LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Cyber Shield is an annual exercise that brings together U.S. military personnel, government agencies, and international partners to strengthen cyber defense capabilities through realistic training. As Cyber Shield 2026 continues, North Carolina National Guard Soldiers play a key role in planning, supporting, and executing the Department of Defense's largest unclassified cyber defense exercise.
Each year, the North Carolina National Guard plays a critical role in Cyber Shield by providing participants, instructors, team leads and support staff who help plan and execute the exercise. As one of the exercise's leading contributors, North Carolina continues to shape the training while developing the next generation of cyber professionals.
For N.C. Guardsman 2nd Lt. Hunter Kinney, assigned to Joint Force Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, participating in Cyber Shield is both an opportunity to contribute to the exercise and prepare for future leadership responsibilities. Serving as the assistant deputy team lead, Kinney supports the Blue Team by helping ensure legal and compliance standards are met, coordinating mission requirements, and preparing to assume the team lead position during next year's exercise.
"My job is to assist the Blue Team lead in making sure that we're following legal and compliance standards while making sure that we're catching the threat actors whenever they appear," Kinney said. "I'm also here to train, to then assume the team lead for next year."
Although Kinney initially attended Cyber Shield as part of his annual training requirement, he said the experience quickly became something he looked forward to each year because of the realistic environment and professional development opportunities it provided.
"It's probably the best experience you can have without actually being in the real-world environment," Kinney said. “But ever since then, I've kind of jumped at the opportunity and volunteered for it.”
Beyond developing individual technical skills, Kinney said one of the exercise's greatest strengths is its emphasis on mentorship. Returning participants share their knowledge with first-time attendees, helping build stronger teams and preparing Soldiers to respond effectively to future cyber incidents.
"We get both new and returning members," Kinney said. "The returning members mentor the new members, and the new members learn from the exercise to then become returning members."
North Carolina's role extends well beyond individual teams. According to Kinney, Soldiers from across the state contribute to nearly every aspect of the exercise, from planning and logistics to operational support, while continuing to learn from the expertise of partner organizations.
"North Carolina has a huge part in everything whether it's the range team, the Red Team, the Blue Team, any aspect of Cyber Shield, North Carolina is there,” Kinny said “We bring a lot to the table, but we also take a lot from other teams and make sure that we're improving what we have."
As Cyber Shield 2026 continues, North Carolina National Guard Soldiers remain committed to strengthening the partnerships, knowledge and readiness needed to defend against evolving cyber threats while preparing the next generation of cyber leaders.