WEST POINT, N.Y. – 1st Lt. Angeline Tritschler, 11th Cyber Battalion, and 1st Lt. Andrew Constable, 781st Military Intelligence Battalion (Cyber), 780th MI Brigade (Cyber), both USMA Class of 2021, were selected to represent the Cyber Branch at the U.S. Military Academy Branch Week, August 25 to 29.
Branch Week is a valuable experience that forms the foundations of many cadets’ impressions of the Army’s branches. Cadets get the chance to interface with the equipment, personnel, and mission of each of the Army branches, as well as some functional areas and special operations units. This is also one of the last chances for first-class cadets or “Firsties” to speak with branch representatives before submitting their final branching preferences.
“When I was a cadet at West Point, I knew very little about the Cyber Branch. This is a large part of why I wanted to go represent the Cyber branch at USMA’s branch week,” said Constable. “The Cyber mission is so relevant and rewarding, and it’s only growing. While I loved speaking to cadets who had Cyber placed as their top branch choice, my favorite conversations were with cadets who had never even considered the Cyber Branch. Whether they end up pursuing Cyber as a career or not, understanding how Cyber Soldiers support national defense priorities through and alongside FORSCOM units is relevant to leaders across the Army.”
Throughout the week, Cyber Branch NCOs, warrant officers and officers spoke with thousands of cadets about what the Cyber Branch had to offer. These Soldiers were the first Cyber Soldiers some cadets had ever met and the representatives were able to discuss the three different areas of concentration available to incoming Cyber Lieutenants: 17A Cyberwarfare Officers, 17B Electromagnetic Warfare Officers, or 17D Capabilities Development Officers. Cadets who lingered or came back to speak with the team a second or third time, heard about “a day in the life” of a Cyber lieutenant, and various units and respective missions supported by Cyber Soldiers.
“Additionally, while both Lieutenant Constable and I are the same MOS (17A) in an offensive unit, our battalions’ missions and purposes are vastly different,” said Tritschler. “This was helpful in showing cadets that even within the same MOS, there are many different paths your career can take, which for many helped broaden their perspective of Cyber. Many cadets were also surprised to learn that there is a Cyber battalion that executes in the tactical environment. If we continue to educate cadets early in their time at West Point about the many different types of Cyber careers, I think we will see a greater percentage of cadets interested in Cyber.”
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Date Taken: | 09.18.2024 |
Date Posted: | 09.18.2024 11:05 |
Story ID: | 481177 |
Location: | WEST POINT, NEW YORK, US |
Web Views: | 143 |
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This work, USMA Branch Week – West Point cadets...choose Cyber (or at least be informed), by Steven Stover, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.