Ohio National Guard News
Focus on Cyber:
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Members of the Army National Guard, Air National Guard and Army Reserve, and civilians working in information technology prepare to engage as opposition force, or “red cell,” April 26, 2017, during Cyber Shield 17 at Camp Williams, Utah. Cyber Shield 17 is an annual, two-week National Guard exercise designed to assess Soldiers, Airmen and civilian personnel on response plans to cyber incidents. (Sgt. Michael Giles, National Guard) |
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Ohio Army National Guard Capt. Nicholas Oles surveys statistical progress of training on his computer as part of the Cyber Shield 17 multi-service training exercise May 2, 2017, at Camp Williams, Utah. Exercise Cyber Shield 17 was the sixth iteration of this training exercise and this year united the Army National Guard with members of the Air National Guard, Army Reserve and civilians from private companies, state government agencies, federal agencies, industry partners and academia. CAMP WILLIAMS, Utah — Seven Ohio National Guard members joined more than 800 other participants this spring for Exercise Cyber Shield 17, the National Guard’s premier cyber defense training event. The exercise, which included members of the National Guard from 44 states, the Army Reserve, state and federal government agencies, nongovernmental organizations and private industry, is designed to assess participants’ ability to respond to cyber incidents. By working closely with interagency partners and the private sector, the National Guard seeks to strengthen network cybersecurity and the capability to support local responses to cyber incidents. Cyber Shield 17 is part of the National Guard’s ongoing effort to improve Guard ability to respond to real-world cyber incidents. This year was the sixth iteration of this training exercise. The exercise is divided into two phases: the first week offers participants the opportunity to hone their skills through academic instruction covering a variety of topics including the legal aspects of cyber operations, the nature of cyber threats, traffic analysis, threat containment, industrial control systems and hands-on technical training. Soldiers and Airmen participating learn their roles as part of the larger cyberspace defense community. During the second phase of Cyber Shield, exercise participants from cyber protection teams and defense cyber operations teams face off against trained antagonists, who simulate online adversaries. The teams try to defend their networks and mitigate the effects of attacks in a free-wheeling clash of cyberspace acumen. The National Guard’s dual state-federal mission makes it uniquely positioned to help civilian agencies and critical nongovernmental entities, such as public utilities, if an incident occurs. Because of their status as a state military force when not under federal mobilization orders, Guard units are available to respond to state-level emergencies at their governor’s discretion. “As a governor would call up the National Guard… for a state disaster, such as a hurricane, it’s no different for a cyber event,” said Louisiana National Guard Lt. Col. Henry Capello, the exercise commander. Moreover, the National Guard's long-standing connections with state and local governments and private industry, combined with its familiarity with the cyberspace environment in which these organizations operate, make it an ideal partner. “Being a Citizen-Soldier, and being able to work in the communities in which I live, is a little bit different. It means a lot more to me, and I’m able to help them because I understand their problems better,” Capello said. According to National Guard Maj. Kevin T. Mamula, leader of the Ohio team, the exercise is designed to challenge participants “to their breaking points,” with the goal being to form more effective teams by stressing their skills to the utmost. |
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