Citizen 'Cyber' Airmen: Maintaining Ready and Proficient Cyberspace Operators in the Reserve Components
Abstract
The Department of Defense (DOD) steadily works to meet the U.S. governments increasing demand for cyberspace defense and cybersecurity with a strategy of objectives to defend its network of critical infrastructure against its adversaries. Of the strategy of objectives, the Reserve Components (RC) have been levied as a resource for expertise and to foster creative solutions to cybersecurity problems.The purpose of the paper is to help improve the Air Forces strategy to recruit, train, and retain highly qualified cyberspace operations personnel in the RCs. The paper employs an evaluation methodology in order to determine whether current Air Force training methodologies are sufficient enough to maintain proficient and ready RC personnel for DODs cyber defense posture. Among its key findings are challenges in recruiting and retaining highly trained and qualified personnel to serve in the Air Force RCs; current proficiency training requirements that require a considerable amount of time to complete, and the civilian life, military work imbalance for RC cyber personnel. Its key recommendations include offering similar incentives to RC cyber personnel just like ones offered to Active Duty personnel and Air Force pilots, provide flexible training schedules, short-duration activations, and leveraging civilian educational institutions for maintaining training requirements
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1041072
Entities
People
- Cyrus R. Champagne
Organizations
- Air Command and Staff College