The Airmen working from all operational units of the 67th Network Warfare Wing will soon demonstrate their cyber-operating skills against criteria identified and validated by the Standardization and Evaluations staff of the 24th Air Force, as part of the Guardian Challenge 2010 events held across Air Force Space Command from March to May.
"This competition provides the newly formed 24th Air Force an early opportunity to compare operational skills, tactics, and proficiencies among the units," said Col. Michael Shields, 67th Network Warfare Group deputy commander. "Guardian Challenge gives the operators a chance to show their stuff while supporting the 24th Air Force mission of setting and enforcing standards in cyber operations."
Cyberspace operations are a new element of the traditionally space-base competition. 24th Air Force units participating are setting in place the standards for all future cyberspace competition within Space Command.
"Comparing and scoring crew operations across units that operate, defend, and conduct full-spectrum operations in cyberspace or ensure operations security is a daunting challenge, but the Stan/Eval staff will baseline their scoring against a common point system and recognize the most outstanding crews doing their operational mission," said Colonel Shields.
The recognition of these outstanding crews and their practices will then be fed right back into other 24th Air Force units conducting similar operations.
"One of the Space Command commander's goals for Guardian Challenge is to review and score how the units across 24th Air Force work and let them identify and integrate best practices. This in turn will enhance readiness and operational efficiency," said Colonel Shields.
One crew in each mission area will earn the right to go to Colorado Springs for score posting in Guardian Challenge. "The biggest winner in the end will be the Air Force," said the colonel.