With the biggest threats our country is currently facing coming from cyberspace, it is key that the training of today's military focus on attacks that it could be facing from the electronic battlefield. With this in mind, a new unit was recently welcomed to Ft. Sill which is focused on the training and education of soldiers on the ins and out of electronic warfare.

Charlie Company, which is actually part of the much larger Cyber Training Battalion, which is currently stationed at Ft. Gordon, Georgia, was welcomed to Ft. Sill this week. Soldiers of all ranks will be sent to Charlie Company for training classes that will range from 22 weeks to 9 months, teaching today's soldiers on preventing cyber attacks across all platforms. Courses are structured so that military members will be able to take what they learn back to their units and apply it at those stations.

Right now the company has 24 assigned instructors and course developers, 19 of them active-duty Army soldiers and five Department of the Army civilians. It will also have between 90 and 120 students and leaders who will look over the soldiers administratively and take care of them and their families. Students will receive training in all levels of electronic warfare, from basic functions useful in supporting units and protecting soldiers overseas, to those with Sergeants rank and above, who will train to become electronic warfare specialists and warrant officers to become electronic warfare technicians.

Charlie Company commander Capt. Jackson W. Wittkamper said having this unit will allow the Cyber Training Battalion to organize the students who come through courses on Ft. Sill to train on electronic warfare. It will also serve to improve training by making it more realistic and relevant.

In this day and age, military cyber security is a necessity because of technological advances. To help combat these advances, students will receive top-notch education and training in preventing and repelling electronic attacks. Charlie Company will be responsible for the training and education of all electronic warfare soldiers here no matter what branch they may be, in all ranks from private to major.

Historically, Fort Sill was the original home of the electronic warfare school and classes have been taught here ever since. But a couple of years ago the Army stood up its Cyber branch and declared Fort Gordon to be the Cyber Center of Excellence, just as Fort Sill is the Fires Center of Excellence.

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