This is an interesting question, I wonder the same thing. DWOs gain all the experiences you cite and more. From my understanding the Cyber billets go to HQ and manage a team of about 8-10 members so there is some Ensign leadership opportunities, and JO functions. But it does seem very specialized kind of like flight were they have to achieve several technical qualifications. Hopefully a Cyber billet JO will post something so we can better understand how this fits into the promotability/career options. I think us older folks remember how being a "jack of all trades" (DWO) served both us and the fleet well. However, I do understand, it is a more technical age; watching basically a drone war in Ukraine just reinforces to me the technical aspect we currently live in.
I also wonder about the new Cyber major. Looking at the Academy catalog it seems to be more policy based than Comp Sci / Math / technical. Then there is the academy cyber team which seems 100% technical. Obviously, for the USCG to develop the major, they have a need for those folks and skill sets.
To be clear, none of this is bad, just interested in these new cyber options, where they are going, and relevant to this board what should applicants know?
My son is a USCGA 2/C Class of 2025 cyber systems major. Also, there's value added to this reply to admit that I am a 20-year retired USN Electronics Technician, and for the past 14 years-post retirement, have worked as a Department of Defense Electronics Technician contractor. Like you, I thought the cyber systems curriculum was light on technical hands-on instruction. I frequently ask my son, "Well, can you fabricate a CAT-6 ethernet connector yet? Do you know how to use a ethernet cable tester? Have they instructed you on fiber optics and how to make a fiber optic connector?" I can go on and on, and his replies are always, "Not yet." At my current job, I work with computer science majors, software engineers, electrical engineers, etc. I have told them my fears that, "Although they are being taught theory, coding, cyber intrusion detection / mitigation / investigation, and the mathematics involved, I worry that he's not receiving enough hands-on with networks." They all tell me, "Do not worry. He'll learn the hands-on stuff after graduation, especially with the fine enlisted personnel he will work with. It is critical that he learns the theory and has the brainpower to absorb, remember, and utilize what he learns after graduation." During the 2023 Parents Weekend, I was honored to attend Database, Linear Algebra, Operating Systems, and Introduction to Cryptology classes with my son. The class work was intense and within seconds after classes commenced, the material they were learning rapidly ascended to high-level coding and mathematics that I, as an electronics technician, couldn't even fathom! This 2/C to 1/C summer, my son is 99.9% sure he will intern with Microsoft and learn / work directly with Microsoft cyber intrusion protection teams (protecting Microsoft customers), in addition to afterwards, serving somewhere on a cutter. I'm sure that my son's class and lab work 3/C and 2/C years coupled with both his internship and senior year's CAPSTONE project work will focus his mind as to the importance of his future work in the fleet.
Another consideration as to the value of USCGA's cyber systems program is their accreditation status. USCGA's cyber systems program is accredited by the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security. More importantly, my son informed me that late last year that the cyber systems program received Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) certification. Regardless of engineering discipline, ABET-accreditation is the gold standard. ***NOTE The uscga.edu Cyber Systems webpage is not updated with the ABET accreditation, yet. I have no idea why not.***
My next comments might be totally wrong, but please hear me out, because convexly, I might be correct. First and foremost, never forget that USCGA's mission is to produce professional USCG officers to lead the men and women who serve (enlisted and later junior officers as they progress through promotion during their careers). Their academic major is not the end-all be-all to determine their career paths (case and point - There are Management and Government majors who qualify for flight school. Some cyber systems majors go directly to the USCG fleet and serve at sea. Most civil engineering majors go directly to the USCG fleet, etc.). For most officers, it is not important that they are subject matter experts on anything and everything related to the project they've been designated to lead. What's more important is that they have the managerial ability and engineering / technical thought processes mastered to lead the project. The subject matter experts can be that officer or the subordinates working under that officer. That being said, throughout their 3/C and 2/C years (and probably 1/C year also), USCG Cyber Systems Command-assigned officers (also NSA and DHS personnel) routinely visit USCGA and participate with the students, giving lectures, running laboratory experiments, and executing cyber security exercises in-class. For the past two "billet nights" I've seen the students who were selected to go straight to CG Cyber Command directly after graduation. I wonder if they requested those billets and how much of the observations by the visiting CG Cyber Command officers (and NSA and DHS personnel) and their subsequent recommendations had to do with the graduating students' selections for CG Cyber Command. Additionally, most cyber systems students visit CG Cyber Command multiple times during their 3/C and 2/C years. What I'm trying to say is that there are many eyes watching and rating the students' performances throughout their 3/C - 1/C years, not only USCGA staff, but also, real-world CG Cyber Command officers. If someone shines very brightly, I'm sure their path to work exclusively in the cyber community is assured. I hope I didn't bore the readers with my lengthy dissertation.
