Cadet Cyber
Developing the next generation of cyberspace defense operators is an urgent national need. CAP cadets are rising to the challenge through self-study, classroom lessons and activities, competitions, and week-long career exploration academies.
Cyber Badge Program
To encourage cadet participation in CAP’s cyber education programs, cadets may earn the Cadet Cyber Badge which recognizes a cadet's dedication to cyber education. To learn more, download the pamphlet (PDF) and use the tracking log (XLSX) to keep track of the cadet's progress in the program.
Summer Cyber National Cadet Special Activity
As of 31 Dec 2019, the summer cyber NCSA is being redesigned for summer 2020, which will integrate cyber security certification standards into the career exploration courses and dovetail with the Cadet Program Cyber Module which is in production. At this time, the dates, locations and are in progress. We will open registration as soon as possible.
Please look for other national-level cyber activity offerings available now by entering “technology” in the “Category” filter on the NCSAS.com homepage. Please note that we will host AFA CyberPatriot Camps, but these will not be posted until early spring and will have local registration. Your region or wing may offer other cyber career familiarization activities, and so check local sites!
Air Force Association CyberCamps
The Air Force Association has CyberCamps through the summer for groups to introduce students to cyber security concepts and prepare them for their first CyberPatriot competition. They have a basic camp as well as an advanced camp. The basic camp is for students and cadets who have no previous cyber security or CyberPatriot experience while the advanced camp is for students who have some experience and want to learn additional concepts.
The camp is designed around a four hour day with lecture material and hands on lab learning Monday through Thursday. Friday is a mini CyberPatriot competition designed to reinforce the material that was learned during the week.
Individual camps would be required to secure computers, Internet connectivity, and facilities for their own camp. They also would be required to provide their own instructors who would use the provided material. The camp is a good way for new teams to get involved in CyberPatriot as well as for experienced teams to give new cadets and introduction to cyber security and CyberPatrot.
NHQ will be working with the Air Force Association to secure NHQ-sponsored AFA CyberCamps for CAP field use for summer 2020. If you or someone else within CAP would be interested in hosting a camp for your location, please send an email to Maj Bill Blatchley at wblatchley@cap.gov. More details will come later to those interested in this program. You can email Maj Blatchley if you have any questions that are not addressed herein.
More information on the AFA CyberCamp program can be found at: https://www.uscyberpatriot.org/afa-cybercamps/getting-started/afa-cybercamp-overview
CyberPatriot
CyberPatriot puts teams of high school and middle school students in the position of newly hired IT professionals tasked with managing the network of a small company. In the rounds of competition, teams are given a set of virtual images that represent operating systems and are tasked with finding cybersecurity vulnerabilities within the images and hardening the system while maintaining critical services in a six hour period. The top teams in the nation earn all-expenses paid trips to Baltimore, MD for the National Finals Competition where they can earn national recognition and scholarship money.
- Audience: Cadets, working in teams of 6
- Resources:
- CyberPatriot Playbook: An introduction into CyberPatriot operations from the perspective of Civil Air Patrol Cyber Programs.
- CyberPatriot Coaches Meetings: Recorded CyberPatriot Coaches Meetings led by Maj Bill Blatchley; contact wblatchley@cap.gov for more information.
Introduction to Cyber Security - Activity Guide
The Introduction to Cyber Security activity guide introduces cadets to the cyber domain. Topics include codes, ciphers, and encryption; basic defense skills; basic probing skills; cyber organization profiles; cyber domain history; and more. The activity guide may be implemented as a squadron activity or a self-study activity for individual cadets.
- Audience: Cadet class or individual cadets of any grade
- Format: Classroom lectures, activities, readings, and quizzes
- Resource: PDF activity guide
Encampment Module: Introduction to the Cyber Domain
The encampment program's aerospace education block has five main components which includes the Introduction to Cyber Domain (PDF) 60-minute instructional block.
Aerospace Dimensions Cyber Lesson
In development currently, the new Aerospace Dimensions cyber module will be added the requirements for all cadet airmen and cadet non-commissioned officers to complete before they may earn the Billy Mitchell Award. The Cyber Lesson (a.k.a Module 7) will be added to the existing Aerospace Dimension modules, thus removing the "no requirement" for Aerospace as noted currently for Achievement 8.
Visit us on Facebook.
