Cybersecurity at West Point

[DandyDan]

Hi forum!

I plan to apply to West Point in the future with the intent of working in cyber for the government.

I've made solid progress in cybersecurity as an extracurricular, mostly through competitions+certifications. (I expect to be DoD 8570 and 8140 compliant in a few months)


I'm hoping to find answers to these questions:

1. How does WP see cybersecurity in applications? Most of what I do is independent, so there is little opportunity for leadership. With the growing threat of cyber warfare, does it make me a standout candidate? Or will the admissions committee see it as just another extracurricular?

2. What are the cyber courses at WP like? I've seen the new cyber science major and I assume it hasn't been developed as much as the other courses yet. But for those who are familiar with the program, how is the environment?

3. I'm considering double-majoring in Cyber Science + American Politics. How will this affect branching options? I've heard that cyber cadets are limited to Fort Gordon in Georgia, is this true or will the AP major give more choices?

4. Could I use Linux at WP? It looks like all cadets are issued computers out of their cadet budget. Can they partition the disk to run both Linux and the original OS(I'm guessing Windows)? Or would they have to use a VM? Have any cadets attempted this? Even better, could cadets just bring their own computer in addition to the issued one?


This is a very niche subject so thank you to anyone who answers this!

 

[VelveteenR]

I'm just a mom of a USMA grad who is now an O2 Cyber officer, but I will share what I know:

1) USMA doesn't determine appointments based on your desired major, so I suspect your cyber activities will be viewed as an EC. It's more important that you demonstrate strong standardized test scores and good grades in calculus, chemistry, and physics along with varsity athletics (over 90% of any incoming class comprises varsity athletes). Focus on getting that appointment. How your cyber expertise might come into play once at USMA is TBD.

2) No experience with the cyber major. Our son was an EE with a concentration in robotics. He was also on the Cyber Team.

3) Cyber and medicine are the only two branches where major influences branch selection. All who branch Cyber post to Ft. Gordon. The remnants of Cyber at Belvoir and Meade are consolidating to Gordon, so that's where you'll end up. You may TDY to other locations, but home is Gordon.

4) You will have plenty of opportunity to develop, hack, and compete under Linux in any configuration you can think of, native and virtual. You will NOT be allowed to attach any personal device to the secure networks, but I know our son worked on a some non-USMA Linux-based projects that he was able to host on a non-secure network, but no details there, probably a lab environment or through a hot spot.

 

[USMA 1994]

The comments about everyone going to Ft Gordon needs a little more explanation. All new graduates attend an Officer Basic Course to learn the military skills required for their branch. Most of these schools are 4-6 months and the officers attend on a Temporary Duty Status enroute to their first post. The Cyber course is longer and officers cannot be assigned temporary duty for more than a year so all cyber officers are first assigned to Ft Gordon. After the completion of the Basic Course, these officers will have the choice to pick assignments across the Army just like others did when they were still at West Point. It is true that Cyber will have more slots available to stay at Gordon after the Basic Course but they will also have the opportunity to move to other locations. Flight school works pretty much the same way.

 

[Casey]

The comments about everyone going to Ft Gordon needs a little more explanation. All new graduates attend an Officer Basic Course to learn the military skills required for their branch. Most of these schools are 4-6 months and the officers attend on a Temporary Duty Status enroute to their first post. The Cyber course is longer and officers cannot be assigned temporary duty for more than a year so all cyber officers are first assigned to Ft Gordon. After the completion of the Basic Course, these officers will have the choice to pick assignments across the Army just like others did when they were still at West Point. It is true that Cyber will have more slots available to stay at Gordon after the Basic Course but they will also have the opportunity to move to other locations. Flight school works pretty much the same way.

What most people are commenting about Gordon in context though is that the consolidation of the branch's main units to Gordon will mean that most LT's will end up staying at Gordon even after Cyber BOLC. The chance for Cyber Officers to post somewhere else than Gordon coming out of their BOLC is much lower due to the lack of units in other places unlike flight school where almost zero LT's will stay on at Rucker for follow on assignments.

 

[VelveteenR]

most LT's will end up staying at Gordon even after Cyber BOLC

This appears to be the case, but given the phenomenal new facilities and the attractive quality of life in the area, most want to stay even if they have a few options to post out.

The Army command dedicated to defending against hackers and other online threats celebrated its move into a new $366 million headquarters in Georgia on Thursday.

Created a decade ago, the Army Cyber Command had been spread across Army installations in three states before consolidating at Fortitude Hall, its new home at Fort Gordon in Augusta. Plans to bring the entire command together under one roof had been in the works for seven years.

“It’s not just a physical move. It’s not just a nice new facility,” Lt. Gen Stephen Fogarty, the commander of Army Cyber Command, told reporters on a conference call Thursday. He called the headquarters “a purpose-filled cyber weapons system.”

...the move brings the Army’s cyber soldiers, commanders and trainees together at Fort Gordon, which is also home to an NSA facility.

(ArmyTimes, September 2020)

Our son's best buddy opted to post out to Ft. Lewis recently to be with his bride-to-be, but it also meant that he had to leave his preferred unit at Gordon for an Electronic Warfare unit at Lewis -- different posts, different work.

I think it's important to be accurate though, so it IS true that there are a few other places where Cyber-related work is conducted.

 

[emwvmi01]

So I can say with all certainty that there are more opportunities over the next few years for Cyber officers to serve with tactical units across the Army as well as deployed in both conventional and special forces. Additionally, though the headquarters is now at Gordon with the school the opportunities to serve at Meade with CYBERCOM and 780th will remain.
Furthermore, officers will be encouraged to rotate to the tactical units to round out the technical skills which allowed them to branch Cyber.