Airmen: earn a cybersecurity degree at Capitol Tech through AU-ABC
January 17, 2019
With cybersecurity recognized as a national priority, the demand for military personnel with the needed expertise is growing. For airmen, an opportunity now exists to earn a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity online through the Community College of the Air Force’s (CCAF) AU-ABC program.
Through AU-ABC, airmen can transfer credits towards an online degree at Capitol Technology University, recognized by the DHS and NSA as a Center for Excellence in cybersecurity. Capitol Tech joined the AU-ABC in 2018 and is one of a few Category 1 schools in the program that offers a cyber degree.
“Servicemen and women with cybersecurity expertise are sorely needed in order to meet the security challenges of the 21st century,” says Capitol Tech’s president, Dr. Bradford L. Sims. “Our adversaries are active 24/7 as they strive to harm U.S. assets and infrastructure by compromising our networks and sabotaging critical systems.”
The importance of cybersecurity was highlighted again recently as the Air Force began rolling out special cyber defense squadrons. Among their tasks: to detect potential intruders who could compromise networks, jeopardize missions, and place airmen in danger.
The teams will be charged with ensuring that airmen “can fight through cyber incidents — whether from adversaries or insiders — to make sure the wing commander can complete their mission,” Fifth Domain reported.
Other branches of the armed forces have also taken steps to ramp up their cybersecurity capabilities, with the army deploying cyber teams to the battlefield to “influence by non-kinetic means.”
Successive U.S. administrations have identified cybersecurity as a critical priority. Current Department of Defense policy calls for a “thorough strategy … to preserve U.S. cyberspace superiority and stop cyberattacks before they hit our networks.” In 2018, acting on an order by President Donald Trump, the Department of Defense elevated the Cyber Command to the status of unified combatant command, placing on the same level as the U.S. Strategic Command.
Capitol Tech is a natural fit for the AU-ABC program, given its long history of support for military advanced education, noted Dr. Sims.
“Capitol Tech has a proud legacy of supporting military education, including through partnerships with the NSA, our participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program, and the tuition discounts we offer to active duty military and their spouses,” he said. “We are honored to support our country’s servicemen and women by providing access to degree opportunities in high-demand fields such as cybersecurity.”
Cybersecurity coursework for students enrolled through the AU-ABC program is provided asynchronously, allowing students to schedule their studies around their other commitments. With lectures and course materials available online, students can keep up with their academic goals even if deployed overseas.
For more information on opportunities available at Capitol through the AU-ABC, visit our AU-ABC partnership page, contact admissions@captechu.edu, or phone 800-950-1992.