I always look forward to this time of year when the TechNet Augusta conference rolls around on the calendar. Sponsored by AFCEA, the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association, I’m always amazed at the top brass the event attracts.
It’s a little muggy this time of year in Augusta but the geek in me looks forward to seeing all the latest satellite, GPS, intelligence gathering, electronic warfare, and battlefield technologies on display in the conference’s Expo Hall.
TechNet Augusta is held each year at the Augusta Marriot Convention Center located on the picturesque Savannah River along the Georgia and South Carolina border. Global Knowledge trains quite a few servicemen at nearby Fort Gordon and we hope they will stop by and see us in the Expo Hall during TechNet Augusta.
This year’s lineup of keynote speakers includes some heavyweights:
Maj. Gen. Stephen G. Fogarty will kick things off during the Tuesday morning keynote. A Georgia native, Fogarty is commanding general of the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence at Fort Gordon and a former special assistant to the director of the Army Staff at the Office of the Chief of Staff in Washington, D.C.
- Lt. Gen. Edward C. Cardon is scheduled to lead the conference’s Tuesday luncheon keynote. He is commanding general of the Army’s Cyber Command, and former commanding general of the Army’s 17,000-soldier strong 2nd Infantry Division.
- Bill Crumm will speak during Wednesday’s morning keynote. He served the National Security Agency (NSA) for more than 30 years, including being director of Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) operations from 2007 to 2010.
- Command Sgt. Maj. Rodney Harris of the Army’s Cyber Command will lead the Wednesday afternoon keynote address, entitled “Leading Soldiers in High-Tech Environments.”
Gary Wang will speak during Thursday’s closing keynote luncheon. Wang is the Army’s deputy chief information officer/G-6. He oversees a $10 billion investment portfolio for implementation of an enterprise network infrastructure. He also manages Army IT policy compliance and synchronizes delivery of operational command, control, communications, computers and IT capabilities to support warfighters.
TechNet Augusta also has compelling panel sessions, manned by some of the U.S. military’s elite. Below are this year’s TechNet Augusta panel sessions you will not want to miss:
Chief Warrant Officer Panel — Entitled “Cyberspace Operations: Emerging Changes in Doctrine,” this panel features chief warrant officer of the Cyber Branch Paul Gross, electronic warfare subject matter expert and career program manager Richard Godfrey, U.S. Army Cyber Protection Brigade technical advisor Abel Chavez, and Fort Gordon’s regimental chief warrant officer of the Signal Regiment Peter Winter.
The Chief Warrant Officer Panel will provide a discussion centering on cyberspace operations and doctrine, including the roles of the staff members, the military decision-making process (MDMP) tables, the purpose of cyber electromagnetic activities (CEMA) and the CEMA working group. Mark “Al” Mollenkopf, command chief warrant officer of the Army’s Cyber Center of Excellence, will serve as panel moderator. This panel earns attendees one CompTIA continuing education unit (CEU) for the A+, Network+, and Security+ certifications.
Cyber Convergence Panel — Entitled “A Government Perspective,” this panel features the Department of Homeland Security’s assistant secretary for Cyber, Infrastructure and Resilience Policy in the Office of Policy Rosemary Wenchel, the Army’s cyber commandant of the Cyber Center of Excellence Col. Jennifer G. Buckner, the Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Agency’s deputy director for Information Enterprise Management Jim Craft, and program executive officer for Command, Control and Communications-Tactical (C3T) Gary Martin.
The panel members will discuss how cyber convergence will impact all of the joint services and how emerging technology and threats are causing changes in the manner that the military and others ensure business and operational continuity. This panel will be moderated by retired Lt. Gen. Rhett A. Hernandez, West Point cyber chair of the Army Cyber Institute. This panel earns attendees one CompTIA CEU for the A+, Network+, Security+ and CASP certifications.
DoDIN Panel – The Department of Defense’s Information Network (DoDIN) is a globally interconnected end-to-end network for collecting and disseminating information to warfighters, policymakers and support personnel. Vital to Army missions, the DoDIN serves as the foundation for mission command, fires, medical, logistics and intelligence. This panel, entitled “Developing Cyber Capacity for the DODIN,” is composed of government and industry participants who will discuss how the Army will move forward with technology, procedures, manpower and training to improve the DoDIN’s cyber operations. Gain a better understanding of how the Signal Command interfaces and provides support to combat cyberattacks in close coordination with Cyber Forces. Featuring 7th Signal Command (Theater) commanding Gen. John W. Baker, AT&T Government Solutions V.P. John Klebonis, and L3 National Security Solutions V.P. and chief technology officer John Schleifer, the DoDIN panel will be moderated by Col. Joe Yavorsky, chief of the Plans Branch of the Army’s PM Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations and Land Mobile Radio 7th Signal Command (Theater).
If you are attending the TechNet Augusta conference, you can find Global Knowledge at Booth #416 on the Expo floor. Whether you are attending or not, follow us on Twitter @GKonGovt for daily updates from the event.