MDNG Cyber Personnel Counter Real-World Adversaries During USCYBERCOM Mobilization

Article by U.S. Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Sarah M. McClanahan, Maryland National Guard Public Affairs Office

Photos by U.S. Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Sarah M. McClanahan, Maryland National Guard Public Affairs Office

BALTIMORE — More than 15 members of the Maryland Air National Guard’s 175th Cyber Operations Group mobilized in support of a task force under United States Cyber Command’s Cyber National Mission Force from February to August of 2021 at Fort Meade, Maryland. MDANG cyber professionals worked alongside other Air National Guard states and active duty counterparts to conduct their task force’s first offensive cyber effect operation against real-life cyber threats.

“USCYBERCOM’s CNMF plans, directs and synchronizes full-spectrum cyberspace operations to deter, disrupt and, if necessary, defeat adversary cyber actors to defend the U.S.,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Corley Bradford, director of operations for 175th Cyberspace Operations Squadron, 175th Wing.

MDANG cyber professionals joined Delaware Air National Guard counterparts to form an NMT, which was directly involved in cyber planning, mission execution, shaping cyber policy, and conducting full-spectrum cyberspace operations for their task force.

“[Our] NMT was a direct contributor to [our task force] conducting a successful offensive cyber effects operations,” said Bradford who emphasized the real-world impact of this operation on the security of Department of Defense information networks. “Additionally, Secretary of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin III visited [our task force] to witness the operation. It was a massive milestone for [our task force], so he wanted front row seats to see the action firsthand.”

Bradford, who served as his NMT’s team leader, was directly responsible for the training, readiness, and administrative actions of the cyber personnel assigned to his team as the detachment commander. This NMT worked in a joint environment alongside counterparts from the U.S. Navy’s Cyber Strike Activity Sixty-Three, the Delaware Air National Guard’s 166th Cyber Operations Squadron, the U.S. Air Force’s 341st Cyber Operations Squadron, and other Air Force Reserve personnel.

“One of the benefits of operating in a joint environment is the sharing of different perspectives and the diverse backgrounds members bring to the fight which ultimately helps drive cyber operations,” said Bradford.

Due to restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, formal military training was suspended. This impacted the NMT’s ability to meet a number of readiness requirements and supply fully trained cyber personnel. However, an attribute unique to the National Guard is cyber professionals bring industry experience to the task force. Many guard members work for defense contractors and top-tier cybersecurity firms and their experience can be leveraged by the task force in some cases when cyber training is unavailable, explained Bradford.

“By coordinating with multiple agencies and leveraging team members with diverse backgrounds, [we were] able to overcome every task,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Jorge Urbina, a cyber warfare planner for the 175th COS, 175th Wing.

The lessons and skills learned in the task force’s dynamic and fast-paced environment contribute to skill proficiency and mission readiness ensuring cyber personnel are able to hit the ground running for the next subsequent mobilization, explained Bradford.

“It was a lot of excitement to finally see the fruits of our labor when [our task force] delivered its first offensive cyber effects operations during this mobilization,” said Bradford. “It took many years of blood, sweat, and tears to get to this point. So it was an exciting time to finally counter the adversary in cyberspace and have [the secretary of defense] present while we achieved this huge milestone.”