An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : News
JBSA News
NEWS | March 19, 2018

67th CW hosts annual weapons competition

By Tech. Sgt. R.J. Biermann Air Forces Cyber Public Affairs

In a conference room littered with tables, chairs, extension cords and caffeinated beverages, 66 cyberspace professionals sat, eyes glued to their laptops. The room was quiet and focused, minus the steady tapping of computer keys and the hum of music overhead.

This was the setting of the 67th Cyberspace Wing’s annual weapons competition, which ran March 5-10, 2018, in San Antonio, Texas.

The competition provided a place to further each participant’s knowledge and experience in offensive and defensive cyberspace operations, explained Capt. Daryl Godfrey, 26th Operations Support Squadron, Wing Weapons and Tactics chief.

Godfrey, along with Irand Denton, 26th OSS Wing Weapons and Tactics deputy flight commander, and Tech. Sgt. Andrew Gogue, 26th OSS Wing Weapons and Tactics NCO in charge, directed the event.

Competitors gathered to showcase their skills, earn bragging rights and have their name etched on the competition trophy. First, second and third place winners were named in individual, mixed team and unit categories. To gain points to victory, participants controlled and operated targets within a virtual environment, such as file and mail servers.

“We wanted them to see what would happen if, say, someone took over our e-mail server,” said Godfrey. “We had some top-tier cyberspace operators here this week, all helping one another become better.”

The competition, previously named “Cyber Nexus,” was last held in 2012 when the 67th CW was still the 67th Network Warfare Wing.

“Col. [Bradley] Pyburn, [67th CW commander], wanted to make this happen again,” said Denton. “He made it one of his and the wing’s priorities, and wanted us to make it fun.”

Pyburn had only compliments for the competition and competitors.

“In cyber, our most capable, powerful and lethal weapon is not hardware or software—it’s our people,” Pyburn said. “This weapons competition was all about the carbon element: sharpening our tradecraft, raising our collective game and having fun, and I think we nailed it.”

The team’s aim is to include the 67th CW’s sister wing, the 688th Cyberspace Wing, in next year’s competition.

The individual winners are:
First place – Staff Sgt. Ryan Briggs, 315th Cyberspace Operations Squadron, Detachment 3
Second place – Lt. John Adams, 352nd Cyberspace Operations Squadron
Third place – Capt. Travis Royer, 91st Cyberspace Operations Squadron

The mixed team winners are:
First place – 1st Lt. Kevin Cooper, 33rd Network Warfare Squadron, Master Sgt. Trevor McAfee, 561st Network Operations Squadron, Tech Sgt. Benjamin Gilbert, 315th COS, Tech. Sgt. Alexander Hand, 390th Cyberspace Operations Squadron, and Tech Sgt. Louis Joubert, 691st Cyberspace Operations Squadron
Second place – 1st Lt. Anthony Canino, 390th COS, Staff Sgt. Jonathan Iles, 83rd Network Operations Squadron, Staff Sgt. Fiona Redmond, 315th COS, Staff Sgt. Reid Schanaman, 691st COS, and Senior Airman Mihai Cical, 68th Network Warfare Squadron
Third place – 1st Lt. Chad Spear, 691st COS, Tech Sgt. Jonathan Capps, 315th COS, Tech. Sgt. Zachary Stoll, 390th COS, Senior Airman Jacob Nelson, 68th NWS, and Airman 1st Class Patrick Letner, 690th COS

The team winners are:
First place – 390th COS, Capt. Paul Jordan, Capt. Jordan Keefer, 1st Lt. Anthony Canino, Tech. Sgt. Alexander Hand, Tech. Sgt. Zachary Stoll
Second place – 33rd NWS, 1st Lt. Kevin Cooper, Tech. Sgt. Jonathan Miranda, Staff Sgt. Dalton Ireland, Staff Sgt. Brady Lantz, Staff Sgt. Joshua Murchie
Third place – 315th COS, 1st Lt. Brian Saunders, Master Sgt. Wesley Thurner, Tech. Sgt. Jonathan Capps, Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Gilbert, Staff Sgt. Fiona Redmond