Cyber Programs Staff
Contact specific Cyber Programs staff via their email addresses below or reach out to cyber-programs@cap.gov.
| Name | Volunteer Position | Supervisor |
|---|---|---|
| Lt Col William Sydow wsydow@cap.gov |
Coordinator, CAP Cyber Programs | Mr. Curt Lafond |
| Lt Col Paul Creed III pcreed@cap.gov |
Deputy Coordinator for Operations | Lt Col William Sydow |
| Lt Col Bryan Pettigrew bpettigrew@cap.gov |
Deputy Coordinator for Mission Support | Lt Col William Sydow |
| Maj William Blatchley wblatchley@cap.gov |
Deputy Coordinator for Training | Lt Col William Sydow |
| Maj Michael Dunn mdunn@cap.gov |
Cyber Curriculum Specialist | Maj Bill Blatchley |
| Maj George Davis george.davis@scwgcap.org |
Cadet Cyber Events Coordinator | Lt Col Paul Creed III |
| Lt Col Joseph Zachariah jzachariah@cap.gov |
Special Projects/Liaison with 33rd NWS | Lt Col William Sydow |
| Lt Col CJ Muncy cj.muncy@vawg.cap.gov |
Special Projects | Lt Col Bryan Pettigrew |
| Maj Jacob Bixler jacob.bixler@vawg.cap.gov |
PA Liaison | Lt Col Bryan Pettigrew |
| Lt Col Jeff Morris jmorris@ncr.cap.gov |
NCR Cyber Officer | Lt Col William Sydow |
| Maj Derek Rustvold drustvold@cap.gov |
MAR Cyber Officer | Lt Col William Sydow |
| Maj Shannon Brumfield shannon.brumfield@gawg.cap.gov |
SER Cyber Officer | Lt Col William Sydow |
| Vacant | NER Cyber Officer | Lt Col William Sydow |
| Vacant | SWR Cyber Officer | Lt Col William Sydow |
| Vacant | PCR Cyber Officer | Lt Col William Sydow |
| Col Robert Dempsey rdempsey@ilwg.cap.gov |
Illinois Wing Cyber Officer (de facto) | Lt Col Paul Creed III |
| Col Philip Argenti pargenti@cap.gov |
Indiana Wing Cyber Officer (de facto) | Lt Col Paul Creed III |
| Capt Sharon Howarth showarth@kywg.cap.gov |
Kentucky Wing Cyber Officer | Lt Col Paul Creed III |
| Capt Stan Kowalski skowalski@miwg.cap.gov |
Michigan Wing Cyber Officer / GLR Cyber Academy Director | Lt Col Paul Creed III |
| Lt Col Michael Sidman michael.sidman@ohwg.cap.gov |
Ohio Wing Cyber Officer / Cyber Instructor | Lt Col Paul Creed III |
| Lt Col Jeff Thomas jeffrey.thomas@wiwg.cap.gov |
Wisconsin Wing Cyber Officer | Lt Col Paul Creed III |
| Maj Paul Ault pault@kywg.cap.gov |
Kentucky Wing Aerospace Officer | Lt Col Paul Creed III |
| Capt Chuck Milam cmilam@cap.gov |
Cyber Instructor | Lt Col Paul Creed III |
| Maj Charlene Garcia cgarcia@flwg.gov |
Florida Wing Cyber Officer (de facto) | Maj Shannon Brumfield |
| 1st Lt Heath Barker 606864@tncap.us |
Tennessee Wing Cyber Officer (de facto) | Maj Shannon Brumfield |
| Capt Roy Vestal rvestal@cap.gov |
MAR Assistant Cyber Officer | Maj Derek Rustvold |
| Lt Col Paul Selig pselig@cap.gov |
South Carolina Cyber Officer | Maj Derek Rustvold |
| Capt Jared Mast jared.mast@vawg.cap.gov |
Virginia Cyber Officer / Cyber NCSA Activity Director | Maj Derek Rustvold (George Davis) |
| 1st Lt Omar Khouri omar.khouri@ncwgcap.org |
North Carolina Cyber Officer | Maj Derek Rustvold |
| 1st Lt Joshua Klosterman jklosterman@ncr.cap.gov |
Special Projects | Maj Derek Rustvold |
| Capt Anthony Plattsmier plattsmier@sbcglobal.net |
Texas Wing Cyber Officer (de facto) Cyber NCSA Activity Director | Maj George Davis |
