Conference sets cyber training path Published Aug. 20, 2009 By Angela Cutrer 81st Training Wing Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Since the Air Force announced to Congress that cyber training was to stand up at Keesler, officials have been busy developing curriculum and setting down the rules and regulations for initial training of students. In light of that goal, Keesler played host to more than 40 Air Force subject matter experts for a week-long training planning team conference Aug. 3-7. The purpose of the conference was to develop the training activities and force development roadmap for future cyber officer students. Meeting attendees included officials from the 333rd TRS, as well as representatives from Air Force headquarters, the National Guard Bureau, operational units from across the Air Force, Air Force Personnel Center, Air Force Academy, Air Force Institute of Technology and every major command in the Air Force. As well as completing 95 percent of the career field and educational training plan for the new initial officer skills course called undergraduate cyber training, the team completed 95 percent of the knowledge, skills and abilities for the new cyberspace 200 and 300 courses. In addition to the UCT, Keesler begins new courses in October for several enlisted communication and information career-field Air Force Specialty Codes in the new 3D-series. Each year, 230 enlisted members are expected to receive initial skills training following the stand-up of the cyber operator career fields. "On the officers' side, we wanted to finalize what cyber skills initial training was going to look like," said Lt. Col. Scott Solomon, 333rd Training Squadron commander. "Although we will cover a wide spectrum of communications and information operations, equipment and capabilities in the curriculum, all of this can be binned into two key areas operations 'on' the network, and operations 'of' the network. "We identified nine performance-based milestone events, which is one key difference in how we do training now and how we will do it in the future," Colonel Solomon said. "For every phase of the training, hands-on performance will be measured; it's not just an academic test to pass. Within this construct of performance-based training, the student will be ranked according to performance, which will help us identify where we want to place the lieutenants upon graduation." The new course curriculum includes seven key areas: l technical fundamentals l expeditionary communications l information assurance l mission assurance l net defense, attack and exploit l information operations l capstone -- "Fighting Through an Attack" Officer training is projected to be 115 days long with an annual throughput of 385 students -- 227 new accessions and 158 Air National Guard, Reserve and civilian students. Training will include information to design, secure, assess, exploit, attack and defend seven types of networks: telephony, Internet protocol, satellite, land mobile radio, industrial control systems, integrated air defense and tactical data link. Additionally, the team worked on developing the on-ramps and off-ramps for civilians, Air Force guard and reserve students, international students and other AFSCs, such as acquisition, intelligence and space operations. Colonel Solomon said that the career-field roadmap focused on professional military education and skill-specific education, as well as milestones and opportunities for career field progression. Another change for officer students is they'll make a permanent change of station move to Keesler for training instead of attending in temporary duty status. "By changing the training from a TDY to PCS, we have students here longer, which is a great economic impact to the base and surrounding areas," said Colonel Solomon. "From a heritage standpoint, Keesler has been in the communication business for a long time," he continued, noting that Keesler has been the primary communications training center for the Air Force since 1943. Keesler was chosen for the training due to a comprehensive site survey team's assessment. The team evaluated billeting, dining, classroom facilities and base team support, including utilities, community planning, communications capability, environmental planning factors and antiterrorism issues. "Some of this information and the TPT's suggestions are subject to change since it has not been formally approved by Headquarters Air Force," Colonel Solomon noted. "However, I think we're on the right track for bringing relevant quality cyberspace training to Keesler and the United States Air Force."