What is life like as a MOS 25D: Cyber Network Defender?

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 11:52:20 -0500

25D details

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2016 8:38 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 20:38:53 -0500

It's like they're trying to figure out how to build an airplane... While they're already in the air. The good idea fairies figured out, too late in the game, that it would a good idea to focus on cyber defense. A bunch of commands all started screaming "I'm gonna make this happen!" (ARCYBER, INSCOM, etc, etc) and with far too little cooperation/coordination and prior planning started throwing a bunch of stuff into the air. Flung some solders at all the stuff in the air, and commanded that we make it fly. It's getting better, finallly. But there is still a lot of confusion.

Response by SSG Ed Mikus made Feb 29 at 2016 9:00 AM

SSG Ed Mikus — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 09:00:04 -0500

Every unit is treating us differently, mostly your job is what you make it and what your boss will let you do. you have to show your command why they need you, why you need funding, and why you need support.

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 29 at 2016 4:22 PM

CW5 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 16:22:18 -0500

*cough* COMSEC *cough* #LifeInTheVault

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 26 at 2016 3:33 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 26 Sep 2016 15:33:55 -0400

Graduated in April and went to a FORSCOM unit on a TRADOC post to quickly learn both of my hands are tied behind my back here.

Luckily I'm not in the vault. However, the NEC here is run 100% by a civilian contractor that does not allow or even consider Soldiers working alongside them. They control all of the laptops and strategic network (NIPR). They even control portions of SIPR. The only thing we have any sort of control over is our tacSIPR but we barely use that due to no sat time.

What irks me though is that the civilian NEC here uses a single tool for all types of network scanning... They trust the sole output of that tool absolutely. I clearly remember being taught at the 25D schoolhouse from day 1 to never trust the results of a single tool because attacks can be engineered to make that tool show no positives..

If the Army really wants to have Soldiers doing cyber security work, they are going to have to pry the cyber security job responsibilities out of the cold dead hands of the civilians that have slowly ceded control from Soldiers over the past decade or two. We will experience a lot of growing pains.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2017 8:13 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 20:13:19 -0500

I believe with the establishment of the US Army Cyber Corps, 25D now fall under their purview. So they will be part of defensive and offensive teams to protect critical information and strategic networks. There is more too it of course but those are the broad strokes.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 9 at 2017 2:13 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 May 2017 14:13:24 -0400

Graduated in August 16. Most of our class found themselves in a vault. I was lucky enough to be put into the Cyber Protection Brigade. The CPB is looking to remove most if not all 25Ds from its ranks however. Seems the Army is intent on killing 25D before it ever really became anything. The only good thing is it allowed me to get my certifications and open the doors for me to apply for 170A. Don't expect too much in the way of doing what you were trained to do. Yes you will have more certifications and probably be much more qualified than the post NEC but you will never get the opportunity to do anything with it.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 7 at 2018 6:50 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 07 Apr 2018 06:50:16 -0400

The Army doesn't know what it is doing in regards to 25D. A great MOS used horribly in regards to its original purpose. A Comsec account manager can be anyone period, and 25D is a cyber mos, but the Army lumped it with the Signal Corps. Why? If the Army was a corporation, most of its board would be fired for incompetence.

Response by SFC Walter Lovett made Feb 26 at 2019 10:54 PM

SFC Walter Lovett — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 22:54:29 -0500

25D was the Signal Corps way to get on the cyber bandwagon to fill a critical need dictated from the SECDEF/ SECARMY. I graduated 25D course in 2015 and after being put right back into a Leadership role at the CPB (without the official title) I was passed over for MSG and decided to retire from Active Duty to use my skills as a DoD Contractor here at the Regional Cyber Center CONUS as a Threat Analyst! I love my job and the team is very dedicated to the mission! The training, certifications, and skills learned in the Army allowed me to step right into the job I thought I was doing as a 25D, only as a contractor.