Photo By Staff Sgt. Laura Virtue | Maryland Air National Guard 1st Lt. Parker Herman, a cyberspace operations officer...... read more read more
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MIDDLE RIVER, Maryland - The 175th Cyberspace Operations Group opened its annual Capture the Flag (CTF) competition to the entire wing for the first time, December 5, 2025, at Martin State Air National Guard Base, Maryland.
The event, hosted by the 275th Operations Support Squadron, offered service members a hands-on, gamified opportunity to both explore and strengthen offensive and defensive cybersecurity skills as the wing transitions to an expanded cyber mission.
“This event is unique because while it’s a great opportunity to demonstrate the great cyber talent we have within our wing, it’s also an opportunity that gives others a front-row look at the skills our cyber operators use every day,” said Maryland Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Alexia de Souza, an all-source intelligence analyst assigned to the 275th Operations Support Squadron and a lead organizer for the event. “As we transition to a cyber-focused mission, we wanted this event to focus on unity and collaboration, and prove that we succeed when we grow together.”
More than 75 participants from the 175th COG at Martin State Airport and Fort Meade, and the Maryland Army National Guard Cyber Protection Team 169 comprised 12 competing teams tasked with locating “flags” - strings of code, phrases or passwords hidden within virtual files, web applications or documents - across a simulated network environment. Each captured flag provided clues leading competitors to the next challenge.
Teams earned points by exploiting vulnerabilities, analyzing systems, and solving puzzles of increasing difficulty, from apprentice to master level challenges. Open to both experts and beginners, participants were paired to collaborate, problem-solve, and learn from one another as they worked through the challenges.
The competition utilized the “Hack the Box” platform to include challenges across multiple information security categories, such as network exploitation, digital forensics, and secure coding. These tasks tested participants’ ability to identify weaknesses, defend systems, and navigate complex cyber scenarios mirroring real-world operations.
Though the 275th Operations Support Squadron has hosted an annual CTF event for the past nine years, this year was the first time that the competition was open to all Airmen across the 175th Wing.
Maryland Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Brian Bedford, a nondestructive inspection specialist assigned to the 175th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron who aspires to cross-train into the cyber intelligence analyst career field, credits the CTF event with giving him a new appreciation for how cyber operates.
“Since joining the Maryland Air National Guard, I have worked in the maintenance world, so seeing their work firsthand gave me a much clearer picture of how cyber operates,” said Bedford. “I was able to shadow different individuals throughout the day, and the whole experience helped turn something that felt intimidating at first into something exciting to learn.”
De Souza emphasized that while the CTF provided training for both new and seasoned cyber operators, it also served as an opportunity for Airmen to spectate and learn more about the nature of cyber operations. The broadened participation aligns with the wing’s transition to a cyber-focused mission set.
“This was a great opportunity for wing members who have an interest in cross-training into cyber to shadow the registered teams, get some one-on-one mentoring, and help demystify what working in cyber is like,” said de Souza. “No matter your AFSC or background, every Airman has a role in our future.”
| Date Taken: | 12.05.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.06.2025 16:07 |
| Story ID: | 553254 |
| Location: | MIDDLE RIVER, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 16 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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