Wisc. cadets apply online skills in CyberPatriot II competition

 

 

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Showing off their CyberPatriot II T-shirts and challenge coin are (from left) Cadet Airmen Ephraim Mattos and Ben Sandlin (with coin), Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Jonathan Carballo and Cadet Master Sgt. Michael Sgt Leggett.

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(Clockwise from left) Cadet Airmen Ben Sandlin and Ephraim Mattos, Cadet Chief Master Sgt.  Jonathan Carballo and Cadet Master Sgt. Michael Leggett.


Lt. Col. Jo Stys
Public Affairs Officer
Milwaukee Composite Squadron 5
Wisconsin Wing

WISCONSIN – Four Milwaukee Composite Squadron cadets pitted their online acumen against teams from across the U.S. and Japan on Nov. 7 in CyberPatriot II, a national high school cyber defense competition sponsored by the Air Force Association

The four -- Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Jonathan Carballo, Cadet Master Sgt. Michael Leggett and Cadet Airmen Ephraim Mattos and Ben Sandlin -- were coached by Lt. Col. Jo Stys, project officer..

Likely the largest live high school cyber defense competition ever staged, CyberPatriot II involved more than 100 Air Force Junior ROTC and Civil Air Patrol teams from American and Japan in simultaneous competition.

The cadets were racing against the clock and their opponents, with six hours to find and correct vulnerabilities in the virtual computer provided by the Science Applications International Corporation through a virtual network. 

The team was able to use only part of the six hours allotted, having marched in Milwaukee’s 46th Annual Veterans Day parade earlier in the day.

“The cadets really got involved as a team in solving each situation they faced,” Stys said. “I am proud of their optimism and enthusiasm for this new challenge.”

Asked if they had fun, the cadets’ reply was unanimous: “Yes!” 

The team is looking forward to Round 2 on Nov. 14, when they hope to take what they learned and apply it more quickly. A fifth team member, Cadet Senior Airman Morgan Murphy, will be present to add to the group’s technical knowledge. 

The cadets said they enjoyed the challenge of learning new skills in real time on the virtual computer. Online and PowerPoint instructions helped them prepare for the competition.

“Congratulations to all the competitors and continued good luck to all the teams over the next two Saturdays of competition,” said S. Sanford Schlitt, AFA vice chairman of the board for aerospace education. “CyberPatriot II is proving to be a fantastic hands-on learning experience. It’s a great way to encourage new interest in this crucial career path.”