New cyber program to help displaced workers
MARTINSBURG - Change is coming to the West Virginia Air National Guard's 167th Airlift Wing, and officials have been proactively looking for ways to help individuals as they transition away from their jobs working on the unit's C-5 transport planes.
While the base now has a fleet of 11 C-5 Galaxy transport aircraft, officials announced in February 2012 they would be replaced with eight C-17 Globemaster cargo planes.
Consequently, state military officials tentatively anticipate this change - slated to take place over the next three years -could result in a potential loss of as many as 200 positions - mostly plane maintenance positions.
But thanks to a unique educational/military initiative, affected guardsmen as well as other individuals now have the opportunity to participate in a new fast-track cyber security program aimed at helping them gain other employment.
West Virginia National Guard Adj. Gen. James Hoyer, Blue Ridge Community and Technical College President Dr. Peter Checkovich, University of Charleston regional president Dr. Jerry Forster and West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education Vice Chancellor Greg Morris explained the new certificate at a press conference held Tuesday afternoon at the base.
Speaking before reporters, educational representatives and several guard members, Hoyer praised the two schools as well as the state Council for Community and Technical College Education for the cooperative effort behind the new program.
Hoyer also stressed the "significant shift in force structure" and loss of jobs that will accompany the change from C-5s to C-17s.
"And at some point during this change, you'll see a different mix of planes, which will be a kind of odd situation," Hoyer said.
Now available at BRCTC, the information security certificate is designed to introduce students to programming, security basics, network monitoring, risk assessment and ethical hacking. Many of the courses involve heavy computer use and will be taught at the school's tech center in the former Corning building. When combined with other courses, students will have the technical aptitude for a career in information security.
Students can begin the coursework now and expect to finish in summer 2014.
Additionally, students can earn a bachelor's degree in organizational leadership with a concentration in cyber security at the University of Charleston. School officials anticipate many individuals will take classes at UC-Martinsburg, complete their degree and also obtain advanced cyber security certifications.
"As security dynamics change and we continue to work to protect the nation - both internationally as well as at home - we've gone well beyond the need for soldiers and airmen of the old days. We now need critical thinkers and skilled in a variety of different disciplines to be able to do what is now necessary to protect the nation," Hoyer said.
"And from the guard's perspective, we want to make sure we are relevant to the future as it relates to national security and our Homeland Security mission. One of those needs is cyber security, whether it is the banking system or national defense, there are constant acts against our nation and well-being through the cyber networks," he said.
He said it may ultimately be possible to attract a cyber unit to the airwing or create other opportunities in the community, thanks to this new program.
Checkovich said he's happy to be part of an educational solution that will help guardsmen transition to the future.
A Navy veteran who served in Vietnam, Checkovich said he sympathized with other military members as they faced an uncertain future or were ready to move into civilian life.
Fortunately, higher education can help address many issues, he said.
"We're all excited about this project and ready to go," Checkovich said.
Approximately 73 individuals have applied to both schools for the program, officials said.
Forster said "this partnership is quite important to the 167th Airlift Wing because we want to continue to serve the military men and women of West Virginia. And we're also looking forward to more cooperative efforts with Blue Ridge as well as other community colleges in the state."
There may be more good news, since officials have been proactively trying to minimize the job loss numbers, Col. Roger Nye, wing commander of the 167th, said in an interview following the press conference.
"We've been talking about this for a couple of years, and we've been very involved in trying to minimize the impact by making sure that, as people retired, we did the right thing for filling that position," Nye said. "Of the couple hundred positions we may lose, we are down and think it may be about 80 people who are affected. But it is still important to help them transition."
- Staff writer Jenni Vincent can be reached at 304-263-8931, ext. 131.