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Communicators come together for Emerald Warrior's Cyber Phase

  • Published
  • By Mike Martin
  • Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  Emerald Warrior's new Cyber Phase has given communication specialists throughout Special Operations Command an opportunity to hone their skills here in a simulated wartime environment that will prepare them for future deployments.

For nearly two weeks leading up to the main exercise, over 100 communication specialists from Naval Special Warfare Group II, 2nd Battalion 10th Special Forces Group and total force representation from Air Force Special Operations Command participated in the first ever Cyber Phase. Cyber Phase consists of intensive courses ranging from satellite communications to Tactical Local Area Network administration to combat fiber splicing with a majority of the teaching being done in the field.

"The type of training they're able to get here is bar none," said Major Jason Simmons, communications director for Emerald Warrior. "There is only so much you can do in a classroom, but when you actually get practical experience, you can really learn something."

EW Cyber Phase replaces Joint Lightning, previously a separate communications exercise that had been held in the summer at various locations. Integrating cyber operations and training of Joint Lightning into Emerald Warrior allowed for vast cost savings, increased readiness and immediately prepared joint cyber warriors to support EW's combination of Special Operations forces, conventional forces and partner nations.
"Anytime service members are going downrange they're learning stuff on the fly, so what we're doing here is helping them learn before they're out there supporting Special Operations forces," Simmons said. "We want our people to get a chance to do the set up in this environment, so they have the training they need when they do get deployed."

Simmons said the cyber commandos were more prepared for Emerald Warrior this year because they just received the training.

"They had more confidence in themselves and their equipment," Simmons said. "They realized they have the ability and communication capabilities to conduct SOF operations."

Albert Reyna, chief of AFSOC's Expeditionary Communications Branch, said one of the main benefits of Cyber Phase was the chance for service members throughout special operations to train and learn together.

"They get to know each other better and create relationships that will last after Emerald Warrior," Reyna said. "When they get back to their home stations or to deployed locations, they have colleagues they can call if a system is having an issue that is stumping them."

Some of the classes were taught by vendors and the others by Non-Commissioned Officers with downrange experience. Simmons said he believes when you teach something you learn it in a different way, which helps make you a true subject matter expert. However, the emphasis is on the student.

"We try to sit back and let the trainees really get the hands-on experience they need to provide support," Simmons said. "That's the thing, when it comes to supporting Special Operations forces we are constantly engaged. Now if they go out to the field as the subject matter expert, they have the proper training to complete the mission."