Expeditionary Cyber Support Detachment Provides Offensive Cyber Operations

By Mr. Steven P Stover (INSCOM)February 7, 2018

ECSD provides offensive cyber at NTC
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – FORT IRWIN, Calif. -- Soldiers from the Expeditionary Cyber Support Detachment, 782nd Military Intelligence Battalion (Cyber), provided an offensive cyber operations capability as part of the Cyber-Electromagnetic Activities (CEMA) Support to Corps a... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
ECSD provides offensive cyber at NTC
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – FORT IRWIN, Calif. -- Sgt. Camille Coffey (on the antenna), Spc. Victorious Fuqua (on the computer), and Spc. Mark Osterholt, all cyber operations specialists from the Expeditionary Cyber Support Detachment, 782nd Military Intelligence Battalion (Cyb... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT IRWIN, Calif. -- Soldiers from the Expeditionary Cyber Support Detachment (ECSD), 782nd Military Intelligence Battalion (Cyber), from Fort Gordon, Ga., are providing Cyber-Electromagnetic Activities (CEMA) support to a Stryker Brigade Combat Team from Fort Carson, Colo., during National Training Center Rotation 18-03, Jan. 18 to 24.

According to Staff Sgt. Isaias Laureano, a cyber operations noncommissioned officer assigned to the ECSD, the detachment conducted close access offensive cyber operations in support of the rotational training unit.

"The 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, is conducting operations against a near-peer adversary threat and we are supporting them with our offensive cyber effects as part of the CEMA Support to Corps and Below (CSCB) program," said Capt. Adam Schinder, a team leader with the 782nd. "(With) the offensive cyber operator team that we brought out here, we're able establish connection and provide access for future operations and provide exploitation tools that we brought with us -- so denying the adversary the use of the internet, locally, and in the area of hostilities."

Schinder said his team's cyber operations specialists were able to observe a High-Payoff Target (HPT) on the brigade commander's HPT List, deep in the opposing force's rear area, and enable the unit to call in a deep strike to destroy it. "The brigade commander's fight is the deep fight. If he can diminish the enemy's combat power as they maneuver in zone than what he is doing is setting his battalions up for success," said Schinder. "We've enabled that extremely well during this rotation -- really showing the maturity of CSCB as a program."

Schinder said there are some constraints regarding the Law of Armed Conflict; however, everything his team accomplished was reviewed in accordance with the rules of engagement. He summed it up by saying, "the ability for a brigade commander to have a national asset, task organized to him, and at his fingertips to employ them in the field to create effects is vital."