Posted on May 25, 2014
SMSgt Robert Dahl
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If anyone is even thinking about cross training and getting into Cyber security jobs...the DoD has openings. Check out this article: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-04-15/uncle-sam-wants-cyber-warriors-but-can-he-compete
Posted in these groups: Cpu 1 CybersecurityImages %2831%29 Cyber
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SGT Microwave Systems Operator/Maintainer
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Edited 9 y ago
It's a great opportunity for those seeking experience in that field. I think our greatest problem in recruiting for that mission will be in fighting the private sector for qualified personnel. I have been discussing it lately with a lot of my Computer Science brethren and most of us have come to the conclusion that Cyber should be a separate service branch altogether. That would grant more lateral motion in how to recruit, retain and train. For example, do our strategic cyber warriors really need to run a 2-mile or be able to do 40 push-ups? Do they need to shoot 23/40 twice a year? Are these requirements keeping us from recruiting the best we can?

I hate playing into the stereotype of "hackers" but look at the people who have been arrested in the past 10 years for hacking, including members of the group Anonymous. Those are the people we want. By turning their skills to support a mission larger than themselves, and with a fair amount of oversight, who knows what these people would have done (instead of jailtime) and what tools they could have brought to the table as defenders of our nation's network and cyber assets...

Over 60 years ago, we split off the Air Force from the Army because the mission was too vast and we needed to be able to specialize the field more. Today, the cybersecurity and ethical hacking mission is the newest "hot" priority. The field is only going to grow and expand as we work to secure and defend our technology against cyber attacks. I strongly believe each branch should have a piece of the mission but that the United States would be served best by creating a branch to handle the extremely technical strategic mission. All the training in the world is no substitute for raw talent and we need to find a way to tap that talent.
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SSG(P) Lulz Sec
SSG(P) Lulz Sec
9 y
Who is "we" in your long winded rant? Denning, you step over lines a bit and also to let you know; penetration skills are not only what ARCYBER is gearing for. Most folks in the community have no clue what the OSCP or OSEE are and will only do group wide strategic efforts. Push to shove, there are a few ppl who actually are damn good NCO's/CWO's/O's who do have a seat at Black Hat and could come up with a solution during a crisis. Our cooks aren't 4 star Chef's, our Transporters don't all drive NASCAR, and our Cyber solider's won't all be Mitnick. If you aren't in the org yet, please start learning and showing your interest offline a bit more or by pm.
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SGT Microwave Systems Operator/Maintainer
SGT (Join to see)
9 y
I'm just going off the professional reports prepared by experts in the field (including NATO talks about US Cyber capabilities which were published open-source) and my perspective (as a graduate student in Computer Science with 6 programming languages and an internship where I built a NIDS from scratch). I get that the mission of ARCYBER is not wholly offensive but I do think we need to be recruiting the best to start this program. What I am afraid of seeing is what I have seen in every S-6 shop I have ever worked with. You have a couple really good people (not always the NCO) and then the rest know zero about their job. I have 25Bs with 3-4 years in calling me (a 25P) for troubleshooting questions...
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Kris Richey
Kris Richey
>1 y
I 100% AGREE! "I hate playing into the stereotype of "hackers" but look at the people who have been arrested in the past 10 years for hacking, including members of the group Anonymous. Those are the people we want. "

As a Blackhat hacker and a very patriotic American I can say that the skill level of cyber personnel in the military is far below what it should or could be: I would love to see the military take more action in getting those with real-world cyber skills and talents in the dark arts enter the military!
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Kris Richey
Kris Richey
8 y
Looking back at this....I think I would say I agree 110% !
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PO2 Michael Edgar
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Cyber is the next warfront. Unfortunately, the military can't compare to the private sector (and the government contractors). I got out in 2014 as an IT2 (E5 for you non Navy guys) and on average turn down 2-3 100k+ jobs a months.
At current military payrates they would have to bring me in as an O6 to compete with my current pay (that's including the military benefits as well).

There's simply no way the military (or the GS system) is able to recruit (and keep) good cyber candidates.
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SSG Michael Hathaway
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Thank you for the heads-up. This field is a one I have been following for awhile, currently in school for BS in Cybersecurity.
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SSG(P) Lulz Sec
SSG(P) Lulz Sec
9 y
Start your certs out of 8570 now and also start modeling your resume off of other IT sec professionals. As well, get access to Land War net and start learning the Cyber Doctrine and it will be a cake walk to join the mission.
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