By Robin Nelson ‘22, Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets – June 16th, 2024
As the university’s premier leadership development program, Texas A&M Corps of Cadets is home to young men and women from all walks of life. Whether they aim to enter the public, private, military or non-profit sectors after graduation, each cadet’s Corps experience is lined with opportunities that prepare them to lead passionately and make positive impacts at every level.
For military-contracted and non-contracted cadets who desire to enter the ever evolving cybersecurity field, the Corps provides a supplementary development opportunity through the Corps Cyber Operations Special Unit (COSU). Established in 2017, the COSU trains cadets in the technical knowledge and skills necessary to work in the field of cybersecurity.
“At the individual, local, state and national levels, we face an increase in cyber threats which are becoming more frequent and complex.The COSU is a unique aspect of the Corps’ leadership laboratory that directly addresses the need and demand for cyber professionals,” said Colonel Kenn Allison, Associate Director of the Corps’ Hollingsworth Center and the Staff Advisor to the Cyber Operations Unit.
A significant component of the unit’s focus is competing on a national level in virtual and in-person cybersecurity competitions. Selected members of the COSU compete as a team in several events throughout the year, culminating in the National Security Agency’s Cyber Exercise (NCX) in the spring semester. At the NCX, the COSU competes against teams from each of the other Senior Military Colleges and United States Service Academies. Over the last seven years, the team has seen increasing levels of success. Competing alongside members of Texas A&M’s Cyber Leader Development program, the COSU’s participation in the 2024 NCX saw one team participating in person at the Maritime Conference Center in Maryland, and two others participating virtually from back in Texas.
“We face a variety of technical challenges such as reverse engineering software to find vulnerabilities, creating malware and deploying it in a testing environment and utilizing general IT skills. This is not an exhaustive list, as these competitions change often and encompass a wide variety of other topics. So, it goes without saying that problem-solving ability and the ability to think on your feet and learn quickly are paramount in these competitions,” cadet Jeremy Murray, 2024-2025 commanding officer of the unit, said.
Utilizing the resources available to them through Texas A&M’s Cybersecurity Center, cadets in the COSU are able to learn from cybersecurity experts and industry leaders and obtain necessary certifications to advance their careers post-graduation.
“I started the special unit because I saw that there’s a lot of people that get assigned cybersecurity roles but have never utilized anything more than Microsoft Windows and Powerpoint. I realized that there’s a need to start learning while you’re in school, so I decided to do something here at A&M. When I founded the unit, there was nothing like this at any other schools or the military academies,” said Andrew Laramore, founder of the COSU.
Through the number of opportunities it provides, the Corps Cyber Operations Special Unit continues to meet the Corps’ mission statement of producing well rounded leaders of character who are prepared for the leadership challenges of the future. The COSU’s emphasis in this specialized area also specifically prepares cadets to lead the way in the nation’s growing cybersecurity efforts, and, in turn, secures a brighter future for all.