FORT GORDON, Ga. - Last year, in a historic first for the Army, a group of newly commissioned second lieutenants were selected to attend the inaugural Cyber Basic Officer Leadership Course. The BOLC helps develop the Cyber Branch, a recently-created maneuver branch in the Army and the associated Military Occupational Specialty. In a ceremony May 26, 21 of these officers graduated after 10 months of demanding training.
"You're all extremely talented," said Col. Jennifer Buckner, the first commandant of the U.S. Army Cyber School at Fort Gordon. "But as with most any career, there's always just a little luck involved. Certainly you have a hand in creating that luck, but this is a field, this is a branch, this is a mission, this is a profession in which you must continually demonstrate or earn your credibility and operational bona fides as well as the mutual respect of the Army and your joint service peers."
The lieutenants came from West Point, ROTC programs and Officer Candidate School to form Class 001-15 at the Army Cyber School.
"I know you can solve tough problems and that's exactly what you're going to do when you join your teams," said Buckner, stressing that humility is a characteristic that cyber professionals value. "You are all experts at something, perhaps multiple things, but none of you are experts at everything. All of you have come together as a class to help one another learn. You'll find that will serve you well because you have much to learn from the Soldiers you will soon lead."
During BOLC the lieutenants learned technical and operational skills to prepare them for taking on positions within the growing operational cyber force in the Army. Much of their training results in certifications that will travel with them throughout their military -- and in some cases post-military --careers.
The distinguished honor graduate was 2nd Lt. Justin Oursler from Fort Meade, Md., who earned the highest grade point average in his class. The leadership award went to 2nd Lt. Alec McCloskey from Fort Gordon, as voted by his peers.
"You'll lead some very challenging Soldiers, because they're unique and smart, and sometimes they might be smarter than you," said Cyber School Command Sgt. Maj. William Rinehart. "I've told you in the past if you walk in a room thinking you're the smartest one in there, you've already lost your crowd."
A consolidated Army Cyber School was approved in June 2013, and on Aug. 4, 2014 the U.S. Army Cyber School was unveiled at Fort Gordon with a mission to provide specialized training to build a highly skilled cyber effects and electronic warfare workforce.
Shortly after the opening of the Cyber School, on Sept. 1, 2014, the U.S. Army Cyber Branch was established as a basic branch of the Army, the first new Army branch to be created since Special Forces in 1987.
The first Cyber BOLC began Aug. 6, 2015, followed by the first Cyber Operations Officer Course the following month.
As for the future of the graduates, 11 were assigned to Fort Gordon, nine were assigned to Fort Meade and one is headed to Korea.
"You don't get here by barely making it," said Rinehart. "You get here because you're smart."
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ABOUT US: United States Army Cyber Command and Second Army directs and conducts integrated electronic warfare, information and cyberspace operations as authorized, or directed, to ensure freedom of action in and through cyberspace and the information environment, and to deny the same to our adversaries.
Interested in becoming an Army cyber Soldier or civilian employee? Check out the career links at www.arcyber.army.mil
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