Field. Remote training has been working so well with Airmen in Idaho Falls, the 224th COS has decided to expand the capability to other Air National Guard units working the same mission. Currently, ANG units from Washington state, Michigan, Rhode Island, and Vermont can use the new joint training environment, with plans of adding the Tennessee Air National Guard early next year. Lt. Col. Kyle Erickson, commander of the 224th COS, says the possibility to go beyond the ANG to include active-duty Air Force units is already being discussed.

Capt. Justin Hall is chief of training for the 224th COS. According to him, the ability to train remotely provides them with realistic team training scenarios which they can tackle from the office or home. When students ask for assistance, have difficulties with a command, or want to share output, instructors can connect remotely to their virtual machine to view their screens, assist with corrections, or see their product and provide instant feedback. “I can deliver academic content via Microsoft Teams, reinforced with instructor-led interaction,” said Hall. “Then skills are demonstrated and assessed through the remote training environment.” The entire cyber range environment is 100% controlled by the 224th COS.

“If I could say you can drill more at home, you can do some AT [Annual Training] periods from home; and, oh by the way, we can be a lot more flexible to your lifestyle, then folks are more likely to sign on with us and stay with us,” said Erickson.

Erickson believes the remote training capability is a recruiting and retention tool for the 224th COS in the long run. It allows cyber Airmen to work where it is more convenient for them. The unit is also no longer limited to recruiting members primarily from the Treasure Valley. Recruiting from other parts of Idaho, and even other states, is the bigger vision of this type of capability. Cyber is constantly evolving and there will always be need for fresh insights from a new generation of cyber defenders.

• Date Taken: 12.01.2023
• Date Posted: 12.01.2023 15:30
• Story ID: 458916
• Location: BOISE, ID, US