39th IOS lays foundation for operations course Published Sept. 29, 2006 By 1st Lt. Heather Alden 39th IOS HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- The Air Force cyberspace tiger team, established by the Air Force cyberspace task force, and the 39th Information Operations Squadron have set the groundwork for the Air Force's first network warfare operations curriculum. The cyberspace task force was established by the air staff to help define cyberspace and the Air Force's role in it after the chief of staff updated the service's mission statement to include cyberspace in December. Col. Gregory Rattray has led this effort based on his extensive experience with national and Department of Defense cyber security activities and his position as the commander of the 318th Information Operations Group, which is often referred to as the operational arm of the Air Force Information Warfare Center. Colonel Rattray established the cyberspace tiger team to push forward with several cyberspace initiatives. One of the Air Force's major initiatives is to establish and administer a basic, initial qualification Network Warfare Operations course by June 2007. "The goal of the course will be to develop the best of the best into network warfare experts for network operations," said Maj. Kiley Weigle, leader of the NWO school effort. "Currently, the Air Force does a great job of producing operators who can install and maintain our networks. However, there is no formal training program out there to teach our Airmen how to actively defend or attack a network." The AFIWC hosted a conference in June with 32 subject matter experts representing various network warfare-related communities and from across the globe to develop the task training list and set the foundation for a progression of NWO courses. The basic, initial qualification course is predicted to be eight to ten weeks long and will accommodate 25 students per class. It will be taught at the Air Force's information operations schoolhouse, the 39th IOS. The proposed framework for developing a comprehensive NWO operator and planner divides the training into six topic areas: introduction to policy, doctrine and guidance; NWO organizations and missions; NWO fundamental concepts; NWO networks; NWO Employment; and NWO strategic planning and integration. Tasks outlined for each topic area were further divided into three levels of learning: prerequisite knowledge, initial qualification training and an advanced planner's course. Potential students will be required to pass an entry exam to begin their IQT in the basic NWO course. The planner's portion will be a separate, follow-on course. The target audience for the basic IQT course includes Airmen in communications, engineering and intelligence career fields. This course is the first step toward formal development of what have been called "digital green berets." "We must develop a force of trained, proficient operators to ensure the Air Force can dominate cyberspace," said Colonel Rattray. "The new NWO basic course will be a cornerstone of our force development efforts